For the good of others | Feature

MIN BAJRACHARYA

There's a lot you can do with an extra hour or two. It's enough time to catch a movie, meet up with an old friend, or go shopping. It's also enough time to change someone else's life for the better.

There's talk of how the world and our values are changing, that people are less courteous and helpful, and more materialistic and selfish. The concept of selflessness is often a remote ideal, praised, but not really practiced.

Still, when WAVE went looking, we found that the good samaritan lives on among us. All sorts of people volunteer, and for a variety of reasons.

"After SLC, I had nothing to do, so I joined Environmental Camps for Conservation Awareness (ECCA) as a volunteer," says Kanchan Subedi, 29, who now runs a finance company. That was eight years ago, and Kanchan has been helping conduct environmental awareness programs for schoolchildren ever since.

"I used to just think people living in squatter colonies had awful lives, but now I understand and see them as fellow citizens who need our support," says Dhruv Regmi, who spent three months working in the slums along the Bagmati and Bishnumati when he volunteered at the Society for Preservation of Shelters and Habitations in Nepal (SPOSH Nepal).

Volunteering gives you range of things to do, and as it's not always essential that it relates to your day job or previous experience, there's plenty of opportunity to expand your horizons. There are always organisations looking for young, energetic people, whether it's the Kanti Children's Ward at Teaching Hospital or the old age home in Pashupati. And if you're not big on being in the limelight or interacting with people, there's a lot to do behind the scenes. Freelance writer Bhavna Adhikari's voluntary work at Tewa consisted mainly of organising fundraising events, the proceeds from which went to micro-finance projects to help underprivileged people to start their own small businesses.

Volunteering isn't always a static, regular commitment either. Shanta Karki, Information and Reporting Officer at Red Cross Nepal says, "Red Cross volunteers are trained in first aid, and then mobilised when necessary." During April's Jana Andolan, Red Cross volunteers were everywhere, giving emergency medical aid to injured on all sides.

While all the volunteers we talked to agreed that the biggest benefit is the satisfaction you get from helping out, not being paid doesn't mean there aren't other benefits. "After high school I helped tutor underprivileged children as part of UNICEF's out of school program, which definitely helped me get into college," says Priya Joshi, 24, who went to Vassar College in New York. Experience from volunteering is a huge plus when applying for jobs or colleges, as it indicates dedication, initiative, integrity, and active participation.

Still, it's important to make sure you're volunteering for the right reasons, and have the commitment to carry it through. Make sure that you know what you're in for; always ask questions the type of work, the amount of time it will take, and who you will be coordinating with. While volunteering is about helping others, it shouldn't be at the expense of your own health or happiness. The tasks you take must be ones you're genuinely interested in, because they have motivate you to work even without pay. Finding something you're interested in, and seeing what a difference your contribution makes is enough to make volunteers like Kanchan Subedi and the teachers at TLC (see box) keep going. Kanchan says, "Knowing I'm helping children understand their environment and preserve nature gives me an immense sense of satisfaction."