Performing an act of kindness can be as simple as showing up and offering to help. When many people come together for a common cause, that is when kindness magic occurs. Random Acts Regional Representative Coffie Richard joined forces with Ms. Afua of the Karisa Foundation, through his work with the Ghana Volunteer Program, to make going back to school better for children in the Greater Accra Region.
Supporting an Educational Journey
Coffie first met Ms. Afua after responding to a volunteer opportunity email sent by the Ghana Volunteer Program, which is run by an NGO based in Ghana and the United States. The tasks for his day of volunteering were straightforward: carry and distribute back-to-school donations for kids in homes and orphanages, assist Ms. Afua with anything she might need during the event, and interact with the children.
This was the first time Coffie got to see Ms. Afua work her kindness magic, and he was thoroughly impressed. “I’ve noticed her visits to the orphanages are not mainly about donating, but rather she tries her best to speak to them about having a positive self-image, maintaining hope regardless of your present condition, and generally how to maintain a positive attitude in life,” Coffie explains. This experience was a positive one for the children and Coffie, so he decided to sign up for another volunteer opportunity with Ms. Afua.
The second back to school project was at a different village in the Greater Accra Region, but the positivity was the same. Coffie helped distribute writing boards for the younger children and school bags for the older kids. When Ms. Afua was speaking with the children, she made the experience “interactive by inviting the children to share anything they are grateful for,” Coffie describes. She then invited Coffie to speak to eight kids who were recently admitted to senior high school and would be going to a boarding house for the first time. Coffie spoke to them in order to “clarify any questions they may have about high school or the boarding house, after which I tried to offer some encouraging words for the educational journey that lay ahead of them,” Coffie says. After the event was done, Coffie could not wait to volunteer again. It inspired him to plan even more acts of kindness for the children he met.
Make Kindness Connections
Were you inspired by Coffie’s acts of kindness? Follow his example and sign up to get emails from your local volunteer organization. This is a great way to get out in your community and meet amazing people, like Ms. Afua! If you would like to stay up to date with a nonprofit you support, you can also sign up for their newsletter, like this one from Random Acts! Stay connected and stay kind!
