The Joy of Volunteering

How do You generally spend Your weekends or lets say Your free-time?? umm...Movie? some indoor/outdoors Games? just hang around? or do it in a way that is Quite different : Volunteering for a Change. Without disregard to any of the option listed above, I would say that I would prefer the latter option.

Volunteerism/ philanthropy is deep rooted in Nepalese society: in one form or another. Construction of  temples, pilgrims house, Water taps, hospitals, etc in public places can be seen in abundance. Volunteerism inspired me since a very Young age when I used to witness the social services rendered by my family members and some people of the society. Helping the ill people to get medical services, abused and oppressed people to go through legal proceedings, helping the flood victims etc were some of the events that made a deep impact to my raw mind at a very Young age. As a result I began to involve myself in some of those activities.

Braille Books distribution with Trifc USA, 2012

Volunteerism is very popular in the western countries. Many developed countries like United States focus on Volunteerism as a key towards a sound and prosperous society. For instance: average hours of volunteering in US  is estimated to be 50 hours by 64.5 million people for the year ending on September 2012. Though our Nation lacks proper statistics about total volunteer hours rendered by it citizen, we can believe that volunteering passion is increasing in the country. We can see many social organisations, government agencies, private organisation involved in volunteerism. Just for an instance, if we consider Rotaract Nepal ( a Rotary International sponsored Youth Program), with 85 clubs in the country, with an average membership base of 15, and estimating that an individual Rotaractor contributing 7 hours a week in volunteering, the estimated total volunteering hours in a Year would be 464,100 hours ( 15 members * 7 hours /week * 52 weeks * 85 clubs ). Converting this figure into Years would be 56.979 years, which we are contributing to the nation and society in one Rotary Year alone !!! Now You can visualize the power of Volunteerism. :)

Volunteering in Bagmati Cleaning Campaign, 2013

As Year passed on, as a Youth I began to visualize importance of volunteerism more than ever.  The presence of turmoil political condition of the country has made impediments for its socio-economic progress. On top of that a state of lawlessness  prevalent encouraged many Youths to regards hooliganism, destruction, and vandalism as a means to achieve heroism. As education system of the country was/ is not job oriented and many Youths were/are frustrated against the state mechanism. As such these Youths became the political cadres of many of the absent minded Political parties who exploited them massively to held mass protest, enforce general strikes, vandalize public properties etc. Hence the frustration of Youths increased at a sky-rocketing rate. If those youths could have been influenced towards volunteerism, than the society as a whole have been benefited. Nevertheless, there are optimistic Youths who have been focusing in Optimism and are working out for small change for betterment.

 Baglamukhi Cleaning Campaign, 2012

Volunteerism has always fascinated me.  Being involved myself in different service projects: Braille Books project, Cleaning campaign, Supporting needy people etc. gives me a deep satisfaction. As a member of International Youth organisation (Rotaract),  I would always find myself among some bunch of activists who were always eager to make a change in the society.  Creating a harmonious relation among the Youths of the country and outside the country, exchange of goodwill and international understanding, service to the marginalized and needy people through various service projects etc is a real fun. Volunteerism brings in You various benefits which when visualized in a holistic approach will make You realize that You are not Volunteering for someone else but for Yourself. 

1. Volunteerism will help you to foster a good relation with your friends with whom you are volunteering as you share common beliefs and understanding. 
2. It helps you realize that you are giving something back to the society/country that has given you a-lot.
3. It helps to prosper a positive vibe and goodwill among people of different strata / walks of life.
4. You will also be able to understand the feelings and notions of people of different age groups.
5. It helps You to wipe away frustration or worries by being involved in a creative work. It is always worth to give something back to the society.
6. If You are volunteering now, it means that You are inventing in  you a Socially responsible leaders and are also encouraging other to opt for the same.
7. Interest in volunteerism encourages you to be abreast about the problems in the society and the way those problems are affecting You and Your society. When You are sensitive to other people sentiments, it will in a long term establish a harmonious relation among people of different background.
8. As John. F Kennedy said: My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. As such, Volunteerism helps you to be a responsible citizen and accountable towards to Your nation.
9. People who are passion of Volunteering have a positive outlook towards life and always inspire you to invigorate a positive passion for the future.
10. Volunteering also helps you to ensure proper physical and mental health. Recent research proves that volunteering reduces risk of hypertension in older.( link )

Bagmati river cleaning with Small earth australia, 2013

By Volunteerism while  you inspire to Change the Society ,you Strengthen Trust, Enhance Solidarity and Reciprocity among Citizens, Mutual Understanding, Adhere yourself to Individual and Cultural Differences. As such if you analyse these things in a holistic approach, you can conclude that You are volunteerism for yourself and your own eternal development. This is the real joy of Volunteering . :)  So let us aspire to create a better world for Us and generations to come.

You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.    (Winston Churchill)