In 2022, a project was created in collaboration with a local NGO committed to accommodating and administratively supporting asylum seekers in the Nice region. The project aimed to garner Christmas gifts for these families, as there were many Children or individuals who lost their relatives all together and who may spend the holiday alone. I saw this as an opportunity to bring a sliver of comfort to their lives, after a vicious pandemic and journey to arrive in France.
With two other classmates, we immediately signed up to be Team leaders, and found that the school was responsible for gathering gifts for around 700 people. Our group alone was responsible for 193 of these individuals. My compassion for them set off the match for the next few months of logistical planning to successfully source these gifts. From organizing toy drives and fundraisers, to wrapping hundreds of gifts into the dark afternoons of the winter.
By mid-December, we watched as colourful boxes ranging from clothes to Lego were being loaded onto vans. Then on a crisp Christmas day, videos from the settlements popped into my inbox. I could see kids running around in jubilation with their new toys, teenagers trying on friendly sweaters with a warm smile and more. I even saw a baby embracing my stuffed Elmo, which I hadn’t touched in decades. It rendered me quite sentimental, and it is a testament to how we can make a difference in someone's life due to our generosity and compassion.
With two other classmates, we immediately signed up to be Team leaders, and found that the school was responsible for gathering gifts for around 700 people. Our group alone was responsible for 193 of these individuals. My compassion for them set off the match for the next few months of logistical planning to successfully source these gifts. From organizing toy drives and fundraisers, to wrapping hundreds of gifts into the dark afternoons of the winter.
By mid-December, we watched as colourful boxes ranging from clothes to Lego were being loaded onto vans. Then on a crisp Christmas day, videos from the settlements popped into my inbox. I could see kids running around in jubilation with their new toys, teenagers trying on friendly sweaters with a warm smile and more. I even saw a baby embracing my stuffed Elmo, which I hadn’t touched in decades. It rendered me quite sentimental, and it is a testament to how we can make a difference in someone's life due to our generosity and compassion.
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