Those with access to the Internet have all seen photos of people returning to their homes after Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc in the US
and parts of the Caribbean last week. We have all seen pictures and
footage of people helping others out in getting their lives back
together.
In the aftermath of a disaster, most people with empathy would want
to reach out to the others and try and help them in whatever way they
can. We saw it in Pakistan after the earthquake of 2005 and in Haiti in
2010, the 7/7 bombings in London and the 2004 tsunami that affected many
countries in Asia. A friend who lives in New Jersey wanted to volunteer
in the disaster relief activities but did not know how she could
contribute with two children under the age of three. Nonetheless, she
was seen asking around if there was any place where children can also be
taken for volunteer work. It is all very commendable that people want
to contribute in whatever way they can to make the lives of others a
little bit better. The difference between developed nations and others
such as ours is that the spirit of volunteerism is seasonal and only
comes out when we are struck with a disaster.
In most developed countries, there are established volunteer
programmes and people are generally encouraged to take part in volunteer
activities in their communities. School children volunteer, housewives
volunteer, retired people volunteer in whatever way they can; they visit
the terminally ill in hospices, work in soup kitchens or schools, help
immigrants assimilate in society, manage traffic during rush hours in
the towns where the town administration cannot afford full-time traffic
police, help raise funds for their communities and assist in keeping the
atmosphere clean among other things.
A country like Pakistan can benefit immensely from such a spirit
of volunteerism. There is so much that needs to be done and there are
so many people who have the time and ability to make a difference in the
lives of those who are less fortunate. There are many people who need
to be taught how to read and write and other life skills, the
state-owned schools and hospitals are always under-staffed and if a
greater number of organised volunteer groups, which want to help others,
step up to help build the skills of such people, not only will it help
in meeting the human resource problem, it can also work as a stepping
stone for establishing training programmes for those who want to enter a
particular field.
Volunteerism does not just help a small group of people who are the
direct beneficiaries but also works for society in general and the
individual who volunteers. Their efforts build stronger ties of trust,
harmony and reciprocity among its citizens through creating
opportunities for participation for groups and individuals who would
have remained either indifferent or on the fringes.
There are many groups in Pakistan where Pakistani volunteers can
register and contribute in their own way; there is the United Nations
Volunteers programme, the Pakistan Youth Alliance, the Pakistan chapter
of the World Volunteer Web, The Citizen’s Foundation’s Rehbar programme,
among others. There must be several other options in all the towns and
cities of the country where one can contribute. Volunteerism is great;
not only does it help in building societies, it also tells the
volunteers that they don’t have to be rich, famous or perfect in order
to make a difference.