VOLUNTEERING in Rotaract

This is an interview with Rtr. Netsanet Asmelash, better known as Vamye. She’s a member of the Rotaract Club of Finot, Ethiopia, where she served as president in the last Rotary Year, and just now, I’m waiting for her to get back online. She’s had a long day with meeting after meeting, so I’ll try to be patient.

(Waits five seconds)

Helloooooo

I’m here

Oh yay. My computer is misbehaving, but let’s see what we can do.

👀Bad,bad pc. Behave.

😂very helpful. Thanks.😂smh now look I lost my train of thought.

(Regains train of thought)

So, tell me a little about yourself. I mean, I already know the basics.  You are Rtr. Netsanet Asmelash, Immediate Past President, Rotaract Club of Finot. And currently, membership director for Rotaract Clubs in Ethiopia, correct?

Yes. Yes. Correct.

Right. And you are an architect by training, but what do you do for a living?

Architect by training and practice actually. I do graphic design and Digital Marketing as a Freelancer by the name LynColors.

Oh yes, I’ve seen Lyncolors on Instagram. Beautiful, evocative imagery. And we’ve used some in previous editions of the magazine. Very nice of you. Thanks!

So, last year we talked about a forum you attended. A forum you spoke at, actually, for women in business. Could you tell me a little about that?

I was invited by AWIB in Ethiopia; Association of Women in Business in Ethiopia to share and give insights about volunteerism, what it is, how and where the members can exercise.

What sorts of things were they interested in learning?

Most of them weren’t aware of what volunteerism was. They believed that it was something that you do when you acquire some substantial amount of money and are privileged and so on. In addition, they didn’t know where and with whom they could be of service to their communities.

So, they were of the impression, like most people, I suppose, that it was something one considered when they were beyond the struggles of everyday life

Exactly

I’m curious, how did they then react to you, a relatively young person, telling them about volunteerism?

That’s an excellent question. 😂

I was myself surprised at first, when they contacted me. It was a recommendation.

I had no idea what level of understanding they had on the topic or which age group they were in. The only information I had was that all were woman.

During the program, after careful consideration of the audience, I let them ask all the questions they had about volunteerism before I started sharing pointers. And man, there were alot!

I started with my own story, about how I started volunteering when I was 7 years old and a grade 2 student, teaching classmates who were interested in tutoring after class hours. None asked me to do so. My classmates were continuously coming to me to help them with classwork. When their number started growing, I decided to stand before them and explain things had been taught in the way I understood them. I think that story got their attention.

That, I think, was my first moment of serving someone with what I had. I was the youngest in my class, and it did not require any money.

Wow. Quite an early age. And did this come naturally to you or do you think it was a conscious choice you had to make?

Could be the effect of being first born😂! Tbh I thought it was something normal until the principal of the school had to call in my parents to tell them the school had no hand in it. And I guess my parents didn’t see any harm in it, so they were willing to let me stay at school after class to tutor other children. That continued for three years.

I figured this was something natural for me. I am always drawn to sharing what I know and supporting others, big or small. I have a lot of energy for it. I continued, getting involved in supporting a young woman and her child and later on, when I joined Rotaract.

Wow! You’re one in a million, Vam. And certainly, the forum you spoke to on that day had to have mentioned that.

This reminds me, actually, of a question I often grapple with from people outside Rotary. Family even, who ask me, “what do you gain from this Rotaract? Are you paid?”Did you meet similar questions in your conversation, and how did you respond?

Yes! That’s a question my family, friends, relatives and even strangers ask.

When I first joined it was very tough,especially with my parents. They didn’t want me to exhaust my energy, and did not know anything about Rotary. For them, it was an organization that says they are serving the community but are instead using the funds for their own personal gain. I explained to them how I was cashing in on the training I got and skills I acquired and they let me be.

But for the rest, whenever they ask,“what do you get out if it?”

I respond, “What are you willing to give?”

You can only ask for something in return if you are investing in it.

