Hundreds of Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) volunteers took part in a campaign Saturday to recruit more volunteers.

They said volunteers were needed in Indonesia, which is prone to natural disasters.

“A long time ago, during the Dutch colonial era, this country needed heroes to chase away the enemies. Today, all we need is volunteers who can help other people who suffer from natural disasters, like tsunamis or earthquakes,” Juliati Susilo, head of the volunteer division at PMI, told The Jakarta Post.

She said the number of volunteers was still far from ideal.

“There are only 110,000 PMI volunteers spread throughout 408 branches across the country. The number is not enough to support our activities,” she said.

“We need about 10 percent of Indonesia’s 220 million population and we are especially encouraging young people to be PMI volunteers because this is a good activity for them to learn how to care for each other.”

She, however, said it was not easy to encourage people to become PMI volunteers.  

Being a volunteer, Juli said, meant one had to dedicate time and even one’s life. And the hard work is not paid.

“It is difficult for most Indonesians to do this, since they still have to think about how to earn a living and support their family,” she said.

PMI will provide a 120-hour training program for people signing up as volunteers. The training includes first aid and disaster litigation and management.

The campaign, called Let’s Become PMI volunteers, was organized in conjunction with PMI Volunteer Day, which falls every Dec. 26.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono declared the date as PMI Volunteer Day in 2005, a year after the tsunami hit Aceh.

Rai Mona, a volunteer from Bengkulu, said she enjoyed her time as a PMI volunteer.

“I’ve been a volunteer since 1996. It feels so good helping other people. At first, I was scared to look at blood or injuries, but now I am used to it,” the 25-year-old woman said.

She even took a month off from her study at Bengkulu University to help tsunami victims in Aceh in 2004.

“My parents were OK with my decision because they knew that I did it for the sake of humanity,” Mona said.  

A volunteer for the Junior Red Cross (PMR), Sisca Ekawati, decided to become a volunteer after she watched stories about natural disaster victims on television.

The 16-year-old girl said her school mates often called her “crazy” because of her active participation within the organization.

“Hey, there’s no use being a volunteer. It’s a waste of time. Going to the mall and watching movies is more fun,” Sisca said, imitating her friends.

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