Volunteer Work and Its Bill for Community Service!

One of the ironies worth noting is that while the state seeks to encourage volunteer work and strengthen the role of civil society organizations, some of these institutions find themselves required to pay fees merely to host a seminar or conference that serves the community and discusses its issues! Civil society organizations are not commercial entities, nor are they profit-seeking companies or bodies with open budgets; most are associations built on volunteer efforts by individuals who believe that serving the community is a responsibility that extends beyond the government alone, with citizens playing an important role. Those running civil society organizations contribute their time, expertise, and effort, and sometimes their own money, to raise awareness about a particular issue, discuss a specific phenomenon, or encourage what should be encouraged, driven by their belief in the importance of the issues they address. These associations, each in its field of specialization, represent an important pillar for the state, whether in health, social, cultural, or environmental awareness, or in discussing issues that affect people’s lives and require specialized and responsible dialogue. Do these associations, when fulfilling their mission, not alleviate part of the burden borne by the state? Then why doesn’t the state cooperate with them and open all available doors to facilitate their mission and role? What prompts me to raise this topic is what some public benefit associations face when they wish to organize a seminar or conference to fulfill their noble mission; they approach other public benefit associations that own independent premises and equipped halls, only to be surprised by requests for fees in exchange for using the hall, despite the activity being voluntary, attendance being free, and the goal being awareness-raising rather than commercial. These associations may have operational and maintenance expenses and financial obligations, which is understandable, but is it logical for the relationship between civil society institutions to become that of landlord and tenant, when they share a single goal of serving the community? Wouldn’t it be more beneficial for these institutions to integrate to fulfill a mission that is presumably shared? Why doesn’t the government establish a clear mechanism for cooperation among civil society institutions, allowing the exchange of facilities, halls, and resources, and granting exemptions from usage fees for non-profit voluntary activities? The concept here is much broader than the issue of fees; it relates to our perception of volunteer work, which we should all consider a genuine partner in development. We all know that the strength of society is not measured by the number of registered associations, but by the extent of their impact, and by the awareness, initiatives, and solutions they provide, which is closely linked to the level of cooperation and facilitation afforded to them, enabling them to perform their role. I hope the Ministry of Social Affairs will discuss this topic and address the obstacles facing civil society organizations, particularly associations that do not receive subsidies and lack premises, so that services and facilities can be exchanged, and community mission takes precedence over financial return. It is unacceptable and illogical to reward volunteers, who give their time, effort, and intellect, by requiring them to pay fees to fulfill their mission, thereby turning it into a financial burden on them. Iqbal Al-Ahmad