Professor Gautam provides a reflection on traditional, informal volunteerism practices aimed at addressing environmental challenges in Nepal, and efforts to integrate them in governance systems while fostering the engagement of local communities in natural resources management.

The historical and cultural development of volunteerism has been traced in Nepal from the 5th Century BC through informal volunteering practices. Nepali society has embedded characteristics of volunteerism for the conservation of natural resources such as water resources, rivers, ponds, and forests. These practices have been performed through communal, spiritual, and religious purposes in the society and community. Volunteerism in Nepal was explicitly observed during natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, and the recent pandemic of COVID-19. More recently, volunteers have spontaneously served people in humanitarian crises linked to global warming and climate change.

While conducting research on two communities in Nepal for UNV’s 2022 State of the World's Volunteerism Report, two case studies focus on Barghar and Guthi’s extensive volunteering practices, which conserve nature and are closely associated with the culture of people were examined. Volunteers are connecting nature and culture of Tharu and Newar people in efforts to address the issues of climate change.

Recently, the Ministry of Youth and Sport formulated the National Volunteering Policy, Nepal (which is under review for approval by the Government of Nepal) to recognize such traditional forms of volunteerism to develop resilient societies thereby increasing participation of the people, including non-residents of Nepal, civil society, students. The Policy Research Institute drafted the National Policy on Volunteerism and Youth Advocacy Nepal and has embarked on conducting outreach on the policy throughout the country as it gathers feedback. The policy aims to ensure volunteerism is systematically integrated in Nepal while preserving traditional heritage and wisdom, contributing to innovation, and developing a mechanism to regulate volunteers. Such policies also help to increase people's participation in addressing the issues of climate change.

Despite formal mechanisms that promote volunteering practices, there are several informal practices of volunteering activities conducted in Newar and Tharu communities.

Tharus are indigenous people who live in clustered settlements in the southern plain lands of Nepal and have their own language, customs, and traditions and engage in agriculture and livestock farming.  Traditionally, a Tharu community is led by a Barghar. Each year, the community people select or elect a community leader - a Barghar who is not only an individual but the institution, who unites all the people in the community, and work with them to address their social, environmental, and economic concerns. The Barghar is assisted by Chaukidar (watchman), Guruwa (Religious healer), and Kulapani Chaukidar (Canal watchman). Like Barghar, these members are also selected or elected by local community people to facilitate the governance activities of the community by coordinating with the local level government units. Among many communal functions, Barghar performs conversation activities that are mostly related to their life and livelihood as farmers.

One of the major volunteering activities of Barghar is to make a systematic canal system to prevent flooding during the rainy seasons and the damage it would cause to houses, crops and lead to poverty. Barghar has the responsibility to make a strong dam to maintain irrigation and control floods. In this regard, one from each household became ready to volunteer for canal construction. All men, women, young and old people can participate as volunteers. These volunteers set out the dam early in the morning with their lunch and snacks and work to collect stones, and fill the ditch with them to direct the water to the canal. It takes 3-4 days to make a dam.

Traditionally Tharu people depended on fodder, stone, and mud with our own technology, tools, and labour but got support from the Municipality office to make to Gabion wire for lasting but the heavy flood in some year also destruct it”. Such community practices offer innovative solutions to prevent such natural disaster drawing from their local knowledge and lived experience. They used their traditional skills and knowledge to make a dam stronger. They even worship dam with following their rituals. Tharu people in the community have been volunteering every year before the monsoon rains and have extensive experience in controlling the flood and regulating irrigation system which helped to aligned with the modern engineering of Gabion wire. Barghar also mobilise volunteers to plant trees like bamboo on the bank of rivers which also helped to protect them from flooding.

During the research for the Report, we also learned several volunteering activities which converse natural resources in Guthi, in Newari tradition. Guthi has functioned in several roles of community development, system formation, ritual celebration, and cooperation in and among clans. Community member said, “One example is Sithi Naha (celebrated annually around the month of Jestha before the onset of Monsoon).  Sithi Nakha has been associated with the festivals and rituals are not only based on religion, but also on resource management, environment conservation, and governance. Prior to the emergence of global environmental issues, in the Newar Community, ancestors were aware of the need to clean the water resources, waterspouts, wells, water canals to unclog the water sources, renovate, and maintain religious sites before the monsoon. It is referred to as a type of cleaning campaign based on our tradition.

Another example is Chika Sa, which helps to reduce carbon by using a traditional technology that produces oil. (Chika means oil in Nepal Bhasa and Sa: means workplace; colloquially it can be understood as area or association for production of oil). This traditional cooperative is struggling to maintain ingenuity in the modern industrial era. However, local community members and local government have been working together for the preservation and continuation of Chika Sa. The Ward Chair reported that there are four Chika Sa that is still operational. The oil is produced manually through cold-press techniques. One Chika Sa has approximately 80-100 members and may be one of the oldest forms of cooperatives. Members press their mustard seeds in the mill and take turns in production and follow a schedule that has been agreed by consensus. In addition, members also conduct puja (religious rites and rituals) and discuss the schedule as well as identify the repairmen for the coming year.

Another example is from The Rato Machindranath. Guthi comprises various Guthis belonging to a multifaceted ethnic group within Newar (Barahi, Boshi, Maharjan to name a few). Each ethnic clan has specific tasks in the chariot procession of Rato Machindranath. Specific clans are required to construct the chariot, some must work on the ropes used to pull the chariot, some work on wooden blocks to be used as a brake for the chariot. Each clan contributes their knowledge, skills, and time to construct a 60-foot chariot, which binds the religious faith of thousands of residents of Patan (area in Lalitpur Metropolitan). Rato Machindranath (also known as Karunamaya by the local farming community) is believed to bring rain and a good harvest. The Guthis each work together for the successful procession of the chariot.

In summary, restoration of traditional volunteerism in the federal Nepali context can foster strong collaboration with local government for deliberative governance while ensuring people’s participation in community-led development processes.