Former soldier now volunteers with his Red Cross family

Guest post by Red Cross volunteer, Franca Elachi

A former Iranian solider and long-time volunteer, Mahmood Jafari, now calls the Canadian Red Cross his family.

After leaving friends and relatives behind in 1997 to migrate to Calgary, his lonely transition was made easier after he met two former Red Cross staffers, Peter Worsley and Vince Bodnar, who encouraged him to volunteer. Although Mahmood suffered a serious injury in Iraq that left him in a wheelchair, he agreed Red Cross would be a good way to help others.

Since he was already familiar with medical equipment, it was a natural fit for Mahmood to begin his volunteer journey with the Health Equipment Loan program (HELP), repairing donated gear. He says he knows first-hand how important the equipment is to a person’s quality of life. 

Since then, over the past 18 years, he has worked in many programs, including Disaster Management, Respect Education, Community Housing, Special Events, Restoring Family Links, Fund Development and Finance.

Mahmood is also passionate about changing the word “disability” to “different ability.” He says people labeled as “disabled” work hard daily to overcome their unique challenges and find success. Mahmood finds his deep sense of fulfilment from volunteer activities that help improve the community.

For example, in June of 2001, Mahmood raised $4,800 for the Red Cross by wheeling from Banff to Calgary. In 2002, he wheeled from Calgary to Edmonton to raise funds for the Ability Society. He won a peace medal from the YCMA in 2006.

People who work and volunteer with Mahmood appreciate his sense of humour, kindness, and positive energy. But Mahmood simply sees himself as “an ordinary person doing my duty as a human being.”

Interested in becoming a volunteer? Find out more information on volunteering with the Canadian Red Cross