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Volunteers

VOLUNTEERS

Many hands make a temple

Find yours below. Hindu Temple Belgium is built by volunteers – and there is a place for everyone, whether you can offer an hour, a Saturday, or a lifetime of skill.

Why

In our tradition we call it seva – selfless service offered without expectation of reward. Seva is the foundation of every temple that has ever existed, and the way every great festival has ever been organised. Volunteering with Hindu Temple Belgium is a chance to give back, to learn, to belong, and to be part of building something that will outlast us all.

  • Make a real impact on a project that matters to thousands.

  • Learn new skills - from event organising to cooking, teaching, fundraising and project management.

  • Meet people from across our diverse community and across Belgium.

  • Deepen your own spiritual practice through service.

Who

Everyone. You do not need to be Hindu. You do not need to have any background in temple work. You do not need to speak Dutch, French or any Indian language – English is enough. You only need willingness and time. Volunteers under 18 are welcome with a parent or guardian. We particularly welcome youth, students, retirees, and anyone with a skill they would like to share.

Areas

We organise our volunteer work into eight areas. You can choose one, several or just whatever fits your week.

Annadanam - kitchen seva

Help prepare and serve the free community meals (Annadanam) at festivals and gatherings. Cooking experience welcome but not required – washing, chopping, plating, serving and cleaning all count. This is some of the most loved volunteer work in our community.

Festival preparation and celebration

From Ganesh Utsav to Mahashivaratri Mahotsavam, our festivals are organised by volunteers. Help with idol-making (we make hundreds by hand each year), decoration, sound and stage, music, dance, garlanding, hosting, and the procession. There is room for crafters, performers and quiet hands alike.

Teaching and classes

Lead or assist with classes in yoga, meditation, Sanskrit, classical and devotional music, dance, Indian languages, philosophy and culture. If you have a skill to share, we have students who would love to learn – children, teenagers, adults and seniors.

Charity and outreach

Help organise our regular charity drives – food collection, blood donation campaigns, gifts during Christmas and Ramadan, and partnerships with Belgian charities including SOS Kinderdorpen, Kinderkankerfonds, the Red Cross and UNICEF. Volunteers here also represent us at interfaith events and at the local commune.

Fundraising

Our temple will be 100% community-funded. Help organise fundraising events, run our donation campaigns, write thank-you letters, manage donor records, or simply spread the word among your network. Experience in non-profit fundraising or events is welcome but not required.

Administration, communications and IT

Help keep the project running. We need volunteers for the website, social media, newsletters, meeting minutes, bookkeeping, document handling and member communications. Any professional skill from communications, design, accounting, law or IT can find a home here.

Youth programmes

Help our children and teenagers learn their heritage and build friendships across the community. Volunteer for our youth wing – chaperoning trips, leading classes, organising youth festivals, mentoring older students. A particularly important role for parents and young adults.

Construction phase (from project start)

Once construction begins, we will need volunteer coordinators on site, liaisons with the architect and contractor, professionals (engineers, architects, project managers) to advise the board, and volunteer hands for symbolic and traditional work such as foundation ceremonies. This area opens once the land is allocated.

Time

Any amount helps. We have volunteer roles that fit every kind of schedule:

  • One-off - give an hour or a day for a single festival, drive or event.

  • Monthly - commit to a regular monthly contribution, on a Saturday or evening.

  • Weekly - join a regular team, such as a teaching team or a charity team

  • Project-based - give your professional skill (legal, architectural, accounting, communications) to a specific project, then return when the next one needs you.

  • Board and committee - for those who can give more, leadership roles open on our board and committees through a transparent process.

    Sign up

    Volunteering is simple: tell us who you are and what you would like to do, and we’ll match you with a team. You can sign up here on the website, by email at seva@hindutemple.be, or in person at any of our events.

    We ask for your name, contact details, the areas of service that interest you, and the time you can give. We do not require references, fees or any prior commitment. You can change or end your volunteer role at any time.

    Recognition

    Every volunteer matters. We publish an annual seva report listing our volunteer teams, hours given and projects completed. At each major festival we acknowledge volunteers by name. And once our temple is built, the names of our founding volunteers will be inscribed on a permanent plaque in the entrance hall – a record of the people who built this place.

    “Seva is the way the temple is built – long before the first stone is laid.”