According to Wikipedia, volunteering is an “altruistic activity” provided by an individual or group of persons for the benefit of an
individual, a group or an organization without any expectation of financial, material or social gains on the part of the provider(s) of the volunteer service. Volunteering is a moral principle and often done by those who tend to care for the welfare, happiness and comfort of others.
Volunteering benefits the giver as well us the recipients of the volunteer service. Volunteer services can improve the quality of life, human conditions, economic, social, spiritual, physical and emotional wellbeing of others. People volunteer medical services, humanitarian, emergency, legal and social services for the benefit of others locally and across the globe. Volunteering may be in the form of time, energy and personal resources we give without any expectation of compensation. Some may also donate blood, a part of their body, material goods or money. Many people have been saved or rescued by volunteers for ages and are still being saved.
Volunteering also helps volunteers in gaining valuable experience particularly at the early stages of one’s career, developing skills, gaining knowledge, making important connections and to get references. Volunteering help people to develop empathy and compassion especially teenagers and young adults. Volunteering helps people develop a sense of worth and gratification.
Despite these positive outcomes and experiences volunteering has in society, there are some people less inclined to do so than others. What makes some people volunteer and others don’t? Are there some personality traits, spiritual or cultural inclinations?
I was talking to someone who works for Canadian charity group who made a statement that stirred up my curiosity and somewhat affirmed my observations. He told me that with the aging Canadian population, many charity groups are getting worried because the baby boomers and elderly populations are some of the biggest and most generous donors for charity groups and may all be dying in the years to come. Charity groups are worried about their shrinking financial future because “new immigrants” (aka visible minorities) who appear to be the most important source of population growth in Canada (and I am sure the rest of the advanced countries) do not like to donate or volunteer.
I have personally volunteered in my local community in various roles and often times immigrants or visible minorities particularly people of African descent are nearly absent. Whenever I see visible minorities or recent immigrants, they tend to be Asians particularly Indians and Arabs, often no blacks or people of African descent. I often wonder how that reflects on us as a group. It is quite embarrassing and such an odd feeling. I wonder what the mainstream society thinks of us? Are we just users or takers? Do you isolate ourselves or we don’t think we belong?
Do many recent immigrants especially African people think about giving back into the society that has generously accepted them and offered them many opportunities that their own countries of origin which could not?
Have you thought of giving back to your own community, society whether abroad or back home in Ghana/Africa/origin? What do you give back to the people who have helped you along your life’s journey:Your family, friends, school, church, mosque, community and host society? If not why? Have you benefitted from someone else’s generousity that helped you survive, cope and transition at some stage of your life? What would have happened to you without that help and support?
As people, we should not always expect money or other reciprocal gains for everything we do. We should also not be thinking about ourselves and welfare only. We should learn to be there for others to support the most in need, the vulnerable, marginalized and the broken. Learn to give your time, energy and spare resources for the benefit of others also. Lead the way and teach your children compassion by letting them volunteer in their local communities as appropriate and safe. Give back to your host societies because it does improve personal and group image.
African immigrants ought to mind their mindset about being here to make money only, enjoy the fruits of their host or adopted societies. It is about time we learned how to reciprocate the good done to many of us. We should give back some of what we benefited or taken. Those back home should give back to their own homeland and not just expect things from their government. Tutor, coach and mentor little ones. Help an elderly person or a disabled person.
We build communities by caring for one another particularly the needy. Someone said that “the character of of society can be judged by the way it treats it’s most vulnerable”.
Volunteering is satisfying and in my experience I often gained more than I give. Give in your own small way in your community and you’ll be glad you did.
Cheers,
Akosua G
Ontario, Canada
February 01, 2020