What is so special about volunteering for development?

Sustainable development requires people’s engagement. There is no question about that. People are development actors and not only recipients. Notions of inclusion, participation, ownership, solidarity and social cohesion leading to real capacity development and social capital come to mind.

Take the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) . It is clear that none of the MDGs will be attained if not also for the millions of ordinary people willing to involve themselves through voluntary action. Think, for example, of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in which 10 million people volunteered, mostly in their own local communities, to support the immunization of 550 million children. The actual contribution of the volunteers, in economic terms, has been estimated at more than US$10 billion. That amount is far beyond the reach of governments or international and national organizations. Equally important, though, is that capacity was developed in the process. In return for their time, local volunteers received health training and became entry points for future development efforts in their communities.

Such volunteering for development requires a united effort. It cannot be taken for granted. It needs to be recognized, facilitated, networked and promoted. Supporting and identifying ways to maximize the contribution of volunteerism to development, in close collaboration with all its development partners.