2015

2015

Yangon and Mandalay

A Study on Urban Volunteerism

in Myanmar

VOLUNTARY ACTION IS DEEPLY EMBEDDED IN MOST CULTURES. IT EMERGES FROM LONG-ESTABLISHED, ANCIENT TRADITIONS OF SHARING, WHETHER UNDERSTOOD AS MUTUAL AID AND SELF-HELP, PHILANTHROPY AND COMMUNITY SERVICE, OR CIVIC PARTICIPATION AND ADVOCACY. VOLUNTEERING IS BOTH AN OPPORTUNITY AND AN ASSET FOR DEVELOPMENT. IT REPRESENTS A TREMENDOUS RESOURCE FOR ADDRESSING MANY OF THE DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES OF OUR TIMES. VOLUNTEERISM IS A FEATURE OF ALL CULTURES AND SOCIETIES. IT IS A FUNDAMENTAL SOURCE OF COMMUNITY STRENGTH, RESILIENCE, SOLIDARITY AND SOCIAL COHESION. IT CAN HELP EFFECT POSITIVE SOCIAL CHANGE BY 2

FOSTERING INCLUSIVE SOCIETIES THAT RESPECT DIVERSITY, EQUALITY AND THE PARTICIPATION OF ALL. SUCH CONTRIBUTIONS ARE VITAL TO THE THREE PILLARS OF THE UNITED NATIONS’ WORK – PROMOTING PEACE AND SECURITY, ADVANCING DEVELOPMENT, AND PROTECTING HUMAN RIGHTS AND HUMAN DIGNITY. VOLUNTARY ACTION IS DEEPLY EMBEDDED IN MOST CULTURES. IT EMERGES FROM LONG-ESTABLISHED, ANCIENT TRADITIONS OF SHARING, WHETHER UNDERSTOOD AS MUTUAL AID AND SELF-HELP, PHILANTHROPY AND COMMUNITY SERVICE, OR CIVIC PARTICIPATION AND ADVOCACY. VOLUNTEERING IS BOTH AN OPPORTUNITY AND AN ASSET FOR DEVELOPMENT. IT REPRESENTS A TREMENDOUS RESOURCE 3

Publication Date/ Copyright: 2015

Design and Layout : Esther Cappelli, Online UN Volunteer

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Acknowledgements

Cuso International, Searchers-Myanmar and UN Volunteers would like to acknowledge the invaluable contribution of the Lead Research Consultant Ms. Shwe Zin Mon Aung; Searchers-Myanmar’s Voluntary Research Team (Mr. Shein Zeya, Ms. Aye Pa Pa Moe, Mr. Pho Thawda, Mr. Lu Thit, Ms. Ei Su Lyan Phyo, Ms. Su Mon Soe, Dr. Kyaw Min Thein); Research Team Advisor Sayar U Nyan Win and Co-Advisor Mr. Sai Hein; Cuso International Volunteer National Volunteering Advisor Ms. Lesley Abraham; UNV Volunteer Programme Officer Mr. Juan Miguel Sanchez Marin; and all the organizations and individuals who took the time to speak with the research team.

We would also like to give special acknowledgment to government Ministries that shared their time to meet with the research team, including the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Sports, Ministry of Social Welfare and Ministry of Industry.

• Cuso International: Cuso International is a non-profit international development organization, working to improve the lives of people living with poverty and inequality around the globe. Each year we mobilize hundreds of volunteer professionals who work with local partners to create positive, lasting change.

• Searchers-Myanmar: Searchers-Myanmar is a local volunteer-based organization that was founded in 2006. Its ultimate aim is to serve and rebuild lives for poor through the promotion of volunteerism in Myanmar.

• UNV: The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organization that contributes to peace and development through volunteerism worldwide. UNV contributes to peace and development by advocating for recognition of volunteers, working with partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming, and mobilizing an increasing number and diversity of volunteers, including experienced UN Volunteers, throughout the world. UNV embraces volunteerism as universal and inclusive, and recognizes volunteerism in its diversity as well as the values that sustain it: free will, commitment, engagement and solidarity.

We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD).

Special thanks to UNV Online Volunteer Ms. Esther Cappelli for the layout and design of this publication.

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6

Table of contents

Executive Summary

Study Rationale

Research Methodology

History of Volunteerism in Myanmar

Current State of Volunteerism in Myanmar

Volunteers

Local Volunteer-Involving Organizations

International Volunteer-Involving Organizations

Government

Key Findings

Recommendations

List of Research Participants

References

10

11

12

13

18

30

32

33

18

22

26

27

28

7

8

Cuso InternationalCuso International is proud to support the publication of this landmark research on the state of volunteerism in Myanmar, a country with a rich tradition of community engagement. This study provides a snapshot of the remarkable efforts of individuals, organizations and government to contribute to transformative change in their lives and the lives of others through voluntary service. With over 50 years of experience in global volunteering, Cuso

Ms. Evelyne Guindon, Executive Director

First of all, my heartfelt congratulations note to Cuso International, United Nations Volunteers programme, and Searchers-Myanmar to produce this very first survey of volunteerism in Myanmar. Thanks to Cuso International which gave us the opportunity to undertake it and also appreciate UNV for publishing it. We, Searchers-Myanmar are also very proud and happy on the work of our volunteers for the wonderful jobs they did on this research as a volunteer research team. Last but not least, our special thanks go to Ms. Shwe Zin Mon Aung who initiated the idea of undertaking this marvelous work, liaised with all organizations and who led this research. I, on behalf of Searchers, do really take pride in all of these endeavors for a new change in this very volunteering field. It is a joy for us to work with such dedicated and talented colleagues and to be able to take part in this wonderful research. We hope that even though this is a pilot work within the limited time frame, it would reflect the situation of urban volunteerism not just in Myanmar but to the development of volunteering in the region as well. We wish to see more excellent works like this in the future.

