Shahriar Zahedi

Some go to Afghanistan

to do volunteery work.

Also a lot of Iranian prefer to pay cash instead. Like My father never done any volunteery work but he helped a lot of homeless people in Iran.

Thanks for bringing up this

Thanks for bringing up this important topic.

When I lived in the U.S., I did some volunteer work.  One organization which I volunteered had 14 full-time employees and over 100 volunteers.  One of the full-time employees was the Director of Volunteer program.  During the end of the year recognition ceremony, the Director introduced a lady who had volunteered for 45 years without any interruption (we volunteered 60 hours of time or expertise per year). 

I have tried to promote volunteerism in Iran.  Once I mentioned to an IRI foreign minister about lack of volunteerism in Iran, he criticized me by saying that during the eight year war with Iraq many people volunteered their services ranging from caring for wounded to preparing meals.

In the first animal shelter in Iran (VAFA), one can see more than ten volunteers who offer their services every week.  

Volunteerism exits in Iran but it is not commercialized and/or promoted as much as western countries.  I spend half of my time (some days more than half) on volunteer work either alone or by other people (mostly my students).

Dear Shahriar

Volunteerism is practically an industry in the US. There are so many jobs and tools created around the concept. From fundraising to all the fields of training and development and supervision of volunteers, there are a multitude of careers that span this industry.

In my humble opinion, Iranians are extremely generous and kind people, sensitive to need and poverty in their environment. Their efforts are never institutionalized because there are no government or private sector infrastructures within which such acts of charity and attention to social needs can be delivered. Iranians engage in a lot of direct charity, such as giving money to needy people. They also pay to Sandoogh haaye sadagheh, and the religious ones pay khoms o zakaat which are supposed to benefit needy people in the end. New charities, such as Mahak Cancer Fund and Omid e Mehr Foundation for runaway girls are receiving both donations and volunteer assistance. I have seen their volunteers in booths at different events in Tehran, selling their artwork for money which goes directly to the funds.

I have known of teachers who tutor poor children and konkoor hopefuls in Tehran for free. I have also known of doctors and dentists and lawyers who provide pro bono services to the needy. None of these examples, however, have been through an organized effort. They have all been direct acts of compassion and care. I think the real problem in Iran is lack of social infrastructures which would solicit and manage volunteer contributions and assistance, work that NGO's are fit to start and manage, should they be given the opportunity.

I am grateful to you for bringing up an important issue which needs addressing and attention by all as a tangible shortcoming among us.

Nazi khanoom

It is refreshing to know that volunteerism is catching up in the old country. I agree; this is a learned behavior and not inherent in any particular people. But what is culture after all? Isn't culture also a collection of learned behaviors repeated over many generations? The question then becomes why haven't we learned this behavior?

Thanks for your thoughtful comment.

Salam Agha Zahedi

Volunteerism has come a long way among Iranians inside Iran. For a brief period of time when NGO's were allowed to operate in Iran during the Khatami era, you could see many Iranians volunteer to help out with a multitude of different causes.

The truth is that most social behavior is acquired and not inherent in people. We must be taught to do them and when we are not taught, we won't learn. I believe the most rewarding part of my life these days is the time I spend as a volunteer with a respected human rights organization and those who know me personally know just how true this is. I learned how to be a volunteer in the US, where all good work of philanthropy and volunteerism is appreciated and encouraged by members of the society.

The scenario you described with respect to "for-profit clubs" which coordinate volunteer work seems to be another product of the fierce competition at high school levels for getting into good colleges. I won't be surprised if one of these days there are businesses here like "konkoor coaches" in Iran, where people pay experts to coach their kids on taking the right steps for getting into better universities. That is, of course, if no such businesses exist already!

As a last thought, I wanted to tell you a story about when I returned to live in Iran with my first-grader son. I volunteered to serve on the PTA and I was elected. I would go to all the meetings and at each meeting I would ask the school authorities whether I could go and meet the teachers or attend a couple of classes sometime, to see the interaction between teachers and students. With all the respect and affection they had for me, they never agreed to this request. Seeing a parent in a classroom was unheard of and they saw it as a threat and not anything helpful. In the end, I remained on the PTA for a few years there, but the extent of my volunteerism was to show up to meetings and pay them whatever money they asked for and to plan an annual party for the school. It takes two sides to encourage and appreciate volunteerism in a society.