My name is Ka Chun, a UN University Volunteer from Hong Kong, serving at the Poverty Reduction Unit of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Lao PDR.

As a university student in Hong Kong, I found myself very privileged to receive a good education, have a very supportive family and live a pretty carefree life without any worries about food and shelter. Not to mention people in other parts of the world – numerous families in Hong Kong do not share the luck and blessings I have, but struggle to survive in poverty, injustice and with unequal treatments. I have long been eager to share my skills and talent to support the underprivileged.

After serving in various organizations and programs in Hong Kong and China in the past few years, I decided to take a further step to become a UNV to understand poverty and help development as global issues. I believed serving in the UN system in a developing country would be an eye-opening experience which allows me to learn and to serve at the same time.

In the past six months, I mainly supported the preparation and management of “Brand Lao – for Better Livelihoods”, which is a new initiative under the Poverty Reduction portfolio in UNDP Lao PDR. This new initiative helps local enterprises get better pricing for high-quality products. Tea, pearly rice, coffee beans, and smooth silk – these are signature products of Lao that are very popular in different parts of the world. The project is particularly significant as it is the very first time that UNDP Lao PDR partners with the private sector to alleviate poverty and bring inclusive growth to the country. The country has long been relying on official development assistance (ODA) from other countries to fight against poverty. Once the other countries discontinue or reduce the funding, work becomes very difficult. Empowering and involving the private sector, the project will approach these issues in a sustainable way. I have also supported UNDP in raising awareness among young Lao audiences about UXO (unexploded ordnance), which is a major issue in Laos.

Apart from that, I am happy because I could genuinely understand our Lao colleagues and the Lao conception of muan (happiness). This assignment is a life-changing experience for me. I learnt a lot about the UN, Lao PDR, Lao people and culture, and various development issues. Working in a multicultural setting in the UN polished my communication skills and broadened my horizon. This experience is invaluable as I got the chance to devote myself to helping Lao PDR to bring inclusive prosperity while gaining good experience and becoming a better person.

Ka Chun Cheng is a University Volunteer in Poverty Reduction, UNDP Lao PDR. Ka Chun is from Hong Kong and funded by the Hong Kong government.

(This post was a story published on UNDP Lao PDR website on 1 Jan 2018.)