Wow! I think a lot of us go through that. I’m actually working on inviting more of my friends and family to Rotary and Rotaract. I’ll tell you how it goes. But on the response to strangers, that’s pretty poetic. I’ll use that.

Ahhh 😂

You told me about a particular lady who went on to try and start a Rotary Club in her town. Tell me a little about that. Did she have an innate desire to volunteer and suddenly see an avenue? And how has that worked out for her so far?

So, after the forum, one of the ladies came to me and told me how she wasn’t a member of the association but had driven from Weldia (a city out of Addis) to partake in the discussion on volunteerism because her husband, who is a Doctor, wanted to know about it. She told me how he was immersed in helping the patients who come to the hospital alone. He was practicing at a Hospital in Adama – and that’s when I suggested to her that he can call some more interested people with him and form a Rotary club so as to have support and more reach to serve the community.

We did connect well and things were looking good. Sadly, the condition of the country couldn’t let them mobilize at all. But the dedication was something! Crossing cities to get know-how about volunteerism and be engaged more!

True! That was quite something. And I think it has the potential to still happen, with their dedication. I hope they, and you try again sometime.

But, speaking of traveling cross-country and the state of the country at the time, you were in the process of forming new clubs in various places, in your role as membership director. Do you think you made some progress that incoming membership directors can build upon? The Rotaract Club of Arbaminch, for instance, are an incredibly vibrant club and are doing good work.

The more the merrier as they say. And that was my first plan as the membership director.

I started off the Rotary year with a training on Rotaract Club Health Check, membership retention and extension training to the existing Rotaract clubs. It was a fruitful one, from the feedback I have gotten from the participants.

The next plan was to go full on targeting universities and communities out of Addis Ababa.

The first hiccup was the need for a mentoring and sponsoring Rotary club, something Rotary in Ethiopia is working on currently. I went through with it with the hopes of spotting potential Rotary members to support the Rotaractors.

We had meetings and recruited members in Debrebirhan, Harar and Bahirdar. We also met and stayed in contact with founding members of a Rotary club in Gonder to form a Rotaract club in the university there, and in the process got in contact with an excellent club in formation in Dilla as well.

Then the main hiccup hit and crippled the engagement in Gondar, Harar and Bahirdar, including an already chartered club in Jimma. It was a big disappointment, honestly. But safety comes first. So, we had to hit pause on those.

Debrebirhan and Dilla have some room for engagement. I believe as the first membership director for Rotaract in Ethiopia and in unfavourable times, I am trying my best in keeping records and things to work on and adjust as a country for the next person to take over the responsibility.

Certainly, your successor will have a, not necessarily easier path, but one where the challenges are clearer. There is huge potential for Rotary and Rotaract in Ethiopia. Especially with the official registration that took place this January.

I really hope so!

Alright. One last question before I let you go.

OK!

Name 5 uses of a stapler without staple pins😌

Why make it so hard? 😂😂😂the other one was fun.

😂OK, do want to answer the other one?

Maybe

What was the last gift you gave someone.

Does it need to be tangible one?

Not necessarily.

A candy 🙂

Oh wow. I think so. Two Saturdays ago, I went to a shop and bought a bunch of sweets and went to give them to peeps at a Rotaract district meeting. Hehe

That’s really beautiful 😁!

😂Adults get so excited when you give them candy though.

Very true 😂Why didn’t you ask me about the last best gift I received? 😂

Well, do tell me.

If you promise not to ask for details 😂

😂I promise

A hand written letter 😁

I’m regretting a certain promise now…

No questions 😁😁😁

😂sigh. I haven’t seen a handwritten letter since high school.But it’s OK.(accepts sadly)

It has that sentimental value. Ink bleeding on paper

True. Very true. Thanks for being a wonderful interviewee, Vamye.

🤗Oh one last thing!

Uh huh?

I love you all 🤗!

😊awww I’m sure we all love you too. (Agree now, dear reader)

Thank you for having me!

Karibu sana

Interview by: Emmanuel George Otieno – Rotaract Club of Langata