In Saint Lucia, solar power helped a fishers’ cooperative survive financial strain after Hurricane Beryl. In Georgia, Shorena Chapurishvili says electricity has brought life and hope back to her remote village. And in Belize, women solar engineers are bringing clean power to homes and businesses. These are among thousands of locally led projects supported by the GEF Small Grants Programme. More than 30,000 grants over three decades have put resources into communities’ hands, helping them protect forests, embrace clean energy and strengthen livelihoods. The lesson: small investments can give local knowledge the power to create lasting change.

Solar mini-grids are transforming rural Sierra Leone by extending business hours, reducing food waste, improving safety and giving children more time to study.

In Buenos Aires, thousands of young people are gaining hands-on experience with the technologies and creative skills shaping the future of work. Three TUMO learning centres give students aged 12 to 18 free access to subjects including artificial intelligence, robotics, programming, animation, music and video game development. Designed to complement formal schooling, the centres emphasize self-directed learning and exploration. Around 20,000 students are expected to use the facilities each year, helping broaden access to digital education. For students like Lourdes, the programme is already helping them discover new interests, develop creative projects and consider future careers.

A new UNOPS-built shelter in Ukraine's Mykolaiv Region is enabling nearly 250 students to safely return to in-person learning and regain a sense of normalcy.

Fighting for and believing in change is in Jorge Moreira da Silva’s blood. Now Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), the former Portuguese minister is helping to improve lives. From restoring roads and repairing power plants to running health centres and constructing renewable energy mini-grids, UNOPS implements projects in more than 130 countries – often in fragile and conflict-affected settings.

“It's about providing social basic human needs. We have found a way to provide livelihoods to 15 million people in Afghanistan...rehabilitating roads, streets, water canals, paying men and women to do the job.”

In this episode of Awake at Night, Jorge Moreira da Silva reflects on the practical and political challenges of delivering projects in complex environments – from funding gaps to lack of political will. He also shares how releasing an Iberian lynx and earning his pilot’s license have to do with keeping hope alive through dark times.

Since this interview was recorded, the UN Secretary-General has appointed Jorge Moreira da Silva to lead the UN task force for the Strait of Hormuz. 

In Myanmar’s remote and conflict-affected Shan State, accessing basic healthcare has long meant long journeys, unreliable facilities and difficult conditions. Today, that reality is changing. Through community-focused design and investment, new and upgraded health centres are bringing safe, dignified care within reach for thousands. Equipped with reliable power, clean water and inclusive spaces, these facilities are more than buildings—they are trusted lifelines. By strengthening local health systems and supporting frontline workers, the initiative is helping ensure that even in the most challenging environments, families have a dependable place to turn when it matters most.

In Aden, UNOPS-rehabilitated roads funded by Japan are restoring critical access to services and humanitarian aid, cutting travel times and reconnecting nearly 200,000 people to opportunity and essential support.

Through the Accelerate SDG Localization initiative, adolescent girls in Bangladesh are learning leadership, rights, and digital safety, gaining the confidence and support to challenge restrictive norms and participate actively in their schools and communities.

Across the globe, the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)  joined forces with the UN family and partners to tackle urgent challenges and uplift vulnerable communities in 2025. From rebuilding hope in Afghanistan to strengthening resilience in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gaza, and Haiti, these stories showcase how collaboration can transform lives—even in the most difficult circumstances.

In Bezruky, Kharkiv region, the war forced the local gymnasium to close after sustaining damage, leaving students without a safe learning space. Through the EU-funded ‘School Repairs in Ukraine’ project, UNOPS renovated the school, converting its basement into a secure shelter and fully-equipped classrooms with ventilation, alarms, and restrooms. Corridors were transformed into an art gallery, making the space welcoming and inclusive. Students like Kamila, Mykhailo, and Kateryna now attend extracurricular activities safely, enjoying drawing, gymnastics, and learning. The initiative is part of a wider effort helping over 15,000 children across four regions return to in-person education.

UNOPS is completing 62 Indigenous and Quilombola schools across Brazil, blending traditional knowledge with modern education to empower youth, preserve cultural identity, and promote sustainable development.

From startup to regional leader, Southeast Asia Energy Transition Partnership unveils a five-year strategy to accelerate decarbonization, boost energy security, and ensure a just, inclusive, and sustainable low-carbon future.

From climate-fuelled disasters to destruction caused by conflict and other human-made crises, the focus of recovery is often fixed on the visible – collapsed buildings, flooded streets and shattered infrastructure. Yet, the deepest wounds are often the invisible losses – the emotional scars and the anguish of those who have been permanently displaced, carrying with them the memories of a home and a community they may never be able to return to. Decades of underground salt-mining beneath the coastal city of Maceió in Brazil led to land sinking and the flooding of entire neighbourhoods, forcing tens of thousands to abandon their homes. The tragedy unfolding in Maceió stands as the largest ongoing urban social-environmental disaster in Brazil. UNOPS is offering psychological support workshops in the Bebedouro neighbourhood – helping residents rebuild social connections and move forward together.

In drought-stricken Honduras, UNOPS and SANAA are transforming lives by building sustainable water systems that provide clean, reliable access to people in remote communities.

Earlier this year, Fatima, a resident of a remote village in Herat Province, received humanitarian cash assistance that provided much-needed relief. However, two local men seized the funds from 23 recipients, claiming they needed redistribution. Despite the risk of retaliation, Fatima contacted Awaaz Afghanistan, a nationwide platform for reporting issues related to humanitarian aid. The team acted on her complaint, leading to a field visit that confirmed the misuse of funds. Within ten days, each affected household received their full assistance. This case underscores the impact of speaking out and the responsiveness of humanitarian actors, facilitated by Awaaz Afghanistan, which has assisted nearly 600,000 calls and reached almost 4 million people.