Volunteering for a better world

Volunteerism. One might think that it is a creation of the West, but the very word is literally in our blood. In short, it means helping others without any financial or other gain, apart from the mental satisfaction that one gains by doing so. This has been part and parcel of our culture for ages. Sharing and caring has been and still is, part of our way of life in this island. In fact, it is a central theme in all Eastern cultures.

But volunteerism has also gained traction in other cultures in recent times. This is why the world now celebrates an International Volunteers Day, on December 5. The International Volunteers Day was established by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly on December 17, 1985. Since then, governments, the UN system and civil society organisations have successfully joined volunteers around the world to celebrate the Day on December 5. Several events were held in Sri Lanka to mark the event, including the South Asian release of the first-ever State of the World’s Volunteerism Report prepared by the UN, which has a separate Volunteers program that has over 8,000 volunteers.

This year’s theme was highly appropriate for a world caught up in the web of commercialism – ‘Volunteerism: Light Up Our World’. This means that even a simple act of volunteerism – say, helping a blind person to cross the road – can be an act that gives hope and inspires others.

That is the idea behind volunteerism – you do not even have to spend a cent to help others, although there certainly are ways that you can help others by spending or donating money. Do not forget that you can even volunteer your precious time, that most important of ‘commodities’. When you set aside some time to teach a child, help a friend in need or console a person experiencing grief, that is time well spent and volunteered. There are people who say they have ‘no time’ for these things, but it is important to allocate at least a few minutes each day for an act that can benefit others.

It is in this context that we find Sri Lanka’s first Volunteer Awards (V Awards), being held in conjunction with the International Volunteers Day, rather fascinating. Fifteen finalists have been chosen.

These are individuals who have made a positive contribution to society through outstanding acts of volunteerism. Although civilian bravery has been recognised in this country for years, this is apparently the first time that acts of volunteerism are being recognized. Acts of bravery make instant headlines, but these volunteers hardly ever get any exposure in the media for their selfless services. Some of them have been volunteering in various capacities for decades without asking anything in return.

It is time that their services are appreciated and publicised in the media.One of the judges of V Awards, Dr. Vinya S. Ariyaratne, General Secretary of Sarvodaya, itself a voluntary organisation, explained to me that Sri Lankans were no strangers to volunteerism. But the message that anyone can volunteer must permeate through society, he said. He said that the publicity given in the media to the V Awards winners would inspire a lot more people to volunteer their time and energy for various worthy causes.

“Helping others is an inborn trait of Sri Lankans. But some of us have lost sight of this important mission in our lives due to the rat race associated with living in a commercialised world. The International Volunteers Day and the V Awards will be a fitting reminder that volunteerism deserves our attention.” He said that all over the world, people were rediscovering the joys and benefits of volunteerism.

In this backdrop, we must make every effort to help others through acts of volunteerism. Remember, we even have a word for it. Not many cultures do. The word ‘Shramadana’, which even a Montessori child knows, means ‘giving away one’s time and energy’ for a collective action undertaken by several people for the betterment of the community.

There are countless examples for Shramadana in our day to day lives, from building a road to clearing compounds to eradicate dengue/malaria mosquitoes.

It can even be a family affair, such as cleaning the house. Another example for volunteerism is the Cooperatives Movement, which is being revived in this country.

As UN Secretary General Ban Ki moon says in his message for International Volunteers Day, “with the world population having surpassed seven billion this year, we must tap every person’s potential to help others”. The very slogan for the 7th billion day (October 7) was Seven Billion Actions, which underscores the importance of helping each other.

The idea is that everyone can make a difference and that volunteering really matters. With passion and commitment, volunteers are helping to show how volunteering can change the world. Yes, every little act that helps others can have an impact on the society and the world.

It is a movement that everyone can join in, an act that everyone can perform. Although UN volunteers are primarily engaged in sustainable development, humanitarian assistance, environmental preservation, and progress towards the Millennium Development Goals, the gamut is much wider.

There seems to be some confusion as to how philanthropy, charity and volunteerism differ. There are many who donate money to a worthy or charitable cause (for example, a children’s home) and stop at that. It is an act of generosity that should rightly be appreciated. But with or without giving funds, one can go a little bit further.

How about helping to paint the walls of that children’s home ? Or helping to prepare their food ? That is what makes volunteerism different from charity. It is a gesture that comes from within oneself.

Volunteerism has become a global force that can address development and social welfare challenges. It should be encouraged and nurtured. And as the UN Volunteerism report shows, today’s telecoms technology has made it possible for a person in one country to volunteer for a cause in another country without ever going there in person. Volunteerism is evolving to face modern-day challenges and changing our attitudes every day.