Voices of activists: how volunteers are changing the world
As you know, on December 5 the whole world celebrates International Volunteer Day. On the occasion of the holiday, ORIENT talked with activists who make a personal contribution to the development of the volunteer movement. In this article, you will meet people who, without exaggeration, can be called outstanding. What motivated them to become volunteers and why do they promote this ideology? You will find out the answers to these questions in this article.
Shukurgeldi Myradov. Coordinator of the UNODC Regional Youth Network for Central Asia in Turkmenistan, graduate of the UNRCCA Academy of Preventive Diplomacy, Member of the UNESCO youth network “SDG4YOUTH”, laureate of the Youth Peace Prize - this list can be continued for a very long time. Having started his journey at just 13 years old, Shukurgeldi constantly improved himself, conquering more and more heights.
—Why did I decide not to stop and continue my volunteer journey? Seeing concrete positive changes in the lives of young people, I realized that my contribution made a real difference, which became the best reward for my dedication to this exceptional path. Being a volunteer means being a socially active person, and you can make a contribution in a variety of areas. Having been involved in public events with many stakeholders such as the UN, the government, the US Embassy, the EU Delegation, the British Embassy, public organizations and others, I am glad that I was able to contribute to the organization of the first ever UN Youth Climate Conference in the history of Turkmenistan, the first Eco -festival, the first Model UN, the first Falling Walls Lab competition and many other events focused on youth empowerment.
Sabrina Huseynova. Coordinator of young SDG ambassadors of the 3rd cohort, climate and eco-activist promoting the youth movement in the field of ecology and combating climate change. Her volunteer journey began in 2019 at a French institute. As a participant in the Night of Ideas, Sabrina discovered a new community full of active and interesting people like herself. Over several years of volunteering, she improved her skills in various industries, learned to coordinate processes, work in a team and find creative solutions to various problems.
To the question: “Why are you a volunteer?” she answers like this:
— Having become a youth activist, I realized how important it is to share knowledge and opportunities with other people, since I was once looking for these opportunities myself. Today I can share my knowledge with others and help them gain invaluable experience in various spheres.
Leili Merdanova is a youth leader of volunteers at the “Jeyhun” center of the National Red Crescent Society of Turkmenistan. Having become a volunteer last year, she was actively involved in society events, and was soon elected as the ideological leader of the youth movement of the NRCST.
—I became a volunteer to be able to help people and change their lives for the better. Volunteering gives me the opportunity to contribute to society and inspire our youth to be socially active. I can confidently say that we are volunteers; we help people with our good deeds and deeds.
Maral Khudaibergenova. As a graduate of the TechWomen program implemented by the US Embassy in Turkmenistan, Maral decided to promote the idea of involving girls and women in the technology sector, as well as develop the volunteer movement in Turkmenistan. Thus, she launched the international project Techmovation Girls in the country and led the local community of the Google Development Group (GDG) and the Women Techmakers (WTM) initiative.
—Why did I decide to launch these projects here? It's simple: out of a desire to change the world for the better. This idea is embedded in the main message of Technovation: “Empower a Girl to Change the World!” (Empower girls to change the world!). By involving people in local communities that are part of international projects, we create a platform for them to exchange ideas and experiences, thereby cultivating in them the spirit of teamwork towards their goals. This has a positive impact on community members around the world, and Turkmenistan is no exception,” Maral shared.
Guljemal Abdurakhmanova. As a participant in the Technovation Girls Turkmenistan program, Guljemal was involved in teamwork and networking during the season. Then, having become a graduate of the first class, she realized the importance of the work of volunteers and firmly decided that she would join the ranks of volunteers.
During the second season, she supported the teams of the new stream, and after the girls successfully reached the world semifinals, she became a mentor at the program’s summer camp. She is now actively involved in the preparation process for the upcoming Google Developers Group (GDG) DevFest.
—I’ll be honest: this is not an easy job—volunteering takes a lot of time and effort. However, when you see the results of your efforts, they inspire you to move forward and achieve new successes. Thanks to the fact that I am a volunteer, I improve myself in a variety of areas: from social work with inclusive groups to high technology and project management.
Saparguly Makhtumov. A member of the UNICEF youth leadership network, the UNODC regional Central Asian youth network, a volunteer of the NRCST, a mentor and club ambassador of the Technovation Girls Turkmenistan project and the main volunteer of the Go Viral project - in general, another bright representative of youth activism. Saparguly talks about his development as a volunteer:
— In fact, I became a volunteer a little over a year ago, in October 2022. Everything happened quite suddenly: by a fortunate coincidence, I was offered to become a volunteer at an eco-festival held by the British Embassy in Ashgabat. After that, I was literally “drawn” into volunteering - new opportunities constantly appeared, various events took place. So, a year later, I came to the point where I myself help in organizing events. At the moment, I am the organizer of the Google Developer Group (GDG) and am helping in preparation for DevFest'23 in Ashgabat.
I believe that by getting involved in such initiatives, we meet new people and exchange experiences, thereby taking confident steps towards a better future!
ORIENT
