Voluntary Sector In Nepal
A Positive Assessment

By Mukti Rijal

THERE is a wider recognition given to voluntary sector in this part of the world. Voluntarism that is service dedicated to the weal of community without any attachment or interest lies at the root of the voluntary sector. Voluntary sector has rich spiritual dimension and flavour. A person or a group of persons can commit to social service and spare his or her time and resources for community welfare if he or she has an urge and actuation from within. Selfless, Honest

Only the selfless and honest calling motivates a person to work and contribute to larger welfare and benefit. . All the non-governmental organisations and civic initiatives fall within the ambit of voluntary sector translated as Swekchhik Chhetra. In India we see an upsurge and growth of the organisations that are motivated and fuelled by the voluntary spirit. The Chipko Andolan in India and several other civic and social movements have in them a dedication of persons motivated purely by social interests. No impure and selfish motive can be attributed to the civic action initiatives of Mr Bahuguna, Chandi Prasad Bhatta and Medha Patkar in India while the activities of Tulsi Mehar and Dayabir Singh Kansakar in Nepal are equally worthy of emulation and exaltation.

Today the situation is very different. Distortions and deviation abound in the voluntary sector. But how much of voluntarism and selflessness is left with the non-government organisations (NGOs) in Nepal is yet to be assessed. No doubt the NGOs have an important contribution to create and enlarge civic space and they have some comparative advantage over government organisations especially when flexibility, efficiency and adaptability is demanded. However, since voluntarism considered as the critical factor of civic organisations is fast giving way to individualism and parochial material interests the social image and projection has not been healthy and inspiring. This has negatively affected the process of building and widening space for civic and voluntary sector.

This writer had an opportunity to interact with some of the members of the Lions Club in Birgunj, Narayangarh, and Pokhara recently and know about their activities. The interaction gave an impression that the voluntary sector has been able to maintain its strength and reach service to the people. Lions Clubs in Nepal are in hundreds and they are members of the Lions Club International which is purely a service oriented voluntary organisation created and promoted by people with social eminence and standing. Members of the Lions Clubs contribute membership dues and other donations to create fund and carry out services to the needy people in the community. We serve is the motto of the Lions. It is perhaps the largest membership based civil society organisations in the world in which persons of eminence including business people, social leaders and former politicians associate themselves for service and quality citizenship. Lions have no funding from donor agencies nor do they have tendencies to seek such assistance and support. Yes they have twin arrangements to enhance interaction and co-operation between the developing and developed Lions clubs. This support network has made it possible to implement several social development projects.

We have in Nepal several examples of dedication and service demonstrated by the Lions and Lion clubs. One can take cues from the activities of the Lions clubs of Birgunj, Narayanghat and Pokhara where the member Lions have extended their bountiful and blessed hands of service and co-operation to the needy in the society. A committed and brilliant Lion from Birgunj told to this writer about the toilet project carried out by the Lions for prisoners in Birgunj costing eight hundred thousand rupees. Lions service centres in Narayanghat, Pokhara and other places are evidence of the Lions singular dedication to the community services. No Lions get anything in material and pecuniary terms except fellowship and mutual interaction. But he or she, according to the statue, should pay dues mandatorily to stay as member so that Lions Club international and their respective local clubs survive, sustain and serve the people. What else can be the example of voluntarism and civic vibrance than this.

Erosion of Values

Like the Lions Clubs Jaycees, rotary clubs and Reyukai Clubs, Red Cross societies provide brilliant examples of voluntarism sustaining on dedication to services. Though, as complained by the Lions, there has been a continuous erosion of values and voluntary spirit in the Lions Clubs, as in the other social sectors, these above-mentioned membership based social and civic forums distinguish themselves as the brilliant islands of the voluntary sector. However, there is a problem of enough interaction between this important voluntary sector and the society at large. This needs to be further strengthened for broad based fellowship, understanding, and quality citizenship.

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