Searchers-Myanmar

Ms. Aye Pa Pa Moe, Executive Committee Member cum Communication Focal

United Nations Volunteers (UNV)The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, with its contribution to the development of this first Study on Urban Volunteerism in Myanmar, recognizes volunteerism as a fundamental source of community strength, contribution, and resilience. In Myanmar, volunteerism is deeply rooted in Theravada Buddhism, a strong part of Myanmar’s tradition and culture. This report highlights the involvement of volunteers in supporting community development and public good for the general population. It offers a snapshot of the volunteer landscape in two major cities – Yangon and Mandalay – to promote a better understanding of volunteerism in the country. With this report, we hope to demonstrate the universality, scope and reach of volunteer activities in a country where volunteers have played a vital role in supporting Myanmar’s development. As shown in this study, many people seem to choose to volunteer for personal reasons. Confirming that there is indeed a long and vibrant history of volunteerism in Myanmar, the report presents a number of organizations, particularly NGOs and CBOs that have been operating with voluntary efforts for a long time. For example, during the Southeast Asian Games in 2013 or the devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis in 2008, volunteer efforts were effectively organized. The recommendations of the report, including the establishment of a national framework, aim to ensure that volunteerism will continue to be a strong factor for peace and development in Myanmar.

Mr. Richard DictusExecutive CoordinatorUN Volunteers

Introductory Notes

International firmly believes that volunteering enables people to understand, influence and own the development of their countries and communities. We hope this paper serves as a starting point for further exploration of these issues and we look forward to continued collaboration to support the strong spirit of volunteerism in Myanmar.

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Executive Summary

There is a long and rich history of civic engagement in Myanmar, but little research has been done to explore the many facets of volunteerism and how it can best contribute to development outcomes. This study summarizes the findings of a pilot research project on urban volunteering that took place in January – March 2015. The research found volunteers engaged across all ages, genders and ethnicities, with young people having particularly high participation rates. Many people are driven by a strong sense of altruism and religious faith to give back to their communities and do so across a variety of sectors, including health and education. The organizations interviewed highly valued volunteers though there are not always formal programs in place to engage volunteers. Lastly, the report makes a number of recommendations to expand the scope and understanding of volunteerism among all stakeholders, including communities, civil society and government.

DEVELOPMENT WORK CAN’T BE DONE BY ONE PERSON. VOLUNTEERISM IS NEEDED FOR DEVELOPMENT. IT CAN ALSO PROVIDE VOLUNTEERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SOCIALIZE AND THEY CAN LEARN A LOT TOO.

Survey respondent

10

EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE SOME TECHNICAL STAFF, WITHOUT VOLUNTEERS, WE CANNOT REACH TO GRASSROOTS LEVEL AND CANNOT OPERATE WELL.

Study Rationale

Myanmar is a complex country in a time of significant and rapid change. With the introduction of a new Constitution in 2008, a new era of openess and democratization has begun.

Economic growth has averaged 5% annually in recent years with an annual per capita income of USD $702 (UNDP Myanmar 2014) and both foreign and local investment is growing. But even with this progress, poverty is a significant issue for a majority of the estimated population of 51.4 million people as per the recent 2014 census conducted by UNFPA, and Myanmar remains low on the Human Development Index, ranking 150 out of 172 globally and one of the lowest within the Asian region (UNDP 2014).

Amidst this changing backdrop, national social and economic development remains a critical priority and volunteerism can play a key role in bringing about transformative change within communities and across the country. Volunteerism is a powerful means of engaging citizens in tackling development challenges where everyone can contribute their time, skills and knowlege through volunteer action, and where combined efforts can be a significant force for achieving peace and development. This has been seen in Myanmar through the powerful outpouring of volunteer action after Cyclone Nargis in 2008 or the tremendous participation of nearly 20,943 volunteers during the hosting of the 27th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games Myanmar 2013.

While there has been a long history of civic engagement and service in Myanmar, there has been little systemic empirical research

undertaken to determine the extent and distribution of volunteerism in the country. By looking at both the history of volunteerism as well as a snapshot of urban volunteerism in both Yangon and Mandalay, this research finds that volunteerism is flourishing in many different forms and across many different sectors. However, there are still many opportunities for volunteerism to be further supported by government and non-governmental actors.

It is hoped that this report will promote a better understanding of volunteerism in Myanmar, in order to demonstrate the universality, scope and reach of volunteer activities along with new trends in a country with a tumultuous past and a bright future. The report examines important contributions of volunteerism in fields such as sustainable livelihoods, social inclusion, social cohesion and disaster risk reduction. By suggesting how volunteerism can be taken forward, it is hoped this report will also provide an alternative vision of a better society and tangible suggestions on how the power of volunteerism can be harnessed for positive development outcomes across the country.

Survey respondent

Survey respondent

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Research Methodology

As two of the most populous cities in Myanmar, Yangon and Mandalay were selected for this preliminary research in order to provide a representative cross-section of volunteering in both Upper and Lower Myanmar. Data collection took place between January and March 2015 via a research team trained by the Lead Research Consultant and Research Advisor on research procedures, research ethics and survey/interview techniques.

The team utilized a mix of qualitative and quantitative methodologies targeted at volunteers, volunteer-involving organizations and the general community (Yangon only). For the first two groups, an appointment-based guided survey and interview approach was used to ensure that respondents fully understood the survey questions and to address issues around varying literacy levels; focus groups and interviews were used for the latter group. In some cases, follow-up interviews were scheduled for additional optional questions. Respondents provided data on an anonymous and voluntary basis.

The initial list of organizations and individuals to be consulted was developed through the existing contacts and networks of the research team, and a snowball method was used to connect with additional respondents. In Mandalay in particularly, the Local Resource Centre was utilized as a referral hub to relevant organizations.

