Valuable 'life skills' learned
- By Oliver Millar
SCC Geography, International Award Coordinator
IT WAS the first objective, the first test of character, the beginning of a long road ahead, as the Gold International Award Participants from The British School of Kuwait (BSK) departed for Goa. Here they would spend a week in a foreign, unknown, yet intriguing environment; caring for orphans at the Al Shaddai orphanages in Goa, India. Prior to departure, there was a lot of planning and preparation for the trip. This year, the young adults wanted to donate old clothes, toys and books as gifts for the orphans which the BSK school community had given so generously. Thanks to the sponsorship of Jet Airways 500kg in excess baggage was delivered free of charge to the needy children at the orphanage.
On arrival it was comforting to witness the International Award spirit radiate as every-one got straight to work.
Throughout the week, the students under took several tasks such as cleaning, painting and decorating in many of the homes which were located around Goa, from the middle of the jungle, to the heart of the slums. Some students taught at the school. It was a joyous experience for the BSK group and many were overcome by the joy emanating from those who had experienced (and continued to experience) great pain and poverty in their lives. "It is beautiful to see how people can have so little yet enjoy life so much" said Cyrus Moosavinia, a Gold Award Participant at BSK.
The week proved to be an interesting and enjoyable experience for all with so many valuable 'life skills' learned. For all who visited Goa, the trip changed their perspective on the world around us; it has made them see the world differently and see how a small act of kindness can change a person's life forever, even something as simple as a smile or a conversation.
[As published in Kuwait's English Daily "ARAB TIMES" of today (16/11/2009)]
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