UNDP Syria

“My name is Hadba'a Al-Orabi, Syrian nationality and I am the UNV Country Operations Assistant . I joined UNDP Syria in August 2004 after gaining a thorough working experience in various fields, in both public and private sectors, such as petroleum and accounting companies.

I received my education in Lebanon with a major in Arabic literature and focused on other relevant academic fields, such as English advanced course as well as commercial correspondence at the British Council and the American Language center (ALC). I was also interested in pursuing courses related to the Syrian European Business Center, where I studied Financial and Economic consulting to be a financial broker.

Nowadays, I'm concerned to work more hard to absorb issues related to my core work such as UNV's field of work. I found to be part of the UNV family very exciting and challenging, which made me enthusiastic to pursue such an experience.  I would like to thank both UNDP and UNV for providing me with such enriching opportunity to integrate me fully in the UNDP/UNV program and I really hope to meet both UNDP and UNV expectation.”

Maurizio is Italian and he is serving as international UNV Communication and Advocacy Specialist for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) since January 2006.

He graduated from the University of Bologna in 2004 and then he had several work experiences in the field of communications both in the private and public sectors.

He decided to become an international volunteer because he believes "we have to be the change we want to see in the world".

Ayham holds a Bachelor degree in electronic engineering. He is currently working as national UNV IT Specialist in the UNDP project "Strengthening the Institutional Capacity of the People's Assembly of Syria".
He is responsible for managing all IT activities in the project, from the networks installation and administration, to the e-archiving system and e-library, training for parliament employees and website development. In addition, he provides fast and qualitative technical service to parliament staff, and makes sure that all ICT systems are working and properly configured.

Hanya used to be a fashion designer but then decided to change her career path and went on to study Mathematical Statistics at Damascus University where she eventually received her BA. 

Hanya’s commitment as national UNV Statistician with the UNDP project "Towards changing the competitiveness mindset" is her first opportunity to put her knowledge into use.  She says she loves working as a data analyst and as a statistician, and also loves the more social aspect of the project which is distributing surveys and thus meeting new people.

Rima, 22, graduated from Tishreen University in Lattakia where she obtained a BA in Economics with a specialization in statistics.  She moved from Lattakia to Damascus upon joining the UNDP project "Towards changing the competitiveness mindset" as national UNV Statistician.  At first she said, she felt lonely in her new residential and work environment, but the project team soon became her new family.  

Professionally, her posting at the Competitiveness Project allows her to use this specialization in statistics and she thinks that the scientific research she is taking part in through the project is preparing her for the PhD that she hopes to pursue in the future.

Tammam is 25 and holds a BA from Damascus University in Economics.  He also has a “High Studies” degree in Finance and is currently pursuing graduate studies at the Arab Academy where he will receive his MA in Banking and Finance next spring. 

Before becoming a national UNV Economist for the UNDP project "Towards changing the competitiveness mindset" he was working as a cost accountant at the Damascus Family Club. However, he is infinitely more happy at his current post because he feels like he is learning something new every day.

Hikmat is a 27 year old graduate from Aleppo University, where he obtained his BA in Economics along with a Diploma in Marketing, Sales Management and Cost Accounting.  Before being a national UNV Economist for the UNDP project "Towards changing the competitiveness mindset" he was working for an exchange office. 

He says he loves being a UNV not just because he can use the skills he learned at the university but also because it gives him the feeling of being part of a big international organization, which has the power to make influence the world.

Rasha is a 26 year-old with a BA from the American University in Beirut where she studied Anthropology.  After she graduated, she joined UNHCR’s community service section as a temp.  Then, she joined UNHCR’s durable solutions unit as a national UNV Resettlement Assistant.

She loves her position because she feels that she can apply the theoretical anthropology that she studied at the university in practice.  She enjoys being a UNV at UNHCR and in the past she has volunteered at archeological excavations, at the AUB Hospital and at the St. Jude Hospital where she worked with children who have cancer.

Abir is 29 years old and currently national UNV Resettlement Assistant for durable solutions unit at UNHCR.  She graduated with a BA in English Literature at the University of Damascus and then completed a one year certificate in communication skills.

She joined UNHCR in December 2005 as a national UNV because she wants to be a part of furthering the spirit of volunteerism in the Middle East.  Further, she feels that her challenging position in helping other people offers her opportunities for personal growth and success.

