Volunteering: the power of offering to volunteer in the fight against the pandemic

The initiative Volunteers in support of vulnerable groups during the pandemic successfully recruited some 1 500 volunteers who provided valuable services and assistance to fragile and vulnerable population groups throughout the lockdown in Cyprus. The dynamic mobilisation of volunteers and the numerous activities they initiated have been a shining example of positive social change, highlighting the act of volunteering as a life choice.

What prompted you to start your project or initiative?

When the pandemic reached our island and the situation started to deteriorate, we decided that it was time for us to help out in some way too. So as soon as the country was placed in total lockdown, we decided to actively help the fragile and vulnerable groups in the population and, following on from that, to provide assistance with potential coronavirus cases. When the repatriation of our fellow citizens got underway, our group set up a network to provide essential items to the hotels where people were put in quarantine for 14 days.

How was your project received? Have you obtained any feedback from the people you helped?

Our initiative met with broad support and our action encouraged many other fellow citizens, of all ages, professional backgrounds and citizenship status, to sign up on our list of volunteers, each one offering to do whatever they could to help. At the moment there are more than 1 500 active volunteers.

The countless messages and phone calls expressing thanks, and the way our fellow citizens were so grateful for and touched by the support we provided, gave us the courage, strength and motivation to dedicate ourselves to our volunteer work in the fight against the pandemic.

How will you use this specific funding to provide further help in the community? Are you planning any new projects?

We decided to spend the prize money on purchasing equipment for the Macarios Hospital's Paediatric Oncology and Neonatal Departments. We know that there is a massive amount of need and that these particular departments require support.

What advice would you give to other organisations in terms of achieving results with such activities and programmes?

The only advice we would offer is that our basic concern must be to help and support our fellow human beings in need. Everything else will fall into place with good organisation and goodwill.