A number of research challenges were encountered, including respondent unfamiliarity and/or suspicion with research questions, lack of time for people to participate in interviews and external current events. These challenges were addressed as possible by the research team and also led to a number of suggestions for future research which are reviewed in Section 5: Key Conclusions and Recommendations.

In total, 40 data sets were obtained from volunteer-involving organizations and 271 data sets

were obtained from staff or volunteers referred by these

organizations. Additional information was gathered through

visits with selected Ministries as well as a community

consultation in Yangon.12

History of Volunteerism in Myanmar

While some research has been conducted on volunteerism movements in the Asian region, particularly in regards to youth, there has been very little formal research that has focused on Myanmar specifically. However, the concept is not new to the country. As the majority of the country’s population is Buddhist, many people often take on community service activities as “good deeds” in order to earn religious merit in line with Buddhist teachings, contributing to the development of a volunteer spirit. There are also a number of historical volunteer programs. A National Volunteer Scheme was in place during the Socialist era between the 1960s and 1980s with voluntary activities organized by the Government. One of the great success stories in the voluntary movement in Myanmar was the “3-R Literacy Campaign” from approximately 1964 –1988 (U Than 1975); this was a community-based mass movement that was run entirely by volunteers around the country, involving more than 200,000 teachers and reaching nearly a million people (Nyi 1983). There have also been many examples of volunteering in recent years. People throughout the country, especially youth, have become more active than ever before and are beginning to get more involved in community service and organizing voluntary youth activities. Some instances of youth mobilization could be clearly seen in the 27th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games held in 2013, the national Yangon Youth Forum 2013 and ASEAN Youth Forum 2014, all hosted in Myanmar.

There was also a significant rise in voluntary efforts in response to the devastation wrought by Cyclone Nargis in May 2008, the worst natural disaster in the recorded history of Myanmar which resulted in over 135,000 fatalities. Amidst

this tragedy, the outpouring of community support facilitated by both organizations and individuals was unprecedented; volunteers provided critical support in disaster relief efforts and helped strengthen the culture of volunteerism among communities while also having the unexpected benefit of providing individuals with the opportunity to develop useful employment-related skills (Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies 2008).

The Myanmar traditional

form of volunteerism is known

as “Ah-myar ah-kyo-saung, ko-ah-kyo-aung”, which if directly

translated into English,

means “benefiting oneself

in serving for the benefits of

others”. That is the reason

why volunteers are highly

valued and respected among

the general population.

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One unexpected outcome of Nargis was the resulting increase in the Government’s awareness of the need to plan and prepare for future disasters, and of the possibility of engaging volunteers to undertake prevention, mitigation and community awareness activities. In 2014, efforts were undertaken to reinforce capacities in community-based disaster risk reduction in alignment with the objectives of the Myanmar Action Plan for Disaster Risk Reduction. The national Department of Relief and Resettlement (DRR), under the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, established the DRR Youth Volunteer Network with the goal of raising disaster awareness at the grassroots level and improving the community knowledge of early warning systems, disaster risk reduction and management. With this goal in mind, the Department launched quite an ambitious training schedule across the country that has benefitted almost 3000 volunteers (40% women) in 14 Regions and States as of June 2015 (Myanmar Department of Relief and Resettlement 2015). The UNV Volunteers Field Unit in Myanmar, along with UNDP and UNICEF, is supporting the Government in providing financial support and technical assistance to further operationalize this network.

Cyclone Komen in 2015 also brought out Myanmar’s generous nature, with hundreds of people donating their time and money to support nearly one million people affected by the floods and who have been devastated by the loss of land, homes and lives. These voluntary efforts seem set to continue in the coming years as reconstruction and development efforts are implemented.

There has also been a longstanding tradition of community volunteering in the country, particularly in the areas of health and education. This includes the aforementioned literacy campaign as well as the work of Community Health Volunteers in the areas of primary care and malaria among others (U Than Sein 2006, WHO 1995, Ohnmar et al 2012). Such programs have often been coordinated by government agencies, such as the Ministry of Health as well as by international and local civil society organizations. In many instances, these voluntary movements have arisen in response to gaps in social services, as communities band together to provide necessary alternatives. While community volunteers are often provided with technical training to help them in their work, there are concerns about the sustainability of models that depend on volunteers for such vital services, particularly when the quality of training provided is not necessarily consistent.

Other international organizations have also helped to support volunteering within the country. The Myanmar Red Cross has been a leader in this area with more than 250,000 national volunteers throughout the country serving in a number of sectors, including disaster preparedness and response, health (including volunteers acting as auxiliary midwives) and youth engagement (IFRC website); they have also completed studies examining IFRC volunteering practices and volunteer profiles across the Asian region, including in Myanmar (Agerham 2004, IFRC 2014). The organization has also been successful in engaging celebrities and prominent local figures as volunteers at national events, such as when actor Wailu Kyaw took security duty as a volunteer with the Myanmar Red Cross on the 67th anniversary of Martyr’s Day (19 July 2014) at the Martyrs’ Mausoleum in Yangon.

In the World Giving Index 2014, Myanmar shared the first place spot with the United States as the most giving nations in the world. Within the Myanmar context, this standing was driven primarily by the high proportion of the population that makes financial donations in line with the practices of Theravada Buddhism; however, Myanmar, for the first time, also ranked as one of the top 10 countries with the highest proportion of the population engaging in volunteering.

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Myanmar stands at its most important crossroad in recent history with multiple, simultaneous, complex reforms in addition to a multifaceted peace process, aimed at brokering a settlement between the Myanmar Government and the armed ethnic groups. At the same time, Myanmar’s economy is picking up quickly. According to the World Bank, the economy is estimated to have grown by 8.3% in FY2013/14. The growth is driven mainly by construction, manufacturing, and services. Recovery in agriculture has also contributed to this growth. The economy is projected to expand further by 8.5% in FY2014/15, led by gas production and investment. In FY2013/14, the country’s GDP was estimated at $56.8 billion. Despite impressive economic progress, Myanmar still records low human development, positioned at 150 out of 187 countries in the Human Development Index rankings for 2014.

