Changemakers
Apr 17, 2025
When we think of changing the world, we often imagine large-scale reforms, powerful institutions, or the latest technologies. But sometimes, change begins with a quiet act of courage, a decision to help, to protect, to create hope where there is none. Volunteering, in its purest form, is an act of believing in humanity.
In today’s article, you will discover the stories of three remarkable people who chose to act from a deep sense of responsibility to others. Through their volunteer-driven work, they shaped the world for the better.
Wangari Maathai (1940–2011, Kenya)
The Woman Who Planted Trees and Hope
In the late 1970s, as Kenya faced deforestation and environmental decline, Wangari Maathai chose to act. In 1977, she founded the Green Belt Movement, encouraging women to plant trees, restore degraded land, and reclaim their rights to natural resources.
What began as a small, volunteer-led initiative grew into a national and then international movement. Over 50 million trees were planted thanks to her vision. In 2004, she became the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize — not for leading armies, but for defending the environment and empowering communities.
Paul Farmer (1959–2022, United States & Haiti)
The Doctor Who Believed Everyone Deserved Care
In the 1980s, while still a medical student, Paul Farmer began volunteering in rural Haiti, where access to basic healthcare was almost nonexistent. He treated patients for free, listened deeply, and stayed.
From this deep-rooted commitment grew „Partners In Health”, a global health organization serving millions in countries like Rwanda, Peru, Sierra Leone, and beyond. Paul believed that no one was too poor to deserve high-quality care. His vision transformed not only lives, but systems — proving that compassionate medicine can be both just and effective.
Irena Sendler (1910–2008, Poland)
The Woman Who Smuggled Hope Out of the Ghetto
During World War II, in Nazi-occupied Warsaw, Irena Sendler volunteered as a social worker with access to the Jewish ghetto. Risking her life daily, she orchestrated the rescue of over 2,500 Jewish children, smuggling them out and placing them in safe homes, orphanages, and convents.
She buried the children’s real names in jars under an apple tree, hoping they could be reunited with surviving family after the war. Captured and tortured by the Gestapo, Irena never revealed a single name. Her courage became a quiet but powerful defiance of cruelty and injustice.
Wangari, Irena, and Paul lived in different times, different parts of the world, and fought different battles, but they shared one thing: they acted when they didn’t have to. They volunteered not just their time, but their courage, their hope, and their humanity.