DR. ALI AL-GHAMDI Volunteering is an altruistic activity in which a person serves the community and helps others without pay. This selfless service can be either in a physical, material or intellectual form. Volunteerism is seen only in societies that are cultured and matured. Volunteering is one of the finest acts a person can perform and there is no room for discrimination among volunteers, all of whom are equal while doing voluntary work for the benefit of the community free of charge. There are different motivations for voluntary work. Some volunteers are motivated by religion while others are driven by social, moral or humanitarian factors. The importance of volunteering does not vary with the types of services with which volunteers are involved. Some doctors, for example, spend a part of their time treating the poor and needy free of charge, and this is voluntary work. Others engage in voluntary work by paying alms or taking part in cleaning mosques or schools or even assisting street cleaners in removing trash from roads. Allah Almighty will give a reward to those who perform all types of volunteer work, and this is apart from the appreciation that volunteers have from society. However, despite the fact that there are some voluntary societies and organizations in the Kingdom, we can see that Saudi society is still in need of more voluntary work as well as of more motivation for volunteers. The Society for Voluntary Work in the Eastern Province, in partnership with the Dallah Academy of Volunteerism, has launched an initiative to train volunteers. Okaz newspaper recently carried a report about the activities of the society quoting its Secretary General Muhammad Al-Baqami. He said that the society, under the umbrella of the Arab Federation for Voluntary Activities (AFVA), has launched a program, which consists of two courses for creating trainers in voluntary work. More than 50 volunteers have benefited from the program and have obtained an international trainers' license for voluntary work. The society plans to organize two courses for women volunteers in the near future. “The program aims at inculcating the concept of voluntary work as an integrated system for empowerment, motivation and sustainability,” he said. The supervisor for training at the academy said that training will be provided to those above the age of 18 who have educational qualifications and experience in voluntary work, in addition to having registered with a licensed organization or charity society. He said the program is based on the legalization of voluntary work in accordance with international criteria. Since the beginning of this year, the society has given accreditation to several teams of volunteers. All of these teams have presented their voluntary work projects to a panel of judges for endorsement. The accredited teams included the Ru'aya team, which presented an awareness project about general hygiene, and the Balsam team, which introduced a project titled “They are of us” that deals with the importance of street cleaners. The Hand team presented a project called “A drop of life” that focuses on the rationalization of water consumption and the “Renew your blood” team presented a project to encourage blood donations. At present, voluntary work in the Kingdom has lost much of its spirit of sacrifice and the desire to earn a reward from God. Some volunteers are inspired simply by the status they may secure in society because of their volunteer activities. Indeed, it is well to remember the brave Pakistani martyr Farman Ali Khan as an exemplary model of voluntary work. Khan saved 14 people in the devastating floods that struck Jeddah in November 2009, and he was swept away in the flash flood while trying to save the 15th person. Khan was a university graduate and a Pakistani karate champion. He was serving as a mosque imam in the flood-hit district. He used tire tubes, wooden planks and rope to save the flood victims. When he saw people drowning, the spirit of sacrifice and magnanimity drove him to jump into the flood water in order to save the victims. He did not wait for an order from any official or for approval from any chairman or for the procedures from a bureaucratic system. Instead, he collected rope, pieces of wood and tires to save those who were calling for help. The determination, manhood and magnanimity of Khan as well as the training he had received and the experience he acquired in voluntary work helped him to save 14 lives from the torrential flash floods. He sacrificed his life to save the lives of others and thereby became a martyr. Khan's death saddened everyone who heard about his heroic and altruistic acts. Of course, he did this with the sole purpose of winning the pleasure and reward of God. His bravery and heroism made everybody sympathize with him as well as with his family and little daughters. In recognition of his heroic valor, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah ordered that Khan be honored posthumously by being decorated with the King Abdulaziz Medal of the First Order. The King also ordered that Khan's family members be hosted to perform Haj. The International Islamic Relief Organization (IIRO) also provided support for Khan's family and children. Similarly, the government of Pakistan honored Khan posthumously and allotted a plot of land and other necessary things for his family. There is no doubt that Khan's unique heroism and sacrifice have found a place in the hearts of the people of Jeddah forever. — Dr. Ali Al-Ghamdi is a former Saudi diplomat who specializes in Southeast Asian affairs. He can be reached at [email protected]
