WINDHOEK– Many young people in Namibia still don’t understand the importance of doing volunteer work in their communities, says young volunteer and grants administrator at the National Youth Council (NYC) of Namibia, Michael Mulunga.
Namibian youth joined the rest of the international fraternity on Friday to mark international volunteer day for economic and social development which was celebrated mostly by young people around the world under the theme “People’s Participation. Make Change Happen, Volunteer”. “The perception is that, for every work that youths do, they should be compensated without realising that when one does volunteer work, there is a 50/50 gain. The idea of volunteerism and understanding behind the whole concept only came to me when two volunteers from Europe came to my neighbourhood to do volunteer works through our youth organisation. Every Friday afternoon we would go to an orphanage to carry out general day to day duties. I think this really help me a lot because it was added as a job experience on my Curriculum Vitae, something that my friends did not have,” says Mulunga.
Mulunga adds that because of volunteering and all the exciting work that he has been doing with his organisation, many doors have opened for him. “The highlight was when I was selected to serve as an International Jury member for the Ubuntu Awards in Brussels, Belgium in 2010. This even brought together ten jury members from Africa and Europe to judge projects in Africa that were hosting European volunteers, and projects in Europe that were hosting African volunteers. Above all, this I believe the greatest benefit that one can get from volunteering is the satisfaction that you get seeing that your contribution has made a difference in the live of someone else,” says Mulunga.
In one of his statements made by the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, said this about the day. “On this International Volunteer Day, let us be inspired by the many individuals who selflessly serve others, and let us resolve to do our part to contribute, freely and proactively, to change conditions now towards a better future for all.”
However, volunteerism benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer by strengthening trust, solidarity and reciprocity among citizens and creating opportunities for participation. Through volunteerism, young people develop their skills, expand their social network and contribute in the betterment of their society. International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development is celebrated every year all around the world on the 5th of December. It was firstly declared and approved by the United Nations General Assembly on December 17, 1985. Since then, this day was commemorated annually to promote the awareness and appreciate the efforts of individual volunteers as well as volunteer organisations. It aims to recognise the commitment of volunteers in order to get people informed about the results of volunteering on the continuous human development.
Furthermore, the theme for this year highlights the contribution of volunteers in engaging people from the grass-roots in the decision-making processes, ultimately creating space for participation that leads to stronger governance, social cohesion, peace and sustainable development. The World Assembly of Youth (WAY) also collaborating with other organisations in providing an opportunity for volunteers to contribute in the economic and social development of their communities. WAY aspires to youth volunteerism by supporting young people to partake in collective services and contribute to the betterment of society.
By Pinehas Nakaziko