A common question we often get when sharing the progress from our events (be it the photos or videos of how our charity events fared on) is why we carry the camera. I remember one comment that read “what you are doing is amazing but next time leave the cameras at home”. Another once quoted the Bible saying ‘do not let your right hand see what is in your left’. That it is simply enough to help in silence without parading what it is we do. While I do not disagree with this advice, I’d like to set out a few reasons why it is important to document and share what we do through the use of photos, videos and texts such as these.
To begin with, we do it as a reminder that not everything in the world is terrible. Today, there is so much bad news going on around regardless of what part of the world you live in. If it is not global disasters like COVID, it is national budget cuts across Europe or drought and famine across Africa or family people turning and killing their spouses and children or random strangers opening gunfire on a group of unsuspecting learners. With all these going on, it is very easy for the little acts of humanity- the acts that remind us that there is still much to appreciate humanity for- to go unnoticed. So when we visit a children’s home and share a video of our members skipping rope with the children, it is a reminder that there is a lot to smile for. When we share a photo of a learner giddy with excitement over a new school uniform, we are reminding you that your little act could mean the difference for another person. And when we share photos of our members during our team buildings, we are hoping to remind you that there is another side to our world that is not all terrible.
Accountability for the resources you support us with. Not to speak for other charities but as DECA, most of what we do is made possible by your support. It is, therefore, only fair that we are able to demonstrate how we put the resources we got from you to use. Every time we have an activity, we use posters and our social media accounts to get word out regarding those activities. Through such platforms, we are able to get numerous people to support with different resources ranging from finances to foodstuffs and clothes. At the end of every event, we endeavor to share the progress of that event as a way to demonstrate to you how your resources were instrumental to the success of the day.
Inspiration for better humanity. All across the world, more and more people require a hand in one way or the other. By sharing the kind of joy and happiness exhibited by those we help, we are hoping to inspire more people to want to offer a hand to others. The reality is that it does not need to be something big or exactly similar to what we do. All we need is for our stories to serve as the reminder that a simple act of kindness can go a long way in changing a person’s life. If whatever we share can inspire just one other person to offer a helping hand to their neighbor, we will consider our mission successful. And mind you, we cannot be able to do what we do without your help. Our hope is that what we share continues to inspire you to lend a hand to those in need, however small.