6 Non-Financial Ways to Give Back

6 Non-Financial Ways to Give Back

When we think of donations, many of us automatically think of donating money. But while financial donations are extremely helpful, it is not the only way you can help. If you are broke, or if you simply want to help in other ways, here are 6 non-financial ways in which you can give back to society.

1. Donate items to the children at Fiyavathi, Kudakudhinge Hiyaa, and Amaan Hiyaa. These are children's homes, and altogether they house around 140 children from the ages of 0-18 years old. ARC Maldives is currently partnering with them so that you can donate gifts to the children by taking them to CHSE between 14:30 and 17:00pm till the 30th of April 2018. Here are more details, and a list of items the shelters need. But aside from the Ramazan Collection, you can also contact these shelters directly to see how else you can help. 

2. Take food to a mosque for Iftar in Ramadan. Our fasts in Ramadan are tiring even when we know that there will be food waiting for us at the end of the day. So imagine what it must be like for some who do not have that certainty. Consider taking something to your neighborhood mosque, and helping them break their fast well.

3. Donate blood. By donating blood, you are giving someone the gift of life. Your blood donation can help one or more people who have medical problems - for example Thalassemia patients, cancer patients, or people who have been in accidents and need blood transfusions. Donating blood is also beneficial to the donor. It can help reduce the risk of cancer and obesity, helps keep your heart and liver healthy, and makes your body create new red blood cells which is good for your overall health. In Male', you can donate blood at hospitals or at Maldivian Blood Services from 8AM to 16:45PM Saturday to Thursday. 

4. Donate books to schools, or to the local library. You can either donate new books or books that you no longer read to these places. This gives many different children the chance to explore these imaginary worlds, and it could even be how some kid discovers their favourite book.

5. Volunteer. One of the most valuable things you can give someone is your time. If you have some time to spare, there are various non-profit organizations in Maldives you can volunteer at. Just research these organizations and decide which one you want to help out at. Being non-profit organizations, they rely heavily on efforts from volunteers to carry out their activities and meet their goals of benefiting society. Some of the organizations you can volunteer at are Red Crescent, ARC (Advocating the Rights of Children), Save The Beach Maldives, and UNICEF. 

6. Last but not least, if you have a friend or family member who needs help, help them. You can just be helpful in any way you can - from babysitting for a sick friend, to spending some time with a lonely elderly relative, to gifting some food items to a struggling family. Other than the direct help you provide, just knowing that someone is willing to help can be a huge source of comfort for them as well. 

Also, remember to treat everyone nicely and with respect, because even a well-intentioned smile is considered charity in Islam.