KILDARE: Somali native learns Irish culture through volunteering

To mark National Volunteering Week (15-21 May), Volunteer Ireland has released a video featuring volunteers from Ukraine, Somalia, and Zimbabwe, making a difference in their new communities around Ireland.

Run in partnership with Ireland’s network of Volunteer Centres, National Volunteering Week is a week-long celebration of volunteering that takes place in Ireland every May. This year, a new video highlights the stories of Vumani from Zimbabwe, Mohamed from Somalia, sisters Alina and Ilona from Ukraine, and Mildred from Co. Monaghan.

The video highlights the contributions of displaced individuals in Ireland and celebrates the impact they make in our communities. It features interviews with volunteers who share their experiences of resettlement, and the positive impact volunteering has had on their integration.

“When I came to Ireland, I got a new life,” said Mohamed Abdi Mohumed, who moved to Newbridge last year from Somalia. “By volunteering with Newbridge Tidy Towns and the Newbridge Family Resource Centre, I get to teach African culture and learn Irish culture.”

"Diversity and inclusion are core values of National Volunteering Week, and this video is a testament to the power of volunteering to bring people together," explained Kildare Volunteer Centre Manager, David Hand. "We hope that by sharing these stories, more people will be inspired to volunteer and connect with their communities. Volunteering is an act of profound generosity that can transform our communities into more diverse, dynamic, and welcoming spaces. By offering our time and skills to support the needs of others, we not only strengthen our communities, but also deepen our own sense of belonging and connection. This National Volunteering Week, we’re celebrating the power of volunteering to enrich our communities, bridge social divides, and create meaningful connection.”

The video was made possible thanks to support from the Department of Rural and Community Development. Minister of State in the Department of Rural and Community Development, Joe O’Brien TD, said “It is important for me as the Minister with responsibility for Volunteering, to make it clear just how important volunteers and volunteering are in our communities. This video highlights just how impactful volunteers are in playing a critical role in supporting diverse, inclusive and vibrant communities, and this week is all about volunteers. The extraordinary events over the last three years just show us how phenomenal our volunteers are, and this week is a way of highlighting the tremendous work that has and is being done. I want to personally thank volunteers nationwide for their commitment to their communities not just for the last three years but all of the time, and for ensuring that people feel connected, welcomed and within their communities.”

Volunteer Ireland is grateful once again to be supported by Healthy Ireland. Minister of State for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy Hildegarde Naughton commented: "Volunteering is at the heart of every community, creating a sense of connection. It is a connection that is so necessary in all our lives. It is a connection that benefits both the lives of those receiving support and those providing it. Boosting self-esteem, confidence, stress reduction and providing a sense of wellbeing are outcomes that can be shared amongst a volunteering connection, between people and communities.

“It is important that we take time to celebrate our volunteers, without whom, life for so many people would simply not be the same. Volunteers are unsung heroes who so generously give their time to enrich the lives of neighbours, families and communities nationwide; National Volunteering Week provides the perfect moment to acknowledge and applaud our volunteers.” 

The video will be available on Volunteer Ireland’s website (volunteer.ie) and social media channels from Monday, 15 May, and will be promoted through local partners and media outlets.

For more information about National Volunteering Week, and how to get involved, please visit volunteer.ie.

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