Rajkot (Gujarat) [India], December 31 (ANI): As the world prepares to ring in the New Year, a school in Gujarat’s Rajkot has opted for a different kind of celebration. Instead of the usual parties, Shamji Belji Virani High School marked the last day of 2024 on Tuesday by organising a clothing donation drive with around 1000 students collecting over 21,000 clothes, which will be distributed to those in need.
In the past few days, the cold weather in Rajkot has been severe, with temperatures ranging between 9 and 11 degrees Celsius. This has made it difficult for poor families who lack adequate clothing to protect themselves from the cold. In response, students from grades 9 to 12 went door to door collecting clothes and also donated items from their own homes.
According to the principal of the school, Harendrasinh Dodiya, this initiative has been part of the school’s tradition for the last 15 years, with the goal of shifting the focus of celebrations on December 31 from parties to acts of kindness. The school has also honoured students who collected the most clothes.
“This celebration is done by this school on the last day of the year for the last 15 years. The students who collected the most clothes were also honoured. Children from standard 9 to standard 12 celebrated today by collecting clothes and were told that many people go to parties on the 31st and waste money. In such a situation, instead of this celebration, if help is provided to the poor by doing a celebration like clothing donation, then it would be better,” Dodiya said.
Students also shared their views on the celebration, explaining that helping the less fortunate on such occasions is more meaningful than spending money on parties.
“The clothes collected today will be distributed to poor people living in slums, people living near railway tracks, and people from poor families sleeping on the road. The school believes that value-based education is necessary today. In such a situation, if children are given such values, then the coming generations will also understand the importance of charity,” a student said.
The school’s initiative not only reflects the spirit of giving but also aims to teach students the importance of charity and community support during the cold winter season. (ANI)
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