FIMA Year Book 2010-2011 - Federation of Islamic Medical ...

Humanitarian Relief
Other significant considerations for both
individual and organizational relief work include
constructive consultations with other volunteers,
democratic decision-making and transparency.
Volunteerism and our new generation:
It is a widely held observation that our
communities lack in nurturing the culture of
volunteerism among our youth in schools and
universities.
Our younger generations are not as informed nor
overly concerned about the concept of voluntary
work and helping others. This may be due to a
lack of proper family upbringing, together with
deficiencies of school and university curricula
towards establishing and nurturing the spirit and
value of volunteerism. Financial and economic
factors are other possible attributable factors.
Moreover, most non-governmental and social
organizations lack the programs, skills and media
coverage to address the youths and motivate them
to engage in voluntary social and relief activities.
This has created an unhealthy social ambience in
our communities that envisages volunteerism as
an exceptional undertaking rather than the norm or
rule. This handicap in dealing with our youths
should be properly addressed and remedied to
create a positive and constructive culture of
volunteerism.
Our societies and humanity at large are in need of
voluntary organizations and institutions to
complete or substitute what governments fail to
accomplish.
Moreover, these institutions provides knowledge
of deficiencies and needs of communities, which
is instrumental in calling for reforms and remedial
actions by official state planning or by nongovernmental
actions.
Many of these voluntary institutions work
professionally within their niche relief zones and
channels the community’s resources in an efficient
and impactful manner. Their humanitarian relief
efforts help to alleviate many of the maladies and
sufferings in the community which the state
maybe oblivious of or lacks the political will or
the capacity to deal with.
Volunteerism and employment:
Many vital aspects of social, charitable,
educational and other activities cannot be
effectively or efficiently performed by full time
employees, whether in the public or private
sector.
Employees have limited hours of actual work, and
usually have limited scope of involvement and
commitment towards the many needs of their
communities.
This handicap of the role of the state and its
employees, leaves significant gaps which needs to
be addressed by various voluntary organizations.
Voluntary institutions which are wholly dedicated
to humanitarian relief, fired with passion for the
cause combined with flexibility and a pragmatic
work culture and a relative lack of bureaucracy
and corruption serves the wider community better
and often at a much smaller cost.
Volunteerism and employment, however, should
complement one another to share
accomplishments and responsibilities at different
times, scopes, places and circumstances.
Moreover, the working relationships between
volunteers and employees should always be
harmonious and constructive.
Useful tips and advice:
• Organized volunteerism should be shouldered
by professionals with proper training and
skills in their field of action, with quality
standards of performance.
• A volunteer should be selective in choosing
the specific field he/she desires to devote and
dedicate his/her efforts. Volunteers constitute
a very precious resource to the community,
and humanity at large, and selectivity is
essential for the best outcomes.
• Voluntary work should be provided within a
sense of responsibility, commitment and
moral obligation. One should always try to
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