DaLaa couldn’t have been started without these 3 interrelated international networks SCI, CCIVS and NVDA.
From the very beginning of DaLaa in 2004/2005, organizations members of these networks have been advising us how to start and always supported us by sending us volunteers and welcoming our Thai volunteers in their projects. We are still members of those 3 networks and our common ground is the INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTARY SERVICE (IVS), a movement started from the first workcamp in 1920 by the funder of SCI, Pierre Cérésole, a Swiss engineer, who established a peace and humanitarian movement in the aftermath of World War I in 1920
The first international workcamp (voluntary project) took place on the former battlefield of Verdun (France) in 1920 in order to reconstruct the war damaged village Esnes-en-Argonne. Amongst the participants were three Germans and Cérésole wanted the workcamp to be a symbol of reconciliation between France and Germany. The volunteers built temporary homes for the villagers and cleared the farmland.
Service Civil International (SCI) is a volunteer organisation dedicated to promoting a culture of peace by organising international voluntary projects for people of all ages and backgrounds.
SCI consists of 40 members (branches/groups) and more than 90 partner organisations in all continents.
The workcamps practice started from 1920 then on, it was mainly relief services for regions affected by natural disasters, and later on, social commitment and development aid.
After the second world war, several discussions took place about the ways to coordinate and upscale the efforts of volunteering in the field of reconstruction and reconciliation.
A few IVS organizations were started and the importance of the IVS got the support of UNESCO that helped the creation of the international IVS body that was going to become CCIVS.
International Voluntary Service acts as a catalyst for social change within individuals and in communities, building bridges between people locally and globally while engaging together in meaningful, productive and socially useful voluntary work.
The IVS allows a ”change in the minds of men” by bringing together people of different backgrounds. A concrete work project has of course its own timetable and objectives. At the same time the project serves as a catalyst for dialogue as it provides an opportunity to work together according to each person’s ability and to practise living together. In such situations volunteers experience a new reality which can challenge their habits and convictions as well as those of the local community.
The last network DaLaa is involved in is called NVDA. This is our regional network for Asia and the one we are the most active with. DaLaa has been joining many of its General assemblies and other common actions and projects. Since 2022 and until 2026, DaLaa has taken 2 mandates as part of the Executive Committee of NVDA as a Vice-president for Internal Affairs. We organize online events (Asian Voluntary Voice…) and concrete projects (Asian Voluntary Service,…)
NVDA (Network for Voluntary Development in Asia) is an Asian based network of IVS (International Voluntary Service) NGOs with 27 members NGOs in 22 countries!
It was found in 1997.