Mutasem Hayatla graduated with an MA in Diplomacy from the Geneva Institute at the University of Malta.

He loves being a national UNV Eligibility Assistant at UNHCR because it allows him to serve in two humanitarian capacities: he can both volunteer and help asylum-seekers.

My name is Feras Qadri, Syrian nationality. I've been working as national UNV Community Services Clerk within UNHCR Syria since May 2005.

Previously, I gained different types of experience like training & development in addition to management skills while I was working in Syriatel company for more than three years. 
I'm thankful for having a new dimension in my personality after being a volunteer in a humanitarian organization", he says.

Bassem Jafari before joining UNHCR Syria in 2004 as national UNV was an assistant director for the Russian Center for Eye Surgery.  He liked his former job, because he was able to use his language skills which include Bulgarian, Russian, Italian and French.
Yet, he also really likes his current UNV position at UNHCR where he is responsible for the asylum-seekers’ files.  This entails filing, organizing and receptionist duties.  Bassem says that he has a lot of respect for the UN, because of its role as international humanitarian organization.

"My name is Binan, I’m 24 years old and I’m a last year student in French Literature in the University of Damascus. I graduated from the French High School of Damascus with an Economic and Social Sciences baccalaureate. I am currently a national UNV  in the Community Services Unit at UNHCR Syria.

This gives me the opportunity to be in direct contact with the refugees and our implementing partners in order to provide them with their necessary needs such as medical assistance, food supplies, vocational trainings and emotional support. This humanitarian work brings me closer to make other people’s life better", she says.

Anas is 21 and he studies at the University of Damascus, majoring in Economics and Accounting. He enjoys being a national UNV Community Service Clerk, making home-visits to asylum-seekers and refugees in order to assess the needs.   

He started volunteering at the age of 12 for orphanages, elderly homes and institutes for disabled people. He likes volunteering for the UNV Programme because it means being a part of a big international organization and at the same time helping people.

Fanar graduated from the Institute of Agriculture and before serving as national UNV Receptionist at UNHCR he worked at WFP. 

He likes his current position because of the staff at UNHCR, who he says are all very cooperative; but above all, he likes it because UNHCR helps people directly and he himself is directly in contact with them.

Mouna graduated with a BA in English Literature from Damascus University.  After she graduated, she worked at the American Cultural Center’s Outreach Program for six months and then quit to dedicate herself to her family.  As her children got a little older, Mouna decided to work again and she worked for a few years in marketing. 

In 2003 Mouna joined the International Organization for Migration and decided she really loved working in the humanitarian sector.  Since February 2005, she has been working for UNHCR as UNV Receptionist for the registration of new refugees and asylum seekers.  In this capacity she has direct contact with people and feels that she really has an impact on their lives.

"My name is Mays, I’m 23 years old, I have Bachelor Degree in Law and I’m planning to continue my studies in the field of International Humanitarian law.

Volunteerism makes a very essential part of my life.  I’m a UNV Eligibility Assistant as well as the Minors focal point for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Syria, and I’m also a volunteer in the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, Syria branch since 2002.

I think that volunteerism gives me the opportunity to help in making the world a better place for others", she says.

Amjad obtained his BA in Law from the University of Damascus in 1999 and then moved to Britain where he obtained his MA in Commercial Law in 2003 from Aberdeen University.  Amjad also obtained a diploma in International Business Organizations from London in 2004. 

While his studies have focused more on commercial law, Amjad says that he loves his current position as UNV Eligibility Assistant for UNCHR in Syria which allows him to work in the field of humanitarian law.

Mustafa graduated in 2000 with a BA in Political science/Public Administration from the Lebanese University.  Then in 2005 he obtained an MA in International Relations and Diplomatic Law.  He joined UNHCR in April 2005 as a temp and then became a national UNV Eligibility Assistant in January of 2006.  

He loves his job and he not only likes helping asylum-seekers, providing protection for the defenseless, but also likes being a part of a multicultural organization.  Moreover, he loves the fact that his position allows him to both spend time at his desk and in the field and as such he feels that he never gets bored.

Lina Zakaria is a Syrian-Canadian.  She studied Mathematics at the University of Toronto, but then decided to start a career in television production and programming.  Her passion led her to tackle crucial subjects such as abuse, violence and immigration.  After working for Canadian television for six years, she decided to come to Syria, where she wanted to continue her work involving the same social issues. 

