Describing happiness is difficult and attaining it is elusive. But I tend to agree with Albert Schweitzer, who once commented to a group of volunteers that “The only ones among you who will really be happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.”
Every 6 months or so, I meet a new group of volunteers who have come to work in Ethiopia, sponsored by the British NGO Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO). They are not just Britons, but come from a number of different countries. When I met the latest cohort recently, I pointed out how the stock (and even the economic value) of voluntarism is increasing all the time.
Volunteers certainly made history in London 2012. 70,000 Games Maker volunteers freely gave up 8 million hours of their time to help behind the scenes to stage last year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games. Volunteers have been used in the Games since 1948 – but in 2012 the volunteer programme came back to the city where it began. Thanks to the British Council, the concept of the Games Maker has now been introduced to Ethiopia [link to blog of 30 July].
But I also recognised that volunteering for overseas service is a very special type of voluntarism. VSO has a long and successful history of operations in Ethiopia since 1996, when there were just 4 volunteers. Today there are around 100 and well over 500 professional volunteers in total have spent 1-4 years in Ethiopia. It is easily one of the most highly regarded charities operating here today.
I am delighted by VSO’s success, which supplements an important bilateral relationship which is growing in scope all the time. Ethiopia is currently one of our biggest bilateral development partners anywhere in the world – and the government here often pay tribute to the value and quality of our assistance, not just the quantum.
The benefit of voluntary service is not one way. Volunteers from abroad can also learn much from a different and exciting cultural environment. As well as developing new life skills which will serve them well in the future. Our former Prime Minister Winston Churchill reckoned that “You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.” I hope that thought resonates with our VSO volunteers, who are also ambassadors for their countries to Ethiopia. And I hope they will find happiness in their time here.
I found the article inspiring and educating. Voluntarism as a belief is one of the building blocks of a healthy community at any level of development. The article reminds us not only to limit ourselves to getting for our personal gains but also to giving others to gain too in one way or the other. The examples that the author cited help us to learn how volunteers helped communities to prevail in critical situations. It also reminds us that each of us has a responsibility to take part by offering voluntary services in helping those in need wherever they are. Volunteerism brings people from all races, nationalities, beliefs to come together, VSO being a case in point. It promotes better understanding of one another; and is a tool for a better world.
As a VSO volunteer, starting my 3rd year in Ethiopia, I read your blog today with particular interest. I know that as well as meeting with cohorts of VSOs on arrival, you also meet us in the field and find out first-hand how our work is going – we met when you came to Mekelle about a year ago. Referring back to your blog, I was a “games maker” at the Olympics last year, as well as volunteering with VSO.
I’m sure you appreciate the ups and downs of living away from home whilst volunteering. There are many of both. One of the downs is the relatively limited number of opportunities we have for entertainment, especially away from the capital. Most of us embrace the Ethiopian culture, but also relish the chance to have a change and enjoy other things too.
I am now volunteering in Bahir Dar. Last weekend the town was buzzing because of “something different”. There was a one-off open-air music concert held in town. I heard about it vaguely the day before, but heard much more after.
I learned that it was entirely sponsored by the British Embassy, and you, our Ambassador, were present too. Wouldn’t I have loved to be there too if I had known about it!
Maybe I didn’t know it because I don’t look in the right places, but if there are “right places”, please let us know where to look! It is just the sort of thing we would have loved going to. Surely there must be some easy way for communicating with volunteers directly or through the VSO office to let us know what is happening, especially when you are behind it. Last year the Japanese Embassy sponsored a film festival which made its way to Mekelle – we knew about that and went to it. If information from the Japanese embassy can get to us, why not a concert funded by our own British embassy, held in the town where we live?
Anything else happening I might be interested in? Let me know and how to find out please.
Dear Barbara,
Thank you for your comment.
The ‘open air concert’ in Bahir-Dar you mentioned in your comment was an event organized by Girl Hub a project funded by DFID.
In the future, we will try to let you know whenever an important event is organized or sponsored by the Embassy in your locality.
You can also follow our updates on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ukinethiopia) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/ukinethiopia).