Mass social work in Nagaland is not a recent invention. Long before government orders and circulars formalized it, communities across the Naga hills gathered to clean their villages, repair footpaths, dig water channels, or build common infrastructure. Known by various indigenous terms, this communal labor was not only practical but also symbolic. It represented unity, shared ownership, and the idea that public space belongs to everyone.
Today, mass social work is often mobilized as a response to seasonal needs or official announcements. The upcoming district-wide mass social work on June 14, declared by the Deputy Commissioner of Mokokchung, is one such example. Aimed at enhancing monsoon preparedness, it calls for collective action to clear drains, remove waste, and tidy up surroundings. This initiative is laudable but its greater value lies in how it connects us to a deeper tradition, one that teaches us that civic responsibility cannot be outsourced.
In this context, mass social work is not just a cleanliness drive. It is a reaffirmation of community spirit. When individuals, institutions, and businesses all take part in sweeping, scrubbing, and clearing waste, they are participating in an act of collective care and accountability. It is not about waiting for municipal staff or government orders; it is about understanding that we are all stewards of the places we inhabit.
To make mass social work more effective in the long term, it must become a regular feature of civic life, not a reaction to emergencies. Schools should involve students from a young age to build habits of civic engagement. Town and village councils can schedule seasonal clean-up days with cultural significance, turning them into moments of shared pride and participation. Government departments should facilitate rather than direct, encouraging communities to take the lead.
Moreover, mass social work must also adapt to today’s challenges. Urbanization, plastic pollution, and changing lifestyles have altered the nature of our environmental problems. Therefore, community efforts must include not just physical clean-ups but awareness-building, waste management, sustainable practices, and support long-term upkeep, not just one-day efforts.
What makes mass social work powerful is not the act of cleaning, but the act of caring—caring enough to give time, effort, and attention to the spaces we all share. Ultimately, mass social work thrives when people care—not just about their homes, but about the lanes, rivers, and footpaths that connect them to others. It is one of the few traditions where action speaks louder than words. Sustaining it is not only possible; it is necessary.