Related to that is an unparalleled diversity of development challenges, ranging from ongoing conflict and post-conflict settings to severe rural poverty to the challenges of fast-growing urban development - which implies that development terms like “poverty reduction”, “community resilience” or “inclusive governance” means different things in different states and regions, posing new challenges to government and development partners alike. This complexity has a significant impact on Myanmar’s interactions with internal and external actors.

The challenge for Myanmar is to enable growth at the same time that it tackles vulnerabilities, building resilience against economic shocks, natural disasters, conflict and civil unrest. And development partners have a crucial role to play supporting the Government in its objectives of promoting democratic governance, social cohesion, and lasting peace in a sustainable, equitable and inclusive manner that protects, respects and promotes the rights of all people

within its geographic boundaries equally, and that contributes to human security.

Graduation from its status of Least Developed Country (LDC) over the next decade and support of the realization of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the country have become priorities for the Government and progress is underway. According to the Millennium Development Goals Report 2013, produced by the Myanmar Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development, Myanmar has accelerated progress towards achieving the MDGs. While further progress is needed in order for Myanmar to reach all targets by 2015, Myanmar has made notable achievements in areas such as poverty, hunger reduction, the primary level net enrollment ratio, the literacy rate for 15-24 year olds, births attended by skilled health personnel, improved sources of drinking water, sanitation, and the mortality rate for both children under the age of 1 year and under the age of 5 years. The lifting of sanctions and the increased influx of ODA in the last three years have undoubtedly played a role as well.

Overview Of Myanmar Development Priorities

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VOLUNTEERISM IS AN EXPRESSION OF PEOPLE’S WILLINGNESS AND CAPACITY TO FREELY HELP OTHERS AND IMPROVE THEIR SOCIETY. IN MOST CULTURES VOLUNTARY ACTION, UNDER ITS MANY NAMES, GUISES AND DIMENSIONS, IS DEEPLY EMBEDDED IN LONG-ESTABLISHED

16

TRADITIONS OF SHARING. IT BRINGS SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS TO INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES BY ADDRESSING SPECIFIC NEEDS AND BY HELPING TO NURTURE AND SUSTAIN A RICH SOCIAL TEXTURE AND A STRONG SENSE OF MUTUAL TRUST AND COHESION.

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Current State of Volunteerism in Myanmar

Volunteers

Findings from Yangon and Mandalay

The research team spoke with a group of 271 local volunteers in both Mandalay and Yangon to explore their experiences with volunteering in Myanmar; these volunteers were either involved with or referred by organizations that participated in the organizational survey for this research.

What does volunteering mean in Myanmar?

A number of different words are used in Myanmar to describe volunteers – that is, people who are passionate about helping others and consistently give their skills free of charge to advance social, community or individual goals. The word that was most commonly suggested by more than half the respondents was say-ta-na wonhtan which literally translates to “volunteer”, while about one-quarter of respondents also suggested the term para-hita wonhtan which translates as “social worker”. Other words suggested were also amyar-akyo-htanywet-thu (another term for “social worker”) and loat-arr-pay (another term for “volunteer”) though these seem to be less common.

According to the United Nations, the definition of volunteers is as follows: “First – The action should be carried out voluntarily, according to an individual’s own free will and not as an obligation stipulated by law, contract or academic requirements. Second – The action should not be undertaken primarily for financial award. Third – The action should be for the common good, benefiting directly or indirectly people outside the family or household, or a cause, even though the person volunteering normally benefits as well” (adopted by UN General Assembly in 2001,

Resolution 56/38). Through this survey, only 19% of individuals surveyed indicated that they were familiar with the UN Definition on Volunteering, with an additional 34% indicating that they had heard of it but were not sure what it was. While all respondents self-identified as volunteers, only 76% said that they fit the formal UN definition, indicating that there may be different understandings of the word and the meaning of volunteerism in the Myanmar context.

Volunteer Profiles: Who we spoke with

The research team spoke with 271 volunteers across Yangon and Mandalay and explored a number of demographic characteristics of this sample:

Gender: Of the surveyed volunteers, 54% were female and 45% were male, with the remainder identifying as other or choosing not to answer the question. Interestingly, while there were more female volunteers, males seemed to have more volunteering experience; 75% of females had volunteered for five years or less while 42% of males had volunteered for five years or more. This may be in part due to the family and household care demands which are traditionally shouldered by females.

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Religious Affiliation: Of the survey respondents, the majority (87%) identified as Buddhist while smaller proportions of the respondents identified as Muslim (7%), Christian (5%) or Hindu (1%). This is keeping in line with the large number of Buddhists in the country but also indicates that volunteering takes place across all religions.

Ethnic Group: Myanmar is a culturally rich and diverse country, with over 135 ethnic groups officially recognized by the government. Of the survey respondents, the majority (76%) self-identified as being of Bamar heritage, with the next most common groups being Kayin (6%) and Rakhine (5%). However, volunteers were found across nearly all groups, indicating that volunteerism is common across a variety of ethnic communities.

Age: Cross-tabulation analysis across the above-mentioned demographic factors indicates that regardless of gender, religious affiliation, nationality or ethnic group, people between the ages of 21 and 30 are the most likely to volunteer. This indicates an extremely strong volunteer ethic among young people in Myanmar.

Marital Status: The group which seemed most likely to volunteer were those who identified as single (61%), however married persons were more likely to have volunteered for a longer period of time.

Educational Level: Those with Bachelor Degrees were shown to the largest group of volunteers within this survey (36%), followed by those with high school/upper secondary education (29%) and those currently in University at the time of the survey (17%).

Type of volunteering

Informal 65%

Formal 26%

Both 9%

Engaged in voluntary activity in the last 12 months**based on UN definition of voluneering

Do you know the UN definition of a volunteer ?

