Ijaz Ahamed - - Champion - Social Volunteer Awards 2020

Ijaz Ahamed is a young volunteer and a passionate changemaker from Kerala, India. He is a family man who holds firmly morals and values in his life. He loves to travel, volunteer, having fun with children, experience the life of people, various cultures, and having a meaningful conversation. And also extremely passionate about social empowerment and environmental sustainability and hopes to make a difference in those areas. If someone else is happy because of him, that makes Ijaz most alive. His nature and focus on community collaboration are fledging him to lead several volunteering opportunities and community leadership roles. He is the co-curator of the organization The Gulmohar Foundation(TGF), working with the objective of creating future leaders and social entrepreneurs through Capacity Development, Volunteering, and Global Citizenship Education. And he was coordinating 10+ initiatives under TGF. He is a member of the Kerala Voluntary Youth Action Force and actively worked in the devastating Kerala flood of the last two years. He was a participant of two national camps named Tarunai Camp and Gramya Manthan that was held in Maharashtra and Gujarat for exploring and understanding rural life. And also, he worked with the i-LAB organization for the educational empowerment of coastal area students. He was taken the role of Lead Community Trainer during these lockdown times. He is a fellow believing that pouring human kindness will be rewarded here and hereafter.

VOLUNTEERING STORY

I would like to introduce myself as a Family man because from where I got the basics of knowledge and values. I was always happy to help others. I don’t expect anything returns because I volunteer because of my satisfaction and that makes me a happy better human. From my school days, I actively participate and volunteer in youth festivals and I was a part of Family Meet that was held in 2015 and which is a grand party with 2000+ peoples. I was happy and proud of myself because I am also take a good role in that event. After that, I was elected as a secretary of SKSBV (Samastha Kerala Sunni Balavedi) in my madrassa (2015) because I have good participation in my institute's event and also shown my organizing skills in the events. In school days I lead a duff muttu team and got the first prize in Kerala School Kalolsavam that was held in Thiruvananthapuram in 2016. In the time Kerala Flood 2018, I got a good opportunity to work with Kerala Youth Welfare Board at Aluva cleaning drive from where I start my official volunteering journey. It's a great life-changing opportunity for me. After that, I got a great network and that leads to various volunteering opportunities. I got a selection for national camps that named Tarunai camp (2018) and Gramya Manthan (2019) that held in Maharashtra and Gujarat respectively those places are tribal area, from where I get a grass root level reality of India and it is a great chance to interacts with various volunteers whose comes from various part of India. In 2019 we the 5 people gather for a good cause and that ends with a camp for the orphan that designed by our team, that was held in Darunnajath Islamic center, karuvarakundu, During that camp we give School kits for all students (100+), conducted games and entertainments for the orphan students. I was worked with an NGO named iLab that is working in the educational field. I was joined in The Gulmohar Foundation (TGF) that to create young social leaders and social entrepreneurs through capacity development, volunteering, and global citizenship education. I have started my volunteering with TGF in 2018 and still continue, it's a life-changing decision. And I get the reality of volunteerism, the importance of sustainable volunteering, and personal development through volunteering. As a result of my commitment and sincere work, I was selected as a Malabar Regional Coordinator. After that, I also am a coordinator of various programs of The Gulmohar Foundation named FaceBook NGO Day, Bottles Up Challenge, Donate-A-Toy, Global Climate Ride, Book Review, Online SDG Courses, TYPL (TGF- Youth Peer Learning), Plant-A-Tree, etc. In 2020 take the role of Lead Community Trainer under Volunteer For India. I am a BDK (blood donation Kerala) volunteer also, where promote blood donation. Through this volunteering journey, I found myself and my passion in the field of working towards humanity and sustainability, And now I am looking forward to youth fellowships and social entrepreneur. As of now, I have been volunteering with different organizations, undertaken 15+ initiatives with the involvement of 10,000+ young volunteers. I had volunteered in the field of Education, Health, and Environment Conservation; focusing on Volunteer Management and Programme Coordination.

VOLUNTEERING JOURNEY

I think I was born a volunteer Because I was raised in a family that encourages volunteering, helping the poor, caring the others, Congratulating every good deed, and guiding with moral values and lessons. So I started volunteering at a younger age and it turns into professional volunteering at my schooldays. Now I am at the age of 22 and have volunteered in many organizations since 2015. “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others” this is the reason why I am a volunteer, Where I found myself. Volunteering connects me with the people who are also looking towards a better tomorrow so I found my people. I connect with social problems as well as solutions. When I am volunteering I understood I am helping and saw my time is worth it and believe I am capable of inciting change and making progress. Volunteering helps me to make friends, learn new skills, advancing my career, and even feel happier and healthier. My role as a volunteer can also give me confidence and identity, more likely to have a positive view of life and future goal.

VOLUNTEERING FOR ME

It's a way of helping/serving without expecting anything in return, and it gives happiness and self-satisfaction to the volunteer. All volunteering must have good intentions