Volunteer Work: When the Torchbearers Are Moroccan Students

Tetouan – John F. Kennedy’s famous aphorism, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country,” is a paradigm shift in the theory of responsibility: which is supposed to give to the other? Should the country give to the citizen or should the citizen give to the country? Politicians and leaders are surely responsible for what happens in their countries, but citizens should also be accountable.

One way that citizens can contribute to building a prosperous society is by doing volunteer work. It is heartwarming to see students volunteering their time and effort for the wellbeing of others, with no expectation of pay or material benefits for themselves. I feel compelled to shed light on these students who volunteer and to describe them as torchbearers, because they represent the future generation. They have a sanguine view of life, and see the world through an optimistic lens. In the last few years, there has been an upsurge in the interest of volunteer work. We started hearing about newly created associations and started sensing the desire of students all over Morocco to take part in the change that is happening in their communities.

Moroccan students understand that volunteering is a way for them to voice their ambitions of community development and take the lead in changing circumstances both for themselves and for the people around them. Students have become involved in different associations devoted to numerous issues. They have furthered the efforts of humanitarian organizations to take part in public affairs and meet the needs of people that policymakers have been unable to reach, either in part or in full. We find that the majority of Moroccan selective schools allow students to create clubs and organizations. Volunteer work is present in different disciplines: medicine, biology, geology, geography, physics, sociology, engineering, math, languages, law, Islamic studies, and more.

The most notable fact is that in some disciplines, like medicine and engineering, students spend eight hours a day on campus and are overloaded with homework, but still make time for volunteering. Also, students who volunteer are more likely to find jobs than the students who do not. The experience of volunteering is considered an internship that will not only expand the career prospects of the volunteer, but also give them a deep insight into his or her field.

Joining an association or a humanitarian organization that aligns with the volunteer’s field of interest may provide an opportunity for him or her to discover how academic preparation and the theories learned in classes apply to a work setting. Moreover, the volunteer has the opportunity to back up his resume with unpaid experience.

In this regard, Oussama Bouzerouata, a student at Ecole Normale Superieur and the president of Club Citizenship of Ecole Normale Superieur, Tetouan, said that volunteering is one criteria of human development and progress of a country. “My participation in many international events, as well as my participation as a representative of Morocco in the world general assembly of youth, helped me a lot to broaden my social network and increase my awareness of being part of the change happening in my community,” he told Morocco World News.

In the same context, Safae El Herraz, a Master’s student in Agadir and a freelance journalist, said that volunteering for girls, especially in developing countries, is “a gate to increasing leadership in tomorrow’s citizens. It guarantees a social dedication towards responsibility, initiative, and building a strong sense of social engagement.”

In conclusion, we can say that volunteering is a great way to help oneself. It gives the volunteer the privilege to launch a career in any field, acquire new skills, and broaden one’s social network.

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