“This volunteer work makes me happy!”

Who are you?“I am Dalia, mother of a daughter (14) and a son (8). I moved from Iraqi Kurdistan to the Netherlands for love 16 years ago. Since then, I have been living happily in Tuindorp Oostzaan.”What do you do in your daily life?“As a single mother now, I have full-time care of my children and my household. I want to be there for my children when they come home from school, and of course, I still pick up and drop off the youngest. I also take them to swimming lessons or other extracurricular activities. When I first moved to the Netherlands, I wanted to learn Dutch as quickly as possible. Watching Dutch cartoons with my children was a good practice in addition to language lessons. And in my neighborhood, there are only Dutch people. Going out a lot and having a chat also helped me to master the language faster. In my free time, usually after 9:00 pm when the house is in order, I watch YouTube. I am very curious, and with YouTube videos, I can entertain myself all evening.”What do you do as a volunteer?“Every Monday, I am the hostess at the always cozy Community Center de Evenaar. I am responsible for serving coffee and tea to the people who visit de Evenaar. I keep the space clean and tidy, and I assist with tasks such as setting and clearing tables, welcoming guests, and answering questions. I have been doing this for a year and a half now, and as far as I’m concerned, I never want to leave! I enjoy it here, and the people are really sweet. That’s why I like to give back a lot. Volunteering makes me happy, even though sometimes I have a lot of pain due to hip problems and have to skip a day. Fortunately, they are very understanding here, which reassures me.”What is your best/most beautiful experience with volunteering work?“The first day was very difficult, I remember. I didn’t know what to expect from the job and from the Community Center de Evenaar, or what they expected from me. Actually, that day I would have preferred to stay at home. But I’m glad I persisted because every day it got a little better. Now I can even train the new people, who may be just as unsure as I was in the beginning, all on my own!”What is your tip for finding volunteer work?“Doing volunteer work is not difficult at all. Everyone can make a difference, and you also get a lot in return. Don’t hesitate, just do it!”Photo: Jackie Mulder

Would you like to do volunteer work too?There are 1500 possibilities in Amsterdam.Check out the selection online or come by sometime.Space