34%Not sure

47%No

19% Yes

76%Yes

24%No

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What are volunteers doing in Myanmar?

Respondents were asked whether they considered their volunteer engagement to primarily be informal (i.e. without a contract/agreement or fixed schedule) or formal (i.e. with an official contract/agreement and/or with a fixed schedule); it was found that the majority of respondents were engaged in informal volunteering.

Note that the usage of the terms “formal” vs “informal” volunteers in this report use the definitions mentioned above, which differ from the more common usage in other volunteerism research where formal volunteering denotes activities which take place within organizations and informal volunteering as activities outside of organizations. The former definitions are used here as per the direct translation of the words used in the administration of the survey.

What are the main sectors of voluntary effort?

The study found that there is a rich diversity of areas across which people donate their time. Volunteers stated that they were involved in a number of different sectors in their community, with health being the most popular sector, followed closely by child care and youth. Many volunteers indicated that they donated their time in multiple organizations working in

multiple sectors, indicating that there are a wide variety of entryways for voluntary engagement within the country.

What are the motivations for volunteering?

Respondents were asked to share the reasons that they chose to start volunteering – the most popular reasons were “to spend free time usefully” (66%) and “to help others” (66%), while other common reasons included “to have religious merit” (51%), “to socialize/make friends” (48%), a “belief in volunteerism and its contribution to development” (42%) and “to gain experience” (41%). Interestingly, very few volunteers indicated that their rationale was to gain public recognition (8%) or to get a recommendation (3%) indicating that many of the rationale seem to be intrinsic rather than for external recognition or credit. The reasons cited for continuing to volunteer were similar in ranking, indicating that those who volunteer are finding satisfaction from the activity in the way

HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT, ELDER CARE, CAPACITY BUILDING, AGRICULTURE, HUMAN TRAFFICKING, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT, GENDER, WASH, INTERFAITH, FOOD SECURITY, HEALTH, DRR, CHILD CARE, HEALTH, EDUCATION, LIVELIHOODS, LGBT, YOUTH, TRANSLATION, MIGRATION, RESEARCH, GOVERNANCE AND DEMOCRACY, HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT, ELDER CARE, CAPACITY BUILDING, AGRICULTURE, HUMAN TRAFFICKING, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT, GENDER, WASH, INTERFAITH, FOOD SECURITY, HEALTH, DRR, CHILD CARE, HEALTH, EDUCATION, LIVELIHOODS

CHILD CARE

HEALTH

YOUTH

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they had initially hoped.

The respondents were also asked how they were first introduced to volunteering. The vast majority of respondents indicated that they were introduced to volunteerism by a friend (63%), with the next most common method of referral being a mentor (18%) or a religious group (11%). It seems that the methods for volunteer recruitment are primarily informal and occur through personal connections rather than through formal volunteer programs.

What are the incentives for volunteering?

While volunteers donate their time to the cause of their choice, they may sometimes be offered benefits or incentives to support them in their work. In this survey, 61% of respondents who answered the question indicated that they have received incentives for volunteering, with the most popular incentives being training (50%), financial reimbursements (36%), public recognition (36%), transportation (34%) and certificates or recommendations (32%). It is interesting to note that nearly half the respondents indicated that they did not receive incentives but are still engaged as volunteers – this aligns with the findings above that the reasons for volunteering seem to be primarily internally rather than externally motivated.

What are the barriers to volunteering?

The top barrier to volunteering mentioned by individuals was a lack of time (64%), followed by personal affairs (44%) and lack of people to carry out volunteer activities with (13%). It is promising that even though many felt they had experienced obstacles on their path to volunteering , they were nonetheless able to do so and contribute to their community in way that felt personally fulfilling.

help others

obta

in re

ligious merit

socialize

gain experience

spen

d fre

e time usefully

belie

f in volunteerism

gain public recognition

get a recommendation

66%

66%

51%

48%

42%

41%

8%

3%

Why volunteering?

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Local Volunteer-Involving Organizations In order to learn more about those organizations who involve local volunteers, the researchers spoke with a total of 40 organizations from Yangon and Mandalay, including one located in Bago Division. Of these organizations, 34 were entirely volunteer-based while the remaining six operated with a mix of both paid staff and volunteers.

Non-Governmental Organizations

Non-Profit Organizations

Social Work Organizations

Community-Based Organizations

Friends/Associate

Private Sector

Acad

emic

/Edu

catio

nal I

nstit

ution

Religious Institution/Faith-Based Organizations

On CallOther

<=5 yrs

5-10 yrs

10-50 yrs

50-100 yrs

+100 yrs

Leng

th o

f Org

aniza

tiona

l Ope

ratio

ns

6 65

1

1

1

1

11

1

1

3

3

3 222

2

2

10

8

IF THERE ARE MORE VOLUNTEERS, THINGS CAN BE DONE QUICKER. FOR EXAMPLE, IF ONE PERSON CAN CARRY ONE RICE BAG, FIVE CAN CARRY MORE.

Note that organizations were allowed to identify under more than one category and definitions were found to be quite challenging to explain and categorize. Some categories are similar but organizations strongly preferred to use different terminologies indicated rather than the predetermined ca-tegories. As additional clarification, NGO generally refers to organizations that have a formal structure and are formally registered while CBOs are more local scale small organizations. However, both “Non-profit” and “Social Work” organizations can be either NGO or CBO.

Survey respondent

22

As the above table shows, there seems to be an increased diversity in the types of organizations operating within the last 5-10 years, with NGOs and CBOs becoming more active during this timeframe. The oldest institutions engaging volunteers tend to be religious or faith-based organizations, including one organization which has been in operation for more than 100 years.

What sectors are volunteer-involving organizations engaged in?

