People often want to take without giving, but some discover joy in sharing what they have or feeling useful to others. This article is for those who find happiness in being helpful.
Living a life that only serves our own needs is like a plant that fails to grow. It stays stagnant and struggles to move forward, often taking two steps forward and one step back without real fulfillment.
Who can I assist besides myself? Who benefits from what I possess other than me? What can I offer to others without losing my own identity? Such questions reflect a search for purpose. I've heard these questions from both clients and friends.
That's why I want to discuss volunteering, which entered my life during college through the Boğaziçi University Social Responsibility Club and the Community Volunteers Foundation.
My journey continued with LÖSEV, and despite the exhaustion and challenges, I ended up feeling fulfilled. Volunteering means taking on responsibilities without expecting anything in return.
Even if we don’t seek rewards, seeing the results of our efforts brings happiness, which I believe is the true reward for our time and energy.
Once someone decides to volunteer, they often wonder, “Where can I volunteer? What can I do?” To help answer these questions, I want to highlight a helpful platform called BiDestek. Its founder, Sibel Karamaraş, a former friend, describes BiDestek's goal as follows:
“There are many civil society organizations. Besides these, there are countless initiatives, both online and offline, and individual volunteers I cannot count.
Yet, we still rank low in global philanthropy indexes. There is a vast amount of information, but it’s scattered. This lack of awareness leads us to miss opportunities to contribute to society based on our own interests and daily lives.”