Voluntary work is generally considered an altruistic activity where a group of people provide services for no personal or financial gain but merely for the benefit of the public. However, volunteers usually need some support, including financial but not salaries, to cover the cost of necessary tools, materials, and equipment to make the project happen.

Therefore, Rwanga Foundation is launching the project of ‘Youth Volunteers Initiative’, which is an annual project to urge the female and male youth to come up with project proposals and participate in a competition to be funded and supported to implement their projects for the best benefit of the public. The YVI project started in 2018 and since then it has continued to fund the volunteer groups each year.

 Timeline

•          13/04/2022 until 30/06/2022 applying initiatives (78 Days)
•          01/07/2022 until 21/07/2022 Evaluation and Selection (20 Days)
•          22/07/2022 until 13/08/2022 Preparation for starting initiation (22 Days)
•          14/08/2022 until 14/10/2022 implementing the initiatives (61 Days)
•          The ceremony of presenting the projects and their outcomes will take place in the beginning of December 2022.

 General Criteria 

•          The project should be voluntary based and for the wellbeing of public, benefiting at least 100 people.
•          The youth from all the governorates of Iraq will be invited to submit their initiatives by filling in a project proposal form.
•          Each group of volunteers should consist of a minimum of five youth members (aged 18-35).
•          Groups must not represent any NGO, institution, and any other foundation; they should be formed of the individual members from the society.
•          The initiative project must not have been financially supported from any NGO, institution, or any other foundation.
•          Groups which include both males and females are preferred.
•          Groups which include members of people with special needs are highly recommended.
•          A special committee will review the applications and select the best initiatives all over Iraq.
•          Twenty-Four (24) initiatives in total will be selected and funded.
•          Total budget of each project should not exceed 4,250,000 IQD.
•          The project budget should not include salaries or any type of stipends to the volunteers, as it is a voluntary-based initiative.
•          Project proposals should include narrative, financial part (detailed budget breakdown), and photos as well as other documents including maps, designs, approvals, etc.,           as necessary.
•          Only the winner groups of 2021 will not have the right to participate in this year’s competition.

Theme of the initiatives

The initiatives should focus on the below sectors

Education

Examples of the initiatives down below:

•          Basic renovation of schools
•          Reduction of illiteracy
•          Improving online teaching
•          Children education program
•          Science competition
•          Opening more libraries in public places
•          Audio books
•          Any project that serves the Education sector in the community

Youth

Examples of the initiatives down below:

•          Developing the talent and skills of the youth
•          Increasing the social values
•          Raising awareness about the advantages and disadvantages of using social media
•          Providing the youth with trainings about developing personal skills
•          Developing handmade craft
•          Raising awareness about the destructive effects of drugs
•          Any project that serves the Youth sector in the community

Environmental 

Examples of the initiatives down below:

•          Processing/eliminating the plastic waste
•          Waste recycling
•          Encouraging people to not overuse water
•          Photography competition for protecting the environment
•          A campaign to clean the public and tourist places
•          Expanding green yard areas
•          Protecting unsheltered animals
•          Bee keeping training
•          Any project that serves the Environmental sector in the community

Vulnerable Groups

Examples of the initiatives down below:

•          Support people with special needs
•          Eliminating and preventing street children labor
•          Supporting orphans
•          Raise awareness on how to help and deal with people with special needs
•          Supporting vulnerable people
•          Raising health awareness in camps
•          Any project that serves the Vulnerable Groups sector in the community

How to Apply:

The youth from all the governorates of Iraq will be invited to submit their initiatives by filling in a project proposal form through www.rwanga.org/yvi

For more information:

07505928181

[email protected]