The organizations engaging volunteers are focused primarily on the education sector (54%), followed by health (43%) and youth (32%). It is also interesting to learn that the more longstanding organizations had a stronger focus on traditional sectors such as health, child care, education, gender, legal issues, disaster relief, youth and the environment. Lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender (LGBT), human trafficking, food security and research were found to be newer sectors of engagement in the last 10 years, indicating that these may be newly emerging sectors of interest for Myanmar.

One remarkable organization that stands out in the research is the Wai-Neya Sukha Drinking Water Association, a 110-year-old organization situated in Shwe Dagon Pagoda, Yangon. Though located in one of the most important Buddhist sites in Myanmar, the organization does not function as a religious institution but rather as a humanitarian association whose main focus is on water donation across the country and in the region. It has also provided technical assistance through its own engineering team in installing water purification machines in poor areas. The longevity of the organization is particularly inspiring as it does not have any paid staff but is rather an entirely volunteer-based initiative.

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What are volunteers doing in organizations?

Organizations were asked whether they primarily engaged people in informal/traditional volunteering (i.e. volunteering without a formal commitment and/or fixed schedule) or in formal/professional volunteering (i.e. with a formal contract or agreement as well as a more fixed schedule). Interestingly, it was found that no organizations have only formal volunteers; rather 75% indicated that they had only informal volunteers while the remaining 25% indicated that they had a mix of both formal and informal volunteers.

The number of volunteers currently estimated to be engaged by the sample set of organizations was more than 3000 people, ranging from less than 10 to over 100 volunteers per organization – a tremendous demonstration of engagement. In informal discussions, the organizations indicated that they generally felt that they engaged more female than male volunteers. However, self-reported organizational data on estimates of their current number of volunteers actually found that there was a gender balance, with 48% female and 52% male volunteers. There were gender differences in the type of work undertaken: females were the most active

in non-technical, informal volunteering while males were more common in all other areas including management and advisory roles.

Organizations were also asked to reflect and provide an estimate on the ages of their volunteers; once again, youth between the ages of 21 and 30 seem to be the ones with the highest level of involvement in volunteering. Interestingly the numbers for older persons seem to be lower, indicating that there may be room to increase the engagement of the elderly and retired persons in voluntary activity

What are the incentives for volunteering?

Approximately 80% of organizations reported that they provided incentives to their volunteers, with the most popular forms of incentives being certificates or recommendations (63%), followed by support for transportation (50%) and public recognition (47%). Other less common incentives were accommodation, gifts, awards, stipends and financial reimbursement. Some organizations offered creative incentives, offering things like support for health care expenses, excursion trips, funeral and/or hospital expenses, lucky draws, job opportunities and networking opportunities. This shows a high level of

Own Funding / Pool Money

Fundraising

Donations

Regular sponsorship from well-wishers organizations

Other

or

Self supporting by the membersRegular collection from membersSmall grantsGrant applicationsApplication proposals to international organizationsBank interestMaterial donationsMonthly member fees

15%

35%

8%13%

29%

4 to 10 yrs 21 to 25 yrs 36 to 40 yrs 51 to 55 yrs 66 to 70 yrs Above 81 yrs0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Number of organizations reporting engagement of volunteers in the age category

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creativity and personalization in the incentives offered to volunteers. However, it is interesting to note that there is a discrepancy in the number of individuals who reported receiving incentives (61%) and the organizations reporting offering incentives (80%). This may indicate that incentives or benefits are available but that volunteers are not always able to take advantage of them.

What are the primary funding sources of volunteer-involving organizations?

A large number of the organizations surveyed (85%) indicated they were run solely by volunteers. These organizations were further asked about their funding sources to keep their organizations running. A large portion of the organizations depended heavily on donations (35%), while privately sourced funding (29%) and fundraising activities (15%) were also used. A number of other creative means of support were also mentioned including membership fees, bank interest and grant applications to external funders. However, these approaches were relatively less common and may indicate an area for possible support and expansion in future to help such organizations better access external funding sources.

Own Funding / Pool Money

Fundraising

Donations

Regular sponsorship from well-wishers organizations

Other

or

Self supporting by the membersRegular collection from membersSmall grantsGrant applicationsApplication proposals to international organizationsBank interestMaterial donationsMonthly member fees

15%

35%

8%13%

29%

What is the capacity of organizations to manage volunteers?

Of the organizations responding, only 23% reported having received technical training or assistance in volunteer management; however, nearly half the organizations reported having some form of standard procedures in place for the management of volunteers. The nature of these procedures and policies is unclear but indicate that there frameworks are in place for volunteer management that may need additional support to strengthen them in future.

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International Volunteer-Involving Organizations

With the recent economic expansion and democratic transition in Myanmar, a number of international volunteer involving organizations (IVIOs) have entered the country, bringing the skills and energy of international volunteerism to a number of organizations. The seven organizations currently operating in this field include Australian Volunteers International (Australia), Cuso International (Canada), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), Scope Global (Australia), United Nations Volunteers (global) and VSO (headquartered in the UK); PeaceCorps (USA) has also recently set up operations in the country. As of February 2015, these organizations were facilitating the placement of a combined 171 volunteers from nearly 20 nations with 113 partner organizations across all 15 states and administrative territories in the country. Other international organizations are starting initiatives to enter this field in Myanmar, and other smaller specialized

volunteer initiatives such as the VERVE Network specialized in disaster risk reduction are emerging.

Such programming works to provide skilled international volunteers who offer specialized technical expertise to development and humanitarian programs by undertaking full-time professional volunteer placements. The placements are hosted by local and international organizations spanning all sectors, with volunteers working full-time hours alongside local staff and counterparts. Volunteers are provided with a number of incentives which generally include training, accommodation, stipends and recognition. Many of the IVIOs are funded directly by their respective governments and this programming serves as an important way of building a sense of global community engagement in Myanmar. In addition, these international volunteers serve as ambassadors for volunteerism throughout their day-to-day work.

What are the opportunities and challenges to engaging volunteers?

