Why be a Volunteer
How to become a Volunteer
UN Volunteer benefits

National UN Volunteers in Lesotho

Why be a Volunteer?

Working and not getting paid, what is the point of working anyways?

Volunteerism is a tremendously rewarding experience and most people choose to volunteer for various reasons. Individuals volunteer to acquire familiarity in the field they want work in whilst others may volunteer to meet new people and gain a wider understanding. Whatever reasons for volunteering the benefits are immeasurable! If you would like to know more about individual volunteer experiences please click here.

How to become a Volunteer?

If you are interested in development work and would like to become a UN Volunteer, the easiest way to find out if you have the required qualifications is to fill in an on-line questionnaire found on the UNV website. On the basis of your answers and the current demands of the UNV Programme with regard to professional profiles a screening is done, and you will be subsequently informed of whether you are accepted on the UNV roster. If you are selected for a UNV assignment you will be contacted. Please note that being on the roster is not a guarantee for getting a UNV assignment.

UN Volunteer benefits

Settling-in-grant (SIG)
This one-time grant is given to the UN Volunteer to help her/him in establishing a new place of residence and to purchase certain basic household items. The SIG, equivalent to a one month Volunteer Living Allowance (see below), is paid to the UN Volunteer who is assigned to a duty station different from her/his place of recruitment and has an initial contract of at least 12 months, (pro-rated per month for contracts of shorter durations).

Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA)
UN volunteer is not paid a salary for her/his services. Instead, they are provided with the VLA on a monthly basis, paid in the local currency. UNV undertakes no liability for withholding or paying taxes on behalf of the UNV and the payment shall be the only responsibility.

Health coverage and insurance:
The United Nations Volunteers Programme has a global insurance policy with J. Van Breda & Co. Antwerp, Belgium, that provides health, life and permanent disability insurance coverage. Insurance will cover the UN volunteer, and three recognized dependants whose names and dates of birth should be submitted to the HQ. The three dependants could be either one spouse and two un-married children under 21 or three un-married children under 21. The insurance will comprise of life, health and permanent disability, and only health insurance for the dependants and is effective until the end of the service contract.

Resettlement Allowance
Upon satisfactory completion of assignment, the UN Volunteer is entitled to receive the Resettlement Allowance (RSA), which is accrued at the rate of one month of the Monthly Living Allowance (VLA) per 12 month-assignment, and pro-rated for shorter durations.

Travel to country of assignment
The UN Volunteer and his or her recognized dependents will be provided with an economic fare ticket from the home country or the country of recruitment to the country of assignment. Further, a lump sum of USD 500 for shipment of personal effects is given to the UNV and each recognized dependent.

Repatriation travel
Upon completion of the UNV assignment, the UNV and his or her recognized dependents will be provided with an economy fare ticket from the country of assignment to the home country or the country of recruitment. The UNV and each recognized dependent are also given a lump sum of USD 500 for shipment of personal effects.
 

National UNV Volunteers in Lesotho
As long ago as 1999, national volunteers were active in Lesotho. Local Basotho, experienced in development and environmental management worked with their local communities to build sustainable development and poverty reduction strategies.

Now, in 2007, the UNV Programme Office is actively working to revitalise our National UN Volunteer scheme and will keep you posted on our progress.

If you have any suggestions, we would love to hear them. Contact the Programme Office team at orfhlaith.ramsey@undp.org  (Programme Officer) and ntsieli.tlahali@undp.org (Country Office Assistant)


For detailed information please visit: http://www.unv.org/volunteers/options/index.htm