The picture above is of Akash Saroj. He is not a Project Why student. He is a delivery agent in Delhi or what is known as a gig worker but he is the kind of person I would like ALL my Project children to know about. He proves in no uncertain terms that compassion does not require one to be rich. I urge you to read his story.
Akash works hard like all delivery agents to care for his family but still finds the time and the resources to help others. He can be seen feeding a rickshaw puller and help repair his vehicle or giving blankets to those sleeping in the cold. He even sets aside some of his earnings to feed animals. He always remains alert to people who may be in need.
He learnt compassion from his father, a poor labourer who he lost tragically some time back. He says ” My father’s death taught me a lesson for life. I realized that I realized that kindness is what is so much missing from this world. I learnt the meaning of charity from him. Despite being poor, he helped others in whatever way he could.”
Compassion is what I would like my kids to learn. Sadly in today’s world it is neither taught in families, nor in schools. Moral studies was removed from the curriculum a long time back sacrificed at the alter of scientific, democratic, and secular education. Moreover with the advent of nuclear families, gone are the days when we heard stories at grandma’s knee. Teachers are no more role models. The entertainment industry has also moved on from moral content and today’s children are not readers but passive consumers of what the screen throws at them.
It is heartwarming to learn that the NEP (New Education Policy) 2020 plans on incorporating ethics, values, and character building directly into the curriculum but that will take time and as I have always held time is something that children do not have. Hence the importance of sharing such stories with children in the hope of building a new set of unsung heroes.
The moral of this story is that compassion does not require you to be rich, kindness does not require wealth.
I just. would like to share a quote of Jack London: A bone to the dog is not charity. Charity is the bone shared with the dog, when you are just as hungry as the dog. Think about it.