The most common challenge to volunteer engagement cited by organizations was finances (41%), lack of human resources (27%) and lack of skilled volunteers (11%). A significant number of organizations indicated no barriers to volunteer engagement (35%), a positive sign for their continued engagement.

The organizations also cited a number of ways forward to help support the further development of volunteerism in Myanmar. Nearly 73% stated that more opportunities for networking would be helpful, while policy support (50%), national research (40%) and a national coordination body (38%) were also cited as other useful ways forward. A number of other suggestions were also put forward, including the increased use of media to support volunteerism and encouraging the intangible “spirit” of volunteerism among individuals.

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Government

During the survey period, the research team paid courtesy visits to selected Ministries in Naypyitaw to learn more about past national volunteer programs from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s as well as any current programs. The Ministries visited were: (1) Department of Education, Planning and Training, Ministry of Education (2) Department of Sports and Physical Education, Ministry of Sports (3) Department of Social Welfare, Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement and (4) Directorate of Industrial Supervision and Inspection, Ministry of Industry.

Information from the Ministry of Sport indicated that they have a strong corps of engaged volunteers that they are able to call on as needed for special activities, such as national sports events such as the SEA games. The Ministry of Social Welfare stated that they have been working with a number of organizations which operate on a volunteer basis, and they occasionally provide training and funding to these organizations. While not all Ministries are currently running volunteer programs, all indicated that local and international volunteers would be welcomed, particularly for areas needing technical expertise.

Director U Myo Hlaing from the Department of Sport and Physical Education with representatives from Cuso International, Searchers-Myanmar and UNV

VOLUNTEER WORKS ENHANCE THE YOUTH AND STUDENTS’ PERSONALITIES AND LIFE STYLES. THEY CAN ALSO LEARN TEAM WORK AS WELL. Survey respondent

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KEY FINDINGS• Young people between the ages of 21 and 30 are highly

engaged as volunteers, regardless of race, nationality, ethnic group or gender. This was found to hold true at both the individual and organizational level.

• Volunteers are engaged in both technical and general roles across a number of sectors, indicating a wide breadth of volunteer activities. Health and education were two of the most popular sectors of engagement.

• Informal findings from the research team found some differences in volunteerism between Yangon and Mandalay. In Mandalay, many individuals preferred not to identify as affiliated with only one organization as they tended to be involved on a voluntary basis with multiple organizations. This was attributed in part to the relative ease of transportation around the city as compared to Yangon, due to less traffic and the availability of motorbikes; however, it may also reflect a cultural difference where Mandalay is a smaller, more-tightly knit community.

• A number of organizations, particularly NGOs and CBOs, have been operating with voluntary efforts for a long time, confirming that there is indeed a long and vibrant history of volunteerism in Myanmar.

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• Despite a general global perception that women volunteer more than men, the respondents in this research sample showed a near equal gender split among the volunteers.

• There were a large number of organizations that operated on a very loosely coordinated and informal basis; these organizations choose not to identify as a CBO or NGO but rather simply as an informal community group.

• People seem to choose to volunteer for internal and personal reasons rather than for the tangible benefits or incentives they may receive from an organization (i.e. training, financial reimbursements, certificates). This may indicate that organizations can look at different ways of providing incentives for volunteers to better suit their desires.

• Some organizations have expressed that some of the challenges to their work include difficulties in establishing official registration with the government, political instability and financial challenges.

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RecommendationsThrough the findings from this research as well as the formal and informal discussions undertaken among communities, there have emerged clear needs and ways forward to further nurture and develop the strong culture of volunteerism in Myanmar.

1 The development of a comprehensive national framework to encourage and support the spirit of volunteerism in Myanmar. Such a framework would act as a coordinating mechanism among all existing stakeholders while helping to nurture and build the volunteerism movement in Myanmar across all sectors. This may include the following:

1a Development of a networking platform or other information-sharing mechanism to better encourage learning across volunteers and volunteer-involving organizations, including both online and in-community components.

1b Provision of volunteer management training for organizations that already engage volunteers as well as those who are hoping to engage volunteers. While there is a remarkable volunteer spirit evident in Myanmar, such training could help organizations more effectively recruit, engage and retain their volunteers. There are a number of such trainings currently developed, including a Volunteer Program Development and Management course developed by VSO and Cuso International, which have been successfully delivered and adapted in countries across the globe.

1c Establishment of a Volunteer Hub or National Volunteer Centre as a gathering point for all organizations involved in the volunteerism movement in Myanmar. This could also include the establishment of local volunteer centres to help support volunteerism at the civic and grassroots level.

1d Creation of national policy or legislation to support volunteerism in the country, potentially with the support of the Office of the President. The aim of such policies or legislation would be to encourage volunteerism particularly among youth, to protect the rights of volunteers and to help formally recognize the important contributions of community engagement to national development goals. Similar projects have been successfully developed and implemented in other countries, including within the Asian region; the experiences of these countries can be reviewed to support the process in Myanmar.

1e Re-establishment of the National Volunteer Scheme or another formalized government program that helps young people to develop critical work and life skills through volunteering.

1f Additional exploration on the modalities of organizational registration and how this may impact voluntary efforts, while recognizing that registration may not be suitable or desirable for all organizations and should not be a barrier to volunteer engagement.

TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH MORE TASKS IN ANY MATTER, VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED. Survey respondent30

2 Additional research on the state of volunteerism in Myanmar, including investigations into urban, rural and remote areas and across all sectors. This may include the following:

2a Establishment of an annual or biannual survey on volunteerism, linked with the data released from the upcoming national census data to have a more comprehensive national research scope.

2b More in-depth research into related topics such as: perceptions of volunteerism, contributions of volunteerism to both social and economic development, factors promoting volunteer satisfaction and retention, changes in volunteerism over time and within a changing economic environment, urban vs. rural volunteering, exploration of the demand-side of volunteerism and how this can fill capacity gaps and the role of volunteerism in supporting the ”Myanma way” to democracy during its transitional period.

