“As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands: One for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” As a step forward in social responsibility, the Indian Community School (Senior) Kuwait, organized a visit to labour camps in Mahboula, Kuwait, on Friday, 24 November 2017.
The trip was an eye-opener to the teenagers who witnessed the tragic living situations of people who, separated from home and family & labour for their daily wage in disparate environments. In pursuit of survival, these workers are often ignored by society and are ostracized from societal concepts of family, love and community. The working conditions of these migrants are not very favourable, given the extremities of weather and manual labour involved. The workers are resultantly thrust into a world of darkness, exhaustion and seclusion. The students of ICSK Senior were welcomed into their solitary lives, to observe the other side of a wealthy coin and empathize with the lives of these fighters who daily brave against the most harrowing.
Under the guidance and leadership of the class teachers various items like sugar, pulses, tea bags and blankets were collected class wise and kept in separate rooms. The students took initiative for collecting these and they were given five days for the same. 300 packets were made by the students which included 1kg of sugar, 5kgs of rice, 1 packet of dal, 1 packet of loose tea/tea bag & 1 blanket per packet. The neediest one among all the camps in Mahboula, Kuwait, is identified and students loaded the packets in to the buses and set forth to the labour camp to distribute them accompanied by their teachers. The packets were handed over by the students individually to the needy.
The students delivered food, clothing, toiletries and other urgent inevitable needs, in an attempt to display solidarity with these workers and lighten their load in some ways. The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention. Dr. Binumon, Principal, ICSK (Senior), commended the industrious effort of the students in packing and distributing food items, under the guidance of teachers. The students expressed their readiness in continuing this benevolent act of kindness.
As per the request from the people of the camp the school has decided to increase the frequency of these visits. Charity is always another manifestation of love and it benefits the giver more than the receiver. Providing service and extending charity towards others helps us overcome our own difficulties and makes them seem less challenging. Initiatives like this from ICSK Senior has definitely helped the students evolve into better human beings with a mind set to “give rather than to receive” and will show the way to others to emulate their path towards compassion and empathy.