LAMPUNG — Dompet Dhuafa Volunteer (DDV) once again commemorated World Volunteer Day by holding a series of International Volunteer Day Camp (IVD Camp) events in Bandar Lampung on Friday – Sunday (16-18/12/2022). This time IVD carried the theme of Inclusive Volunteer in Action which was attended by 100 selected volunteer participants from all over Indonesia.
Through this theme, Dompet Dhuafa intended to invite volunteers together to do good to all parties (inclusiveness), especially in vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities, the elderly, and ODGJ / ODMK (people with mental illness) to rise up and to be empowered together after the pandemic conditions that hit the world.
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The real action of inclusion volunteers was on the second day, Saturday (12/17/2022). Participants were divided into two groups. The first group moved on to interact with elderly people in nursing homes. Meanwhile, the other group interacted with children with special needs who were invited to the event location, namely the Wira Garden, Bandar Lampung.
A total of 20 children with special needs from a foundation namely Sahabat Difabel Lampung (Sadila) attended to play with DDV volunteer brothers and sisters.
The play activity began with an introduction, then continued with singing, dancing, and coloring.
Dompet Dhuafa Community & Volunteerism Officer, Ika Akmala said, after on the first day the Inclusive Volunteer in Action (IVA) participants received various materials on inclusive action, on the second day they immediately practiced how to interact and deal with children with special needs and the elderly. This was a preliminary action for volunteers who would then carry out inclusive actions and programs in their respective regions.
“Later, the actions that will be held by DDV in their respective regions must have inclusive value by involving vulnerable groups, especially the elderly, the disabled, and people with mental illness,” she explained.
Responding to this Inclusive Volunteer in Action activity, Edovan as Sadila’s Public Relations officer revealed this activity as an extraordinary action. The children were enthusiastic and happy with the approaches taken by the volunteer brothers and sisters.
“We are very happy to be invited to be involved in this event with Dompet Dhuafa. I saw that the friends from DDV were able to annul the needs of the children with disabilities. Even they were from various backgrounds, they could handle it,” Edovan said.
Edovan then advised the IVA brothers and sisters to continue to increase inclusiveness and tirelessly work to stop discrimination. (Dompet Dhuafa / Muthohar)