Eid with the underprivileged

I came out of the shopping mall with bags full of purchases for the festive Eid. Just as I was about to call my driver to bring up the car, a malnourished girl approached me with a few red roses in hand. I made a motion with my head to tell her I did not need flowers, when the girl's hopelessly helpless gaze towards my shopping bags caught my attention. 

Out on the vast field  she worked, merely to earn a living. The sunlight washed over her auburn skin, highlighting the lines and creases sketched onto her weary face. The dark shadows under her eyes haunted her cheeks and her gaunt frame and sorrowful eyes seems desperately hopeless. 

The increasingly alarming number of street children has become so common a sight for us Dhaka dwellers, that it rarely seems odd to see them in all sorts of adult situations. Throughout the struggle of striving for financial ease for their families, the childhoods of such disadvantaged children are wasted away in sweat, tears and pain. However, small scale initiatives can be taken to help bring some joy to their lives, even if it is over a short period of time. To be able to instil the excitement of Eid and all of the joy that is accompanied with it, would surely go a long way for some of the more unfortunate children to realise their worth. 

PRE-EID EVENTS
A one day event can be organised for a small group of street children during the month of Ramadan. The event would be oriented towards creating an opportunity for these children to feel the elation that normal children experience during various religious and social festivals. Some volunteers can be recruited who would take these children to the local malls so that they can live the Eid shopping experience. 

New clothes and shoes can be bought for each of the children using money collected from donations made beforehand. The volunteers can also interact with the children and talk about the significance of Eid.  After a whole day of outing, the children can be treated to a large and sumptuous iftar. At the end of the event, the children can be gathered together and taught to make Eid cards for their loved ones.

EID DAY EVENT
On Eid day, an art competition can be organised for the children where they would be asked to put their imagination on canvas. A sports event can also be arranged following the art competition, consisting of various types of athletic events and activity games for the children to partake in. 

This will allow the children to experience an entire day of activities and enjoyment at the end of which they will be awarded with prizes. An animated film can be shown to the children as well. The children will be given the usual sweet delicacies like pudding and curd to celebrate the occasion.

It is sad how destitute children from local slums are not only uneducated but are also engaged in perilous jobs in order to earn a livelihood, whereas they are also the nation's builders of tomorrow. It is true that issues like illiteracy and poverty can be solved but these have to be dealt with on a large scale. 

Nevertheless, arranging small events like these can contribute as small first steps towards gaining more appreciation for the less fortunate population, and help make a difference. A life, a household, a country and maybe even the world could benefit.

By Anika Reza
Photo: LS Archive/Sazzad Ibne Sayed