As soon as we entered the gates of Mama Rachel’s home, it was as if we had stepped into a completely different world.

The walls were filled with vibrant colours, and the children’s smiles lit up the home. We were warmly welcomed with nursery rhymes that brought about nostalgic memories of our childhood too. The joy and love that were expressed through the songs were definitely infectious.

After a few more moments of interacting and sharing gifts with each child, it suddenly dawned on me that this was the biggest act of leadership that I had ever carried out. I may not have been standing in front of thousands of people with a political manifesto, but the knowledge that my presence and acts of service touched a few of the young hearts in that home brought me joy that I know I could not receive elsewhere.

In addition, very important messages kept being passed around in the room. We constantly reassured the children that there are people in society who love and care for them. A great example was us. We were mere strangers who walked into a room full of children however, the love shared amongst everyone was not only genuine but it was filled with a passion too. This experience emphasised the level of privilege a lot of us have every day, waking up with almost everything that we need at our disposal. We are, however, not necessarily at fault for this. Unfortunately, not everyone in society has this benefit. I was made very noble

that it is up to myself and other individuals in society to acknowledge and make the relevance of our privilege and stand up to make change wherever we can.

Finally, as Anne Frank quotes, no one has ever become poor by giving.

Why should we continue to live in a world with massive levels of inequality? Together, we are able to deconstruct social inequality and try to effectively implement aid where it is severely needed. For instance, in our families, most of us receive some sort of gratification and sense of belonging while living in a common dwelling with our loved ones. Why can’t we express the same love to isolated individuals who may not necessarily receive the same? I believe social solidarity is critically essential. Let us generate more happiness while we can because nothing shakes a smiling heart.

Written by Amara Godia