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Do you know what does voluntarism really mean? Is it a free work done for certain purposes? Or may be some kind of work to fill during leisure? What is the main purpose hang behind it? And when do we suppose to involve in volunteer work?
Our teenagers are barely aware of this simple word, which implicitly brings much like charitable works behind it, but is it correct? Not surprisingly, most teenagers decline to involve due to lack of exposure and awareness.
It seems unquestionable but answerable. Lend me your attention with my voluntary work experience. Initially, I found myself having quite strength but not too long to adapt and get use to it. Prior to this, I always think as a student. Spending most of the time burying my nose into books is compulsory and anything unrelated is secluded. Seeking current information during leisure, which is obtained by reading newspaper, watching TV and surfing Internet. In evening, I would whether in home vegetating in front TV or go walking with my colleagues around the area. Nothing more interesting than busy talking about others deficiencies and joking a foolish things that made us laughing till rolling on the floor!!! Video games also keep haunting especially Counter Strike, Quack, half-life, Diablo II and so on. Needless to say, may be this is what the youngsters out there use to do too!!
Voluntary work almost looks peculiar to those who still unfamiliar. Voluntarism appears when individual or groups of people willingly doing a work or task for the needy without being awarded or pressured and ended with satisfaction at both side between the giver and receiver because of changes successfully made. More so, action becomes one and only one element to realize the voluntary work. Feeling compassion without action is useless.
Almost everyday, current issues occurred locally are highlighted, such a way to gain feed back from our community. Some include about getting donation like heart surgery, cancer, sexual abuse, AIDS and HIV, the poor, and the latest, organs. Meager action taken after realizing so many things especially the one in need is definitely requesting for attention and help. People do get some information and become knowledgeable but when is absolute time to use them for certain action? Should you just commend and blame others instead of lending your hand to serve them? For example, you do know an orphan house at your hometown but you still unaware of your contribution to them. No money and not enough time can be usual predictable accuses given as last resort after mentioning, commenting and blaming the local authority. Money is significant but it is exempted from volunteer fulfillment. Energy, skill and ability are some kind of source which typically simple but still unknown. Gotong-royong is one best example and I, myself experienced and enjoyed painting the building of orphan house located in Kuang, Selangor. Psychological approach also works for those like mental challenge and old folk.
To be more parallel and systematic, there’s almost 8000 NGOs (Non Government Organization) in our country waiting for some one out there especially teenagers aged above 18 to participate in voluntary work. For instance, Yayasan SALAM Malaysia or simply known as SALAM has arranged various activities during Saturday, Sunday and usually coincide with semester break. So what you have to do? Just contact and sign for member. No fees needed but your contribution is utmost necessary in order to ensure each voluntary mission accomplished. For the first time members, they do certainly not take too much time to apprehend the meaning of voluntarism since much concrete exposure, be it theoretical or practical are well scheduled under its annual programs including the one I have mentioned before.
Have you ever feel alone, being discriminated or dismissed? That’s when you may feel a great depress and disappointed indeed. If you aren’t, you could be so lucky. Who are the unlucky otherwise? What should you, being the lucky to serve the unlucky one? For the information sake, there are thousand of them such as orphans, old folks, drug users and spastic children who plead for sufficient attention and aid. My experience about visiting PENGASIH situated at Sg. Besi and PT Foundation at Kuala Lumpur really open my mind. My prior thinking, the drug addicts should not be served as human at all and ‘Mak Nyah’ or transgender is like more to immoral person. But, it has totally ended right now. Their right to change can’t be ignored since they too have intuitive in believing to change and return to serve the society should opportunity and moral support are welcome from our community. Likewise, the transgender is actually known as sex worker and not prostitute since they do it not by pleasure but after being discriminated for employment. PT Foundation itself provides intensive motivation for them to live in healthy life. The existence of IKHLAS Drop- In Center open five day a week, starting from 9 a.m to 5 p.m daily, at Lorong Haji Taib is also important for drug users to get free medical treatment and motivation besides staying comfortably like normal life. “Man’s heart is through his stomach “ is basic concept of ensuring the drug users stay in mental and physical comforts before disseminating information such as preventing HIV and AIDS can take place. Outreach approach is also implemented to serve those straying along the back streets. It looks effective and can probably be proposed and duplicated to other places considered as black area.
Voluntarism teaches us that relationships does not confine among human beings but surely towards the preservation and protection of environment. After visiting FRIM, participants have learned some kind of beneficial knowledge like recognizing name and characteristics of tree which rarely to find now and testing our mental and physical ability especially during jungle trekking and together cleaning up, planting trees, and painting building at camp spot. This precious heritage should be maintained since it plays paramount role to protect endangered ecosystem and sustain supporting supplement like oxygen essential element to each living creatures to survive. Latest issues about maintaining the green forest from development plan like what have occurred at Kepong, Bukit Gasing and Wetland in Tanjung Tuan, seem apparently inevitable. Obviously, efforts from volunteers definitely do as proponents of our forest perpetuation.
Some of us may say this work is uninteresting but you can actually pursuit what you interested the utmost. Once you become a volunteer, you must enjoy your work, or otherwise the satisfaction will never be secured. Consider what will happen incase there’s nobody in this world willing to do voluntarily to serve community particularly the needy. Will they feel sense of belonging to the society? Then, are we still going to blame somebody due to social problem especially among teenagers? We, being teenagers must make proper decision before it remains long overdue over again. The answer is by participating in voluntary activity you may learn and it, of course, is able to inculcate awareness among us how perfect the Almighty Creator and to be thankful of being awarded adequate and better condition than those underprivileged. Therefore, we, teenagers should be sensitive and contributory towards fraternity, solidarity and caring society in our loving country. Serving others for better live is indisputable facts of getting a life of contentment.
by, ithot23@yahoo.com