2c Additional time and support to help sensitize populations to the research process for both volunteerism research as well as other types of research that may be undertaken by government or other organizations.

3. The cultivation of volunteerism champions among celebrities, community leaders and other public figures to speak about the importance of volunteering and encouraging people to get involved in their communities.

4. Increased involvement and recognition of longstanding organizations and grassroots movements in the national development agenda, including stronger partnerships with government. Such organizations have been longstanding actors in the development of Myanmar and such partnerships will help to further strengthen their contributions.

5. Inclusion of volunteerism as a part of the educational curricula, not simply as an optional extracurricular activity. This will encourage the spirit of volunteerism among citizens at a young age while also increasing the contribution and impact of voluntary work. This could also include the development of community service programs for at-risk youth in lieu of incarceration or other more traditional interventions.

6. Increased coverage and celebration of volunteers and volunteerism in the media. There is a significant and thriving spirit of volunteerism in Myanmar which should be recognized and celebrated both within and outside of the country.

7. Promotion of the Myanmar volunteer movement outside of national boundaries through increased collaboration with other volunteer initiatives in the region and elsewhere. There are a number of regional and global volunteerism initiatives underway including the Asia-Pacific Peace and Development Service Alliance and the work of the International Association for Volunteer Effort.

8. Increased usage of social media to encourage youth involvement and new ways of working, including online volunteering, informal volunteering, etc. As telecommunications improve in Myanmar and people become more connected online, this will be a critical tool to help share information and catalyze voluntary effort.

While these are ambitious and comprehensive goals, it is hoped that these recommendations will be a launching point for further development of the rich and longstanding culture of volunteerism in Myanmar.

Survey respondent 31

List of Research Participants

YangonCivil And Political Rights Campaign Group, Smile Education & Development Foundation, Humanitarian Volunteer Group, U.C.O. (U Chit Oo) Volunteer Family, Gardener Education Centre, Festival Of Praise (FOP), Free Funeral Service Society, The Shwedagon Pagoda Cleaning Society, Muslim Youth Network Myanmar, Myanmar Institute For Democracy, Sanatam Dharma Swayamesvak Sangh, Heartyfarm Humanitarian Group, KBCC Amauial Church, Wai-Neya Sukha Drinking Water Association, Kings N Queens, Myanmar Storytellers, Myanmar Volunteer Community Centre, Kun Ai Funeral Service Association, Myanmar Veda Scholastic Association, Yangon Youth Network, Searchers-Myanmar, Lu-Nge Thain Martial Arts Club

MandalayKhun-Ar-Thit (The New Strength), United Way, Amara Aung, Amara Aung Myay, Mandalay Affairs Team, Flying Freedom Little Birds, Chan Mya Thu Kha, Dedicated Next Generation, Thukha YeitMyone Youth Development Center, The New Light (Differently-able people supporting Group), Voluntary Social Workers’ Association, Mandalay, Public Interest Lawyers Group, Youth Empowered Society, Bawa Alin (The Light of Life), Mandalay Volunteers Group, MaharAungmyay Gems and Jewelry Group, The Siblings, Brahmaso Humanitarian Aid Organization, Saytanar Lu Nge Mote Ti Su Blood Donors Para-Hita Organization

International Volunteer-Involving OrganizationsAustralian Volunteers International (AVI), Cuso International, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), Scope Global, United Nations Volunteers (UNV), VSO

NOTE: This list includes all organizations who were asked to participate in the research; the organizations provided organizational data and/or referrals to affiliated individuals for individual surveys.

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REFERENCES

Agerham, Stefan. (2004) Volunteering in South Asia and South East Asia - A snap shot of volunteering practice in seven Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies: Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and a review of the implementation of the plan Volunteer 2005. Swedish Red Cross.Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies (2009). Listening to Voices from Inside: Myanmar Civil Society’s Response to Cyclone Nargis. Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies: Cambodia.Charities Aid Foundation (2014). World Giving Index 2014 – A Global View of Giving Trends. Charities Aid Foundation: UK.International Federation of the Red Cross. Urban Volunteering in Asia Pacific – A study of recruitment, engagement and retention. IFRC 2014 Myanmar Department of Relief and Resettlement. 2013-2015 Draft Hyogo Framework for Action Progress Report. Unpublished draft document. Ohnmar, Tun-Min, San-Shwe, Than-Win, Chongsuvivatwong (2012) . “Effects of malaria volunteer training on coverage and timeliness of diagnosis: a cluster randomized controlled trial in Myanmar.” Malaria Journal 11:309.United Nations Development Program. “Human Development Index Data”. Downloaded from http://hdr.undp.org/en/data on 12 March 2015.___. “About Myanmar”. Downloaded from http://www.mm.undp.org/content/myanmar/en/home/countryinfo/ on 12 March 2015.U Than Sein (2006). “Health Volunteers: Third Workforce for Health-for-All Movement”. Regional Health Forum – Volume 10 (1): 38-48. U Than (1975). “Pe’-Tin-Nay-Myi-TawHlanYay-YaLat”. Pe’-Tin-Than, 3-5.World Health Organization (1995). Role of Health Volunteers in Strengthening Community Action for Health. Report of an Intercountry consultation, Yangon, February 1995 (SEA/HSD/198).

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VOLUNTEERISM IS A FEATURE OF ALL CULTURES AND SOCIETIES. IT CAN HELP EFFECT POSITIVE SOCIAL CHANGE BY FOSTERING INCLUSIVE SOCIETIES THAT RESPECT DIVERSITY, EQUALITY AND THE PARTICIPATION OF ALL. IT IS A FUNDAMENTAL SOURCE OF COMMUNITY STRENGTH, RESILIENCE, SOLIDARITY AND SOCIAL COHESION. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon