Every September 8th, Spanish Cooperation celebrates this day in honor of the more than 2,700 cooperators who work every day to achieve sustainable development and combat poverty among the world's most vulnerable populations.
On this day, we at Juan Ciudad NGO want to join in the commemoration of all members of the volunteer community, advocating for greater job security and a special social security system for volunteers working in high-risk areas.
But what does it mean to be a volunteer? A volunteer is a professional (not a volunteer or intern) who works in a developing country, both in the fields of development and humanitarian aid, serving an organization that promotes international cooperation.
According to a study published by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), the majority of aid workers are women over 35 years of age and displaced in sub-Saharan Africa. Women working in development cooperation abroad make up 55% of the total.
The report also provides data on the origin of aid workers by Autonomous Community. The largest group comes from the Community of Madrid (191 TP3T of the total), followed by Castile and LeĂłn and Catalonia (both accounting for 131 TP3T), and Andalusia (111 TP3T).
These individuals work in a total of 96 countries, with a significant presence in sub-Saharan Africa (411 TP3T). 251 TP3T are located in South America, 151 TP3T in Central America and the Caribbean, 61 TP3T in Asia and the Pacific, 61 TP3T in the Maghreb, another 61 TP3T in the Arab world, and the remaining 11 TP3T in Europe.
On the other hand, according to the AECID report, 351% of Spaniards involved in development cooperation in countries receiving Official Development Assistance (ODA) do so under the coordination of non-governmental organizations (NGDOs). The second group (261% of Spaniards) is made up of religious personnel, while 191% work for international cooperation organizations.
Testimony of a Cooperator in Cameroon
MarĂa Esteve CantĂłn is a Project Technician at JCONGD in Cameroon. Her testimony provides insight into the reality of these professionals who work daily on the ground in the fight against poverty and for sustainable development for the most vulnerable communities.
In 2019, MarĂa was a volunteer for nine months in Cameroon with Juan Ciudad NGO, during which she worked on a project to build an operating room block for the Saint John of God Clinic in Yassa, Douala. In the words of this volunteer, "It was a tough experience with many challenges, but without a doubt, very enriching professionally and, above all, personally."
MarĂa asserts that "being a volunteer gives you the opportunity to experience and understand volunteering from a different perspective, and above all, to have more empathy and less prejudice regarding anything that falls outside our comfort zone." Despite the harsh circumstances, this volunteer believes the experience "helps you open your mind, make the most of complex situations, learn to communicate, and coexist with other cultures and customs."