Lina just recently became a UNV at UNHCR in Syria.  She loves her work, which allows her to raise awareness on the same social issues that she was working on in Canada.

Nada had been practicing civil law for fourteen years when she heard about the UNV/UNHCR post and thought it would be challenging to apply her experience to humanitarian issues.   In her current position of national UNV Eligibility Assistant for UNCHR in Syria, she interviews up to fifteen refugees and asylum-seekers each week.

“Part of my job is to understand the culture and background of the people I interview, so every time I meet someone from a new country I learn more about the part of the world they are originating from", she says.

Hatoun is a Syrian citizen born in Kuwait and raised in both Kuwait and Canada. She joined the UNV Programme in Syria in December 2004, working with the Durable Solutions Unit in UNHCR, as a resettlement assistant.
“My assignment consists of interviewing refugees, find the best “durable solution” for their case, submitting their application to a resettlement country or facilitating their voluntary- repatriation, depending on the case and then following up on the procedures. I really want to continue my work with UNHCR and to remain of use to the people in need of assistance.”

Naji has a professional diploma in computing from Edexcel University and has specialized in information technology and e-business with the Syrian Virtual University. After working for the Microsoft – CTEC – MS Academy, he started to work as operations manager for Smart Business.

He believes volunteerism is a way of helping others and he decided to serve as UNV Associate to contribute with its experience in the field of ICT to better promote and foster human development in its own country.

Lilli first came to Damascus in 2004 and attended Arabic courses for one year while researching for her Master’s thesis. Through the close contact with people, the sociological research and the knowledge of the challenges which faces the Syrian society today, she developed a growing interest in social and development issues. Then in 2006 she attained her MA in Islamic and Arabic Studies, Political Science and German Linguistics at FA-University Erlangen-Nuernberg, Germany.

After graduation, she returned to Syria to participate in development work and to gain practical experience in the field she became a UNV Human Development Advocate for the UNDP/UNV Programme in Syria. “I can recommend being a UNV Human Development Advocate to all young people who love to meet different people and want to witness progress in human development.”

Tahani studies English Translation at Damascus University and will graduate in 2007. She is serving as UNV Human Development Advocate Translator for the UNDP and UNV Programme in Syria since May 2006.

She thinks that UNVs working together can make the world and Syria a better place where to live. Particularly, she loves her position because she can practice her translation skills, as well as being enriched by meeting different types of people while advocating development work and issues.

After graduating in philosophy, religious studies and social science from Cambridge University in 2005, Oliver came to Syria to study Arabic and also to follow his interests in development work in the Middle East. He served as UNV Human Development Advocate and gathered a lot of experience by visiting projects of all descriptions, attending various workshops, and generally acquainting himself with the work of the UNDP. About his time as a UNV Human Development Advocate he says: “I can certainly recommend it as an opportunity for anyone who wants to make his first steps in the world of development.”

Edith holds a BA in Religious Studies from Arizona State University and a MA in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Texas at Austin. She was a UNV Human Development Advocate for the UNDP/UNV Programme in Syria. She enjoyed her work as she finally had a chance to see how the issues she heard about in classrooms were actually applied in practice.

  Mohammad holds a BBA from Damascus University, a business diploma from Cambridge international college and a degree in radio and telecommunications. He worked within the field of installation, programming and networking in the UNDP project of capacity building for disaster management.
  “Working as national UN volunteer at UNDP is a great pleasure. I can experience and hone my abilities as a telecommunication expert, and still enjoy my time in a highly respected atmosphere with the excellent staff working with me", he says.

Maya holds a Bachelor's Degree in Law and a Certificate de Francais Juridique from the Chamber of Commerce in Paris. She worked as UNV in the Eligibility section at UNHCR in Syria.

"I feel that my work with refugees brings me to be at a very close level of the societies that need our help and attention”, she says.

Nida’ has a BA in English Literature from Damascus University (1991-1995). She worked as national UNV Durable Solution Assistant at UNHCR.

Her main tasks included: resettlement interviews to refugees; identify vulnerable cases and discuss their special needs to be considered and dealt with by resettlement countries; process voluntary repatriation cases of Afghans, Yemenis, and Somalis.