INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEER DAY

Written By: Pari Kubdani

International Volunteer Day  is celebrated all over the world by different non-profit organizations, business and individuals; as it promotes the ability to work is any condition. Celebration of this day at national and international level encourage more organizations and individuals to work for the welfare of the society and to make it a better place for others to live.

International Volunteer Day is not only celebrated to promote volunteerism, but this day also highlights the role of  NGOs and other organizations those are working in order to build strong and robust society.  A research shows that almost 109 million people work as a volunteer out of which 30 per cent are working formally via organizations and 70 per cent are working informally. Mostly, informal volunteers are women.

Background

On 17 December 1985 the International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development was approved by the United Nations General Assembly and in 2012 it was intended by united General Assembly to recognize and celebrate it globally. it is celebrated every year all over the world on December 5.

Activities for the volunteer day

Activities of this day hope to intensify people regarding the voluntary contributions in the wellbeing of community. Various activities also aid to attract and inspire more people to work as volunteers. International volunteer day is celebrated by the government, non-profit organizations and individuals through various activities few of them are listed below:

• Voluntary community projects
• Parades, marches, hikes or rallies.
• Award ceremonies for volunteers who has contributed to the communities.
• Campaigns like “Time donation” that include people pledging hours in voluntary service to a particular project.
• Initiating voluntary programs as part of corporate responsibility.
• Volunteer competitions.

The difference we as a volunteer try to make is;

• To get rid of poverty.
• To provide universal primary education to children
• To encourage gender equality
• To reduce child mortality
• To build up child maternal health
• Reverse the spread of deadly diseases like AIDS, malaria etc.
• To ensure environmental sustainability.

Shifa foundation and volunteer program

Many people participate in volunteer events via different organization and individually and I can proudly say that I am one of them. I am working as volunteer for the last 6 months with Shifa foundation. Shifa foundation is a not for profit organization they started an initiative of building water wells and installing hand pumps in water drought affected areas, distribute food package to daily wagers in pandemic and they also provides IPD, OPD, and diagnostic services to more than 200 non-affording and partially affording patients on daily basis.

For me working as volunteer is to bring smile on peoples’ face. Volunteering gives me the satisfaction to contribute for the betterment of my community. It is not only about giving back to others but it is about discussion with youngsters and sharing. Through volunteer work I got to learn more about myself.

Shifa foundation has provided us an opportunity to volunteering our time and energy in a positive way. As a volunteer we do the following stuff happily.

• Help in food distribution packages
• Attended awareness session
• Help foundation in events
• Make poster regarding current events
• Raise funds for free treatment of needy patient
• Promote events and sessions on social media

Recently, in October I have taken part in Pink Lady Breast Cancer Awareness Session to educate people about the deadly disease of breast cancer. As I am the lead coordinator representing SZABIST university in Shifa Foundation, my team and I have taken part in two mega event of breast cancer awareness in Centaurs and Giga Mall. We distributed ICE material to women that covered all information about breast cancer symptoms, risk factors, self-examination, mammography, and common misconceptions.

Volunteer is all about personal commitment and selflessness. Working as a volunteer transfers a positive energy to personal life We as volunteer hope for a better world and we will work in the same way to make difference on our part.

If you think that  you have got the ability to  be a volunteer do register yourself as a volunteer.