For many civil society organizations, volunteers play a critical role. Whether they are community-based distributors, peer educators or they simply raise awareness, volunteers are valuable.

One problem around volunteering is how to motivate volunteers and then sustain the motivation.

On 22nd April, JOICFP, in cooperation with Kuraray Corporation, held an event to inspect donated backpacks for schoolchildren's use in Afghanistan and Mongolia.

Over 70 volunteers, including those from Kuraray, associates of photographer Takeshi Uchibori, and JOICFP staff and friends, took part in checking and packing over 6,700 bags.

Checked backpacks in a box prior to shipping

Uchibori brought several poster panels of photographs of children in Afghanistan receiving and using backpacks donated before, and their smiling faces moved the hearts of the volunteers as they could see what effect the bags would have.

As a result, the checking of the backpacks took less time than expected.

After the work was done, the volunteers went to dinner and had an opportunity to talk with each other, thereby networking with people they normally would not meet.

All the volunteers expressed how happy they were to have taken part in the event and how much they enjoyed talking with other volunteers. Kuraray employees also saw this activity as part of Kuraray's corporate social responsibility.

Motivating volunteers does not have to be through money or goods. Instead, seeing that others benefit from your actions, no matter how small, can make a great difference.

Over 70 motivated and happy volunteers
with a mountain of backpacks

photos; copyright Takeshi Uchibori