Everybody is just the right age to make a change. These were the words of Ricky Amar, ten, who has been rallying friends to raise funds to help less fortunate children at home and abroad. A well-spoken young man, Amar promptly halted an interview with the Sunday Guardian at his Valsayn home to pray before continuing. Amar, who spoke of the group's recently concluded book bag and supplies project which benefited some unfortunate kids, said he had the idea to help "a long time ago" and while watching the news he heard Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar announce her plans to assist. "I saw her on the TV saying that," he said. He said the Prime Minister was his inspiration.
During the July/August vacation this year, Amar and his friends ages six to 14, held a meeting to share ideas. "We came up with selling cupcakes around the neighbourhood, grocery, mall..." he explained.
During the meeting they spoke of the price of one bag, which was more than $100. The bags include coloured pencils, one dozen copybooks, sharpeners, pencils, et cetera. With the help of all the group members, informally called Random Acts of Goods Deeds (Rag), they sold more than 1,000 cupcakes. This amounted to $5,666. He said with more help they can help more people.
Lifelong lessons
The children were involved in every aspect of the process and wrote letters for sponsors and for permission to sell outside the supermarket at the Valpark Shopping Plaza. With that deal sealed, they also walked around the neighbourhood with their parents to get cupcake orders. Amar said many people wanted to buy cupcakes, however, he said: "We learnt that some adults didn't really take on children. Not every time you ask you will always get something." Throughout this process, each child learnt to do oral presentations and learnt about compassion and responsibility. Each Rag member was responsible for his or her order. Amar and his sister, Rishana have always been compassionate. They both gave money to an organisation which builds schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan for children. "We took money out of our accounts," Amar said. Also, when Pakistan was affected by the recent floods this year, they sold cupcakes and raised $500 to give to them.
Helping out others
"Kids can make a big difference," he said. Saying he wants to become either a human rights lawyer or a pilot, Amar explained he wants to help children who are not treated fairly. "At my school there's this boy (name called) and nobody plays with him just because he has buck teeth and he's mentally challenged," he explained. Amar has befriended him. Amar said at his previous school he was also not treated nicely because of his long hair. "So I said, if I was treated like that then nobody else should be treated like that. "Just because somebody looks different doesn't mean they must be treated differently, everybody's the same."
Members of rag
Curepe Presbyterian School
Ricky Amar
Rishana Vedanta Amar
Priya Clarke
Exchange Presbyterian School
Jesse Bridglalsingh
Josiah Bridglalsingh
Hillview College
Kristian Clarke
Presentation College Chaguanas
Dillon John
Queen's Royal College
Kirsten Ramlal
Maria Regina Grade School
Alexandria Seow
Gabriella Seow