My Chaos: July 2008

The concept of volunteering in Syria:
Individually: a nice t-shirt, few photographs, little work to do and posing to Lyaleena magazine, then going out celebrating the "good" sense of humanity that all volunteers have…
This is where people place the principle of volunteering in Syria.

Mostly, in the Syrian mentality volunteering is not taken as the act or result of sense of responsibility toward the community. It is always some one else's job or responsibility. Neglecting the obligation that each individual has toward his or her own communities.
Not to ignore that our people are lack of believe in the power of one and so in the power of small groups/societies.

What we have learned and we have been taught in schools since very early childhood through "kawmya" classes and even through reading classes is that the "one" emerges in the "all" and the individual suppose to be melted in the society in order to become a "good citizen".
This is in my opinion the worst way toward creating the individual's sense of responsibility that is needed.
We need to encourage our people to identify themselves as independent powerful individuals who have the free will to participate and at the same time to make them realize that the state must be a public concern what ever their religious, political or even sexual orientations are.
And when we realize these facts and when people recognize the power of their individuality they can then build responsibility and sense of ownership toward their society.

We need to realize that good practice of citizenship is not through being neutral when it comes to decisions made by the state, or in another expression by staying away from troubles but good practice of citizenship is by being active members of the civil society –if there is any-

Citizenship must carry out actions that are results from loyalty to the society rather than the state.

Now I really do not know how I am going to start talking about Syrian NGOs without going through the confusion of the non-existence of the civil society.
Very few NGOs are now active in Syrian communities but mostly these NGOs are rather international like Red Crescent/Cross or religiously selective like the scouts or Islamic orphanages, or supported by public governmental figures like Syria Trust…
Very few NGOs started by individual or group's initiation who have a vision about a better society.

Moreover, on a smaller scale; NGOs with seasonal activities, which meant to be there only as a social image used, by some people from specific social class without any sense of compassion is involved in these NGOs.

On the other hand, NGOs which are struggling to survive legally or financially to exist in the reality of the non- existence of civil society.

Even NGOs who made it through these challenges and those who were approved by the state
are still facing one of the biggest threats for its effectiveness; which are simply the lack of two fundamental factors to any organization that are independence & freedom in which the NGO is given the resources or freedom to find its own to do research and independent space to put plans into action and the total freedom in pointing out the areas of society the need to be restructured or developed toward the wanted change.

This leads again to questioning the role of the already existing NGOs and if these NGOs are able to deliver and express the will of the society to the state with the absence of a protective law that can back their existence and activities.

Its long way till Syria will be able to create a proper volunteering culture which holds the society visions and common interests of its individuals who hold the will to change.
And maybe when the concept of citizenship is realized as responsibility toward the society rather than the state; maybe then, we will have the majority as empowered individuals who are seeking a civil society that express their will.

*what meant by NGOs in here are only charitable and cutltural NGOs , it is still way early to recognize legal, human right NGOs