Service to society and helping others has always been of great importance in Islam, and was one of the foremost teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family). Donating one's time and knowledge in the service of others not only empowers the giver but also inspires the receiver.
Mike Martin, author of Virtuous Giving: Philanthropy, Voluntary Service, and Caring states that compassion for one's fellow human beings is grounded in a sense of moral equality and shared humanity. “At its best, philanthropy unites individuals in caring relationships that enrich giver and receiver alike,” he says.
But service among the youth is especially admirable, given the choices that modern society offers and the countless number of ways that one can spend leisure time. “Time is always scarce,” observes Alqaim Giga, 23, a student at McGill University. “However, I always remind myself that anyone who ever did anything great or meaningful did it with only 24 hours in a day.” Giga, along with other exceptional youth volunteers in the community, have devoted their time to make a difference in the lives of others.
Eye on Giga
Alqaim Giga. Courtesy of Alqaim GigaPassion for service has been on Alqaim Giga's mind since his high school days, when he joined the High School Challenge, a four-week programme conducted by Operation Eyesight Universal. The programme encourages students throughout Calgary to collect eyeglasses for distribution in third world countries. Students collected 3 500 pairs of eyeglasses, which were distributed in countries such as Zambia, Malawi, Bangladesh and El Salvador.
However, Giga didn't stop there. After learning that a single toonie (a Canadian two-dollar coin) can provide antibiotics and education materials to cure and prevent trachoma – a contagious eye disease – in the developing world, Giga contacted teachers and students across Canada to collect the two-dollar coins in their schools. This gave birth to the Toonies for Trachoma campaign that Giga executed with the help of Operation Eyesight Universal.
“I remember speaking to nearly every secondary school in the nation to find either a teacher or student who would lead the project,” recalls Giga. Over 60 schools participated in the project to raise money for Operation Eyesight Universal's trachoma relief operations. In recognition of his service and positive influence on other youth, Giga was awarded the 2001 Calgary McCall Outstanding Youth Award.
Recently, Giga volunteered for five weeks at the Spark of Hope School in the village of Goharabad in Northern Pakistan. He helped build a computer-learning centre for disadvantaged students and conducted field research to study the school's role in the community. Giga is currently exploring ways to build similar schools throughout that region.
“This experience changed how I saw my world, but more importantly, my role in it,” Giga says of his time in Pakistan. “The moral imperative we all have to uplift humanity became a lifelong obligation.”
The gift of sight
Sehar Lalani. Courtesy of Sehar LalaniAn alarming dearth of eye donors in Canada drove Sehar Lalani, a resident of Vancouver, to found the Fight for Sight Club at Moscrop Secondary School. The club focused on increasing eye tissue donations to fight blindness and other illnesses pertaining to sight.
It troubles Lalani that the country has fewer than 14 donors per million people. “We, as a developed nation, have one of the lowest rates of organ and tissue donors in the developed world,” says the 19-year-old. “I feel that people would be more open to becoming donors if they were educated on the topic.”
Lalani sought the support of the Transplant Association of Canada, the Eye Bank of British Columbia, and others in the community to extend the club beyond her school. For her work, the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation awarded Lalani the Millennium Excellence Award, which bills itself as supporting “tomorrow's leaders – post-secondary students who are committed to turning visionary ideas into reality.” A freshman at the University of British Columbia, Lalani is now hoping to start Fight for Sight Clubs at her university campus.
Originally from Pakistan, Lalani is especially appreciative of the opportunities available to her to advance her philanthropic efforts in Canada. “There are countless ways in which we can make our voices heard,” she reflects, “something I did not see much of when I was growing up.” For students trying to balance schoolwork while seeking to engage in service, Lalani cautions, “self-doubt is your biggest obstacle. Let it begin naturally.”
Giga and Lalani are outstanding examples of the kind of progress that is possible when one takes the initiative to volunteer time and knowledge in fulfilling the social conscience that Islam inspires. Whether through reaching across continents to touch the lives of those less fortunate or participating in organisations and events that benefit the local community, by channelling their energy in the right direction, the youth of today are redefining what is possible with a few hours of voluntary service.
