A Little Help Goes a Long Way

In context, "Reach Out" means to stretch out or extend one's hand or arm to touch or grasp something or someone, much like a lifesaving technique. However, we think of something much bigger than that - a little act of kindness, helping the hungry kids next door, lifting that Mama's load off her head, and so many others.

Listen attentively to this story. A few years back, I had just completed my secondary school and was waiting for admission. I was always at home, safeguarding the house and usually in my safe space - my room. Prior to that time, my mom was always buying firewood from ladies and women coming from neighboring villages, quite a distance away. I would often see this mother and her little girls lifting firewood to sell to people who were willing to buy.

One fateful morning, one of the daughters brought firewood. I was the only child at home, and my mom had gone to work, leaving me with no money to buy the firewood. So, I told the girl that my mom wasn't home and suggested she go sell it to other interested houses. After telling her, I turned to go in without looking back. A few minutes later, I came back to lock the door and still found the lady seated on the veranda with the firewood on the floor in her tray. I asked her what the problem was and why she hadn't gone.

She looked at me with tear-filled eyes and said, "We've not eaten since yesterday. I was thinking you'd buy it so I could get the money to buy food and take home." A sense of guilt and compassion filled me. I wondered how she was able to lift that load for such a distance on an empty stomach and what food ₦500 worth of firewood would buy.

So, I went in, took the last money I had, went to the store, fetched some rice and Maggi, handed it over to the lady, and told her to go feed her younger ones. What I did was reaching out, though it wasn't in a grand style, but I felt fulfilled knowing I had helped clean someone's tears with the little assistance I could render at the moment.

Humanitarian services refer to programs and initiatives that aim to alleviate human suffering, promote human dignity, and foster resilience. Examples of such services include emergency relief, food and nutrition programs, health services - which I aim to do more of soon - shelter and housing support, and psychological support, all aiming at saving lives, reducing suffering, promoting recovery, and fostering sustainable development.

A society that puts its citizens first often ends up being united and successful.