The first regional Report of its kind – VCARE showcases the evolution of volunteering practices and the impact of volunteer efforts, emphasizes the value of volunteers' contributions, and identifies best practices in the region's volunteer movement.

The Report’s findings offer diverse examples of volunteer actions that can help to fast track the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in the region's five countries – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. 

VCARE was officially endorsed to take shape as a standalone Report at the International Volunteer Forum in Astana in 2023. 

Country case studies, face-to-face and virtual meetings, interviews, and dialogues conducted in the region between September 2023 and March 2024 helped bring the Report to fruition. 

Split into five chapters, it serves as a tool for evaluating progress and taking stock of the diverse ways volunteers contribute to implementing priorities at the national level as well as the Sustainable Development Goals. 

The Report benefitted from the valuable insights of partners, together with government officials, representatives of UN entities, academic researchers including from the Center for Studies of Civil Society and the Non-profit Sector of National Research University Higher School of Economics, independent experts, and members of volunteer movements and organizations. 

Volunteering in Central Asia was captured in stunning photographs. Each photograph speaks a thousand words. Click to view the Exposure collage.

The Report will be live on the day of the launch. Watch this space.

Listen to the volunteers from Central Asia and get a glimpse of the volunteer spirit in the following video.