“When I arrived in Ireland, I didn’t know anyone and didn’t know how I would survive in the Irish community. So I decided to pursue my passion for volunteering. While volunteering, I gave back to the community, which made me happy. But it also changed my life – meeting new people, making new friends, getting important connections. All my anxiety and loneliness disappeared.
“I do community volunteering with Dublin City Community Volunteers. I volunteer in community gardening, beach cleaning, event stewarding, cultural exchange and preparing arts and crafts for particular days like St. Patrick’s Day.
“People have made me feel welcome from the day that I arrived in Ireland. People in Ireland are very friendly and easygoing, as well as very polite to everyone.
“Volunteering strengthens my ties to the community and provides me with a sense of purpose and belonging. I enjoy giving back to the community and making a difference in the world, however small it is.”
This National Volunteering Week, we’re celebrating the kindness, compassion, and generosity of volunteers like Shamim.
Thank you to Shamim for sharing her Volunteer Story. Please email [email protected] if you’d like to share yours!
