Although these days many people view humanitarian work as a sacrifice to self-happiness, I have never found it to be the case at all. Instead, I find happiness from the positivity radiated by the smiles of the people. A gentle act of kindness can have a huge impact to those who require it. Especially in rural areas of Nepal, basic healthcare and education facilities are absent. People there have to walk long hours, and work rigorously, just so that they can have a better life for themselves and their kids. In some places, the condition is even worse. There is no facility for employment at all, and people just depend on rearing cattle and agriculture for their day-to-day expenses. People in such areas have a poor standard of life. Although they might be able to eat well; they live in poor shelter, wear the same old and torn clothes, and they often do not even have enough to buy warm clothes for winter.

The innocent eyes of the poor want to tell a story, but nobody is interested to hear it. We should be the change makers who hear their story. Change should initiate from us, even if it is one step at a time. A little empathy towards someone can go a long way. It can be a dawn of change in the life of that person. The happiness and excitement in starving children’s eyes when you give them food to eat, or poor old people when you give them warm clothes in winter in indescribable. The happiness in their smile, just when they get something we are used to having with us our whole life truly changes our perspective about life. These days, many people are unsatisfied no matter how much wealth they have or how high of a building they live in. But they tend to forget about people who can not even afford a place to live and are forced to live on the streets. Even from my own experience, I often found myself complaining to my parents about not having new and expensive phones or clothes. But after visiting the rural areas of Nepal and seeing just how people there were living, I felt guilty and stupid at myself for not appreciating the things I had. I only then realized that not all people have the privilege I had, and that caused me to be incredibly humbled and have gratitude for those who are less fortunate.

It’s not only the poor people who need to be heard. Even in the cities, there are young children who are forced to live a life of isolation, either because of their abusive parents or domestic quarrels. Such children need to be heard as well. A simple thing as having someone to talk to freely, while not sound as much, can have a huge positive impact on someone’s life. It can change somebody’s overall perspective of life and motivate them to embark on a positive change. Sometimes, everything a person needs is an incentive, be it a very few words of encouragement, to get them moving towards their goals and aspirations. This is why I believe that humanity is so important in the present world, to spark a positive change in ourselves and those around us.