On 5th December 2024, as the new support unit for the Australian Volunteers Program in Nepal, The Small Earth Nepal (SEN) actively participated in the celebrations of the International Volunteer Day 2024 with the Australian Volunteers Program in Nepal. There were two events as part of the celebrations: In the morning, a clean-up event was organized in a small patch of the forest located near the Panchakanya temple in Buddhanilkantha area of Kathmandu Valley, where the Australian volunteers, the SEN team, Australian Volunteers Program staff participated in cleaning up the rubbish thrown in the area that contributed to a cleaner environment. As the current Australian volunteers are all related to the forest sector, focusing on – forest fire management and Researcher in Forestry, the clean-up in the forest area was directly relevant to their working area.
After the cleanup of the forest, the Australian Ambassador to Nepal hosted a morning tea for the Australian Volunteers, the Australian Volunteers Program team and the Small Earth Nepal team where she recognised the importance of volunteerism and the contribution of volunteers to sustainable development.
The events were part of a broader effort to highlight the significance of volunteering for a sustainable future, aligning with this year’s Australian Volunteers Program’s IVD 2024 theme of “Hope in Action.”
The Australian Volunteers who have been working in Nepal for the past several months, shared their volunteering experiences and highlighted the importance of forest fire management and how crucial it is to engage communities at the frontlines of protecting natural ecosystems.
SEN expressed gratitude to the Australian Volunteers Program and the Australian Embassy for organizing the event and providing an opportunity to work collectively toward environmental preservation. Such activities are important to inspire individuals and organizations to take actionable steps toward a sustainable planet. The program concluded with a powerful message about the key role of volunteerism in addressing global challenges like environmental degradation. SEN reaffirmed its solidarity to collaborate with stakeholders in such initiatives for a better future.
