When I was blind I felt like I was different from others, I felt like I won’t be never like my friends at the same age, like I wouldn’t keep up with them. I was dependable to others, there were a lot of things that I wanted to do but I couldn’t without willing of others to give me a hand.
After I gained somehow my sights (when I was 14 years old) things turn out to be different. I started feeling more alive and more passionate about life: I wanted to be active and do something in order to feel more worthy as a person for myself and the society.
Since there I have started to volunteer in every activity that I can. Despite my somehow disabilities (not full sight) I try to feel like all the others and even if I fail sometimes I try not to express it. I try to keep move forward and do something worthy because I know even my tinny actions can make a big difference in society.
Benefits for you as a volunteer but also other volunteers when they are working with you?
Being a person with some disabilities/special needs myself I feel more worthy when I volunteer, like I am paying back this planet/world for things that we take for granted.
You are benefiting a lot in the meaning of personal development, learning new things and having a great social time with other volunteers as well.
Regarding to other volunteers I think that they are benefiting a lot especially living with a volunteer with some special needs, in the meaning of reflection and appreciation what life has offered them and what can they do for the people that are different like them.
How you keep up your high motivation of volunteering?
Being a full blind person I am very grateful now that I have my sight and since I consider that a miracle I want to pay back a God/Universe by doing something without being paid. I really feel myself highly motivated of volunteering since I really know what is to give something without expecting to take something back.
Difficulties what you have faced while your volunteering?
In everyday life while volunteering I saw myself between those who don’t have disabilities at all and them who have. It is easy for me to understand those with disabilities/special needs due to the fact that I have been one and still I am somehow and I understand their feeling, needs, desires. From the other hand it is still not easy for me to adapt the life of those with not disabilities at all. For example, in Didim I met people of different ages with different background and after all from different nations and I needed some time to adapt with them and it would take two weeks to have a feeling like they were my family and we are not different.
Your own ideas and suggestions how people could include volunteers with disabilities better
I feel like that society is not working hard toward this issue and what I suggest is to have more projects involving volunteers with disabilities. Here is what I suggest:
In the institutions/Rehabilitations center it would be better to have some volunteers with special need/disabilities to work with people of other disabilities. Like me i.e I can work for them since I understand them like nobody else and I think that more than physical help a person need spiritual help, to find someone to go deeply and understand them.
How this project affected to your own motivation to be a volunteer?
Spending a month with different people (with and without disabilities) I realized once again that how important is to give without conditions. Meeting different persons with different needs or levels of disabilities you understand how important is to make them happy, because I know what they feel and I know what can make them happy, I know more than everybody.. That’s why I feel more than ever motivated to volunteer especially working with this group of people.
Interview/opinions of Klodi
Volunteer – this word means a lot. Volunteering is not Something simply what everyone should and can do.
Being a volunteer it means giving your soul sincerely for what you are doing: to give all your best, and everything you have in order to reach your expectations and people that you want to convey the spirit of faith, hope and optimism. All people may be volunteers, but not all can feel the meaning of the volunteering so big.
When we had the opportunity to be and work with people with disabilities, I felt very happy. We worked in local organization,
which works with people with disabilities. I would like to thank sincerely to the founder of the organization, who enabled us to present this center were we can bring our contribution. Every day a certain group of volunteers went to this center and stay with these people. We enabled them to obtain new knowledge, different experiences with foreigners, to learn new things and give a value for their lives and future. But, foremost this cooperation was a way to tie a bridge of friendships with each other.
Of course, working with these people has its own difficulties. Initially it was very difficult for some volunteers, because it was something completely different from what they had experienced in their life up to that moment. We all have to be cautious that we don’t feel pity or sad because of them. We offer them our sincere help and benevolent attention. Together we as volunteers managed to overcome any difficulties and started work.
To work with people with disabilities, it was one of the most beautiful feelings you can feel.
Their hospitality, kindness and purity of heart makes the work with them interesting, variable and extremely happy. And so, our work also became easier, meanwhile they felt very happy about this project. For me they seemed to be more motivated, happy and cheerful,. They were full of hope for a better future and foremost they felt themselves more valuable for society around them. Confident in their abilities and strengths, raise their faces upwards and be very motivated! We, the volunteers, were the boost that they need to highlight all their hidden values. Firstly it made them feel happy and proud of themselves, but secondly we also felt that our work is valuable and important for them as well.
People with disabilities, who took part in the festival: It was easy to read from their eyes, heart and smile felt very excited and very happy for everything we had done for them during these 25 days.
I had the honor and privilege to work with them and found myself near them.
Elton Biduli
Manual – Volunteering for Social Inclusion