Blog

This International Women's Day, join us in celebrating the resilience of women across the globe with some female achievements you might not have heard about.

Bangladesh - Lamia Tasnim's volunteering journey began in 2018, and over the course of the last six years, her passion for supporting her community has only grown.

Growing up in the heart of Madesh Province in Nepal, Aarati Patel witnessed first-hand the harsh realities that many women and girls in my community face daily. Hear how she's supporting girls in Nepal to find their voice and create a world where every girl has the freedom to choose her own path. 

Malawi - Climate shocks, including droughts, floods, and storms, adversely affect livelihoods and food security in Malawi. Two formidable volunteers are helping to address the challenges of food security through sustainable farming methods.

Sexual and reproductive health is not just about physical well-being; it’s about dignity, autonomy, and the right to shape one’s future. In Nepal, the pressure for young girls to conform to traditional roles remains present, but how can programme design challenge these norms?

In Rwanda, 2023 saw over 22,000 teenage pregnancies nationwide, alongside a concerning rise in HIV/AIDS cases among young people. VSO's Safe Space is a community gathering platform, where young people from neighbouring villages meet on a weekly basis.

As communities worldwide grapple with the challenges posed by environmental changes, health systems must adapt to ensure inclusivity, equity, and resilience in healthcare delivery.

Faridah volunteers on VSO's early childhood education project working in the BidiBidi refugee settlement in Uganda, as a teacher educator. Learn more about her volunteer journey.

For more than 30 years, Mrs Sokea and her family grew vegetables to support themselves. However, she faced many challenges and her crops were often invaded by insects. With VSO's help she's adopted modern climate friendly farming techniques to improve her livelihood.

Watch a powerful film presented by VSO at COP29, where children and youth share their fears and hopes for a sustainable future using the power of art and poetry.

Meet Anna Robinson, a British woman who volunteered as a VSO teacher trainer in Nepal in 1985. 30 years on from first arriving on placement, Anna has returned to Nepal. In this blog Anna shared her highlights and learnings from her experience.

Here we share some of VSO’s iconic imagery over the past year that capture the resilience and determination of the communities and volunteers we support and pay tribute to the people behind the lens.