By Khadijah Rahim
My family always raised me with the idea that when success comes to you, you do good for others as you were the one blessed enough to do so. I recently joined the Kids for Positive Change Team and when I received my first paycheck, I knew I wanted to do something to give back to my community. It so happened it was around the same time as Ramadan, the holy month of fasting. And a simple thought blossomed beyond my success.
I’ve been working with an organization, Amaana Hands, since around the age of 10. As I grew older, my tasks also grew larger. Within the last year, I’ve assembled food hampers to give to those in need, cooked meals to be distributed to the eldery, and interviewed international field workers about projects happening overseas. With the pandemic in full force, many families have struggled to make ends meet. In my very own neighborhood of Queens, New York, families were crying out for help. Being out of work with large families, it was impossible for them to grasp the idea that everything would be okay. As more families returned to work, fasting until sunset while taking care of children, and wondering how to put dinner on the table became a daily struggle. It was through these interactions I knew what I wanted to do.
Many of the families helped by Amaana Hands have large quantities of children. For almost every day of Ramadan, my family would cook 150 meals, package them, and distribute them to families in need. As the month came to an end, I decided I would use my first KPC paycheck to surprise the kids. Rather than preparing meals for them, we ordered pizza and burgers and distributed that to them. The joy on their faces overwhelmed me. One little girl asked if today was someone’s birthday, as pizza was a treat they only had on special occasions.
It was at that moment I really understood that there is no losing when giving. The sense of joy and pride I felt made me want to continue to bring happiness to others. I joined KPC to allow children to make change and be happy with the success they built, I never realized I would be one of those making change and finding so much joy from it!
You can be part of a child’s happiness too! Donate to established organizations like Amaana Hands. From your donations you can benefit people in the United States through our help the homeless, feed the elderly, and educate a child programs. Your donations could also go overseas to build homes, fund a hospital, feed an orphange, end child labor, or support those struggling through natural disasters. There is no loss in giving, there is only love. Spread your love by donating at http://amaanahands.org/.