Globally every day, millions of people take action on issues that matter to them, volunteering within communities, organisations, companies and alone. In doing so, they bring us closer to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Volunteerism is one of the most vital delivery mechanisms for social, environmental and economic transformation, ensuring a lasting impact with its ability to change people’s mindsets, attitudes and behaviours. Our LUKMEF Volunteerism Programme recognizes the shared universal values underpinning volunteerism free will, commitment, equity, engagement, solidarity, compassion, empathy and respect for others. The United Nations (UN) have proclaimed December 05, 2022 as the International Volunteer Day. Since 1986 the Inter-national Volunteer Day compliments people who do work without payment and supports this habit.
This year’s International Volunteer Day (IVD) is celebrated on the theme “Solidarity through Volunteering.” This highlights the power of collective humanity to drive positive change through Volunteerism. This years’ IVD recognizes and promotes tireless work, not just of LUKMEF Volunteers, but of volunteers across the globe. ”Volunteering is where compassion meets solidarity.” Both share the same root values- Supporting each other from a position of trust, humility, respect and equality.
LUKMEF, an international NGO based in Buea, SWR, Cameroon with focus on Promoting Peace and Nonviolence, Human rights and social Justice, Sustainable development and Humanitarian response since 1999 consider Volunteers as key Human Resource components to drive the man-date of the organisation and uphold Volunteering engagements as giving opportunities to skilled and selfless individuals to validate and gain more hands-on experience towards self-career development through their work.

Awareness raising by volunteers in Bamenda

Through our Community and Rights Based Approach, we onboard within our field response Programs and Projects Community Volunteers as support systems to drive the projects together with our Teams. These set of individuals upon validation by their community are empowered and capacitated within the framework to drive community development to take leadership and to be accountable in serving their communities through us uphold solidarity and a sense of professionalism through their work.
Our doors are open to receive skillful volunteers both locally and internationally and especially those who have a humanity-First mindset to deliver and impact communities through our different sector activities. Volunteer are open to work within our sectors: Child Protection, Gender, Environment Protection and WASH, Food security and Livelihood promotion, Health and Nutrition, Education in Emergency, and as well within our Departments: Transport and Logistics, Finance and Project Accounting, ICT for Development, Human Resource, Data and Research for Development, Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL).
On this special day, we express sincere appreciations to all those who have Volunteered with us this year and as well to those who are still doing so across our various field intervention areas and offices. We are proud of all Volunteers who are role models in their communities by working together and personifying inspiration in action.
This celebration uncovers us to reflect on the barriers to volunteering, and the challenges faced by volunteers who are themselves from communities facing hardship. In line to this, LUKMEF through her instituted Volunteering Agreement has revised considerations for support to cover basic subsistence and to effectively monitor the progress and performance of Volunteers and to upscale mentorship and establishment of Career building plans to aid Volunteers gain employability skills.
In all, for the future of our communities, country and planet, we must act together and we must act now. This is not an era to stand alone but together, as one, in solidarity with each other. This becomes a clarion call for young individuals to undertake to Volunteer to address and uplift key community challenges for the common good by developing solutions to urgent development challenges.

Bate Godwill Bate
Professional Internship Program/Human Resource Coordinator, LUKMEF Cameroon
For more information about our Volunteering Program, please contact us via the contact page