Supervisor: Mrs.

Najat Al Maqbali

Group members:

AL RAYYAN SALIM FADHIL ALSAWAFI-(006511-23)

FATEMA AHMED AL MAQBALI-(006144-22)

FATEMA ZUHAIR AL AJMI-(006158-22)

SALIHA DAWOOD AL HADABI-(005734-21)

Date: APRIL 27, 2024

“ Experience with Oman Food Bank “

1
Introduction

Our experience with Oman Food Bank has shown us the profound impact of
volunteering, a practice deeply rooted in human history. It embodies humanitarian
efforts driven by individuals or groups, motivated by intrinsic desires to make a
difference. Volunteering stands as a crucial component of philanthropic endeavors,
gaining global recognition for its role in enhancing individual capacities and fostering
societal security, unity, and economic development. It has evolved into a cornerstone for
societal progress, contributing significantly to community building, development, and
cohesion (Generation, 2023). This experience has highlighted the importance of
assuming responsibilities, expressing opinions, planning, decision-making, and
implementing and evaluating activities and programs. It has empowered us to actively
participate in managing our society's affairs, ensuring effective and meaningful
contributions.

Definition Of Volunteer Activity

What is a volunteer activity? A volunteer activity is when someone gives their time and
energy to an organization or cause without expecting to receive any kind of reward. It’s
work that seeks to make a difference in the world, whether it’s to help people in need,
promote community causes, or help protect the environment. Volunteer activities can
range from serving at a soup kitchen to teaching students, hosting fundraisers, or
helping with beach cleanups. Volunteering is all about giving back to your community
and making a difference in other people’s lives. Volunteering allows you to learn new
skills, strengthen relationships, and create a sense of meaning and purpose (Distress
Centre, 2024).

Accordingly, we, as a team, chose Oman Food Bank as a starting point to engage in
what is called charitable work as volunteers, participate in the organization’s various
activities, and apply the concept of volunteer work according to the organization’s
vision. Oman Food Bank (Daymah) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to
preserve surplus food and distribute it to those in need and reduce food waste by
promoting the culture of preserving grace and recycling unusable food items and
converting them into local added value, which has a positive impact on the economy
and the environment and society (OFB, 2015).

2
Benefits Of Volunteer Activity

Based on our initial encounters when we began this voluntary activity in conjunction
with Oman Food Bank, the advantages we noted and deduced are as follows: Gaining
New Skills; most people are proficient in at least one area, employing different abilities
in daily life and giving back to the community is a fantastic way to learn new things
(Royal Voluntary Service, 2024). On the other hand, the profession can teach new skills
including project management, teamwork, and volunteer coordination. Also,
professional jobs and other areas of life may profit from the talents acquired, which can
also help develop new ones and apply them to the betterment of society at large
(Richmond Vale Academy, 2022).

Types Of Volunteer Opportunities

Our experience with Oman Food Bank has exposed us to various types of volunteer
opportunities, as also highlighted by (Darrah, 2022). One of the most common volunteer
experiences is community service, which involves assisting local organizations such as
food banks and shelters. At food bank distribution sites, we as volunteers helped
distribute food to individuals and families, set up distribution tables, greeted recipients,
and organized waiting lines. In addition, advocacy and active volunteerism play a
critical role in supporting causes through campaigns and fundraising efforts.
Fundraising is especially vital for organizations like food banks and shelters because it
enables them to expand their services and reach more people in need. At our suggestion,
volunteers can contribute to these efforts by organizing events such as bake sales,
charity runs, or online campaigns, demonstrating a proactive approach to promoting the
cause.

3
Impact Of Volunteer Activity In Communities

Volunteer work is an essential part of building and improving communities, it also has a
huge impact on communities, bringing about positive change and bringing people
together (Medium, 2023). As we noticed volunteering time and talents can help solve
social problems such as poverty, homelessness, and environmental degradation, not only
does this help those in need, but it also creates a positive ripple effect that benefits
everyone in the community (Volunteer Management, 2022). Volunteer work can foster
community connections by providing a space for people to connect, work together, and
form meaningful connections. Finally, volunteer work acts as a driving force for
positive change within communities by fostering empathy, unity, and accountability
among members of the community.

Conclusion

In conclusion, our experience with the Oman Food Bank has highlighted the
transformative power of volunteering. We aim to inspire individuals at all levels of
society to actively seek opportunities for personal growth and societal contribution.
Volunteering not only allows individuals to dedicate their time and energy to a cause but
also enables them to build relationships and gain experiences that enrich their lives
beyond their volunteer hours. Through our work with the Oman Food Bank, we have
witnessed firsthand the positive impact that volunteering can have on individuals and
communities alike.

4
References List

Darrah, P. (2022) What are the different types of volunteer opportunities? GVI.
Available at: https://www.gvi.co.uk/blog/what-are-the-different-types-of-volunteer-
opportunities/.

Distress Centre (2024) How Does Volunteering Help with Community?, Aiwriter -
Login. Available at: https://panel.ai-
writer.com/aiw/workspacesite/space/661d57cc6976bdc0c95a07be.

Generation (2023) How volunteering impacts you and your community, Generation
Singapore. Available at: https://singapore.generation.org/blogs-how-volunteering-
impacts-you-and-your-community/.

Medium (2023) Empowering communities: The profound impact of volunteer work,

Medium. Available at: https://medium.com/@17000ft.org/empowering-communities-
the-profound-impact-of-volunteer-work-23af67b7f34.

OFB (2015b) Daymah. Available at: https://omanfoodbank.com/.

royal voluntary service (2024) Start your volunteering journey today, Benefits of
volunteering. Available at: https://www.royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk/volunteering/.

Volunteer Management, L. (2022) How can volunteer work create a positive impact on
the community? How Volunteering Benefits the Community and You. Available at:
https://www.linkedin.com/advice/3/how-can-volunteer-work-create-positive-impact-
zlcrf.