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Five ways you can be kind

By Temi (12 years old)

From the Oxford dictionary definition, kindness is defined as the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. Being kind is the core of charity and it is what makes a lasting impact on whoever you help, however big or small, young or old they may be. If you’re kind in everything you do, people will see and learn from you too.

First, we need to be aware that we aren't all the same and that some people need help. Aside from people needing help, our environment also needs help. So, we need to be kind to people and our environment. Another key thing about kindness is that we need to act. Once you are aware of the need, then you act. I understand that most times we are busy with things like schoolwork but it’s ok to take a break occasionally to show that act of kindness. It is very interesting how our daily routine shapes our day. Wake up, dress up, go to school, do homework, and go to bed. It is ok to add a kindness routine to our day. Think about what you can do to make the world a little better each day. Kindness starts with one. Then another. It then becomes a routine. Then, others join in and it impacts more people. It is such fun.

Being kind also means offering something to someone who needs it without expecting any reward back. It may seem hard to do, but it becomes easier once you put your mind to it. You will feel excited when you see the outcome of your act of kindness.

So, here are 5 ways you can be kind to others.

Volunteering

Volunteering is the process where a person freely and willingly offers to take part in any event or activity or undertake a task to help people or their community. Volunteering is best when you do it with other people, it impacts the community more and improves it.

Afrikindness stands for volunteering

Picking up litter is a very good way to be kind to the community and the environment, as climate change affects our lives. You can also volunteer to any charity organisation to help them. Volunteer to clean up, share gifts, arrange things, or anything. I have volunteered with St. John’s ambulance as a cadet before and it was fun especially when I participated in a parade during the Remembrance service. Volunteering your time to help others is always fun.

Participate in a Fundraiser or Fundraising projects.

Fundraisers are a great way to show people that you are always thinking about them and praying for their well-being. It shows them that you care and that will give them hope that they’ll have a better future. You can do any activity and raise money for charity. Fundraising activities can be anything from sponsored walks or runs to holding your music concert or setting up a bake sale. You can be as creative as you want with your fundraising ideas like setting up an Art gallery exhibition, movie night, bike ride, Pancake day, etc. It's fun when you start a fundraising project, you will get to learn lots of things, learn new skills, take on challenges and talk to many people. I did a 10km winter charity walk to raise funds with my friends, very challenging but it was fun. I had the opportunity to talk to CEOs of a charity, a councillor, and several prominent people.

Fundraising - a way to show kindness

Aside from the joy of seeing the impact made on others, other benefits could come to you as the fundraiser. You can get certificates from charity organisations that you partnered with to do the fundraising project and you can showcase it in your school and to all your friends. You can also be an ambassador of a charity organisation if you do lots of charity projects for them. This is very cool as you will be showcased on their website. Just like I am 😊; I’m currently an Ambassador of FoodClique and I support other charities too.

Donate

Fundraising isn’t for everyone, and I understand that it can be very challenging, and it needs a high level of concentration to do it. Donating is a much easier way to help from the comfort of your home. It doesn’t have to be money, it could be books, clothes, shoes, games, toys, anything that you don’t use which is still good enough to be given away to other people. What makes donations even more special is when they come from the heart, that way it means more, even if the receiver doesn’t know. So, instead of throwing away those good items, please know that someone else may be in crucial need of them. Donate today to help others.

You can donate books, clothes, shoes, games, toys, anything you don’t use

Pledge your birthday to celebrate another

This is always very exciting! Celebrating your birthday with others is very rewarding. It was very nice to see my birthday being celebrated with over 750 other children in another country. You can pledge your birthday by asking your friend and family to donate funds to your charity for a cause that will help others. That money meant for a birthday party can make a huge difference to others and you can use it to do any charity projects you wish.

Also, not all children in the world have the luxury of having a birthday, so you can put a smile on other people’s faces by celebrating your birthday with another person who needs it.

My appreciation to all the donors for their generous donations and support when I pledged by birthday

Join the Afrikindness Kids Community

You can join the Afrikindness community and participate in events that can help others. You can also be a kindness advocate and share the word more so other children can join and we can all help.

We love to hear from you.

Get in touch with us at afrikindness@gmail.com to join the community. There are many more ways to show kindness.

I saw the below on Natural Beach Living's website highlighting several ways you show acts of kindness. Thought it was worth sharing 🙂