By Ryvann Soerohardjo, YES 2014-2015, Suriname, hosted by ASSE in Williamsville, NY

It's February, the month of Valentine's, and the month when we show EXTRA love to our loved ones. That's why the YES Alumni Association in Suriname decided to also show extra love and care to the elderly who live in the Siembah Elderly Home in Commewijne. We chose to do a project with the elderly because we feel that, as youth, we shouldn't forget that love isn't only meant for your boyfriend or girlfriend; love is meant for everyone! 

So, on February 18, 2017, we went to visit the 37 elderly people living at Siembah, which is located in an old plantation far from the capital. Because it is so far away, the elderly who live there do not get very many visitors, but we as YES alumni think that everyone should get equal attention and love; distance shouldn't be an excuse not to visit. We expressed our love to them by giving them exotic bouquets of flowers, providing them with a nice warm meal, and spending time talking with them. 

What I learned from this project was that love shouldn't only be given on Valentine's Day, but every day. While there are people who are filled with lots of love, there are others craving for love, just the like elderly we visited. They didn't ask for a lot, and we can express love in many different ways. This time, we showed love by bringing flowers and a meal, but others could do something different. Ever since that day, one of their comments has stuck in my mind: "I am very glad that very young people like you are taking the initiative to spend some time with us. I wish everyone thought the same way as you did." Showing you care doesn't have to require doing something big and memorable; in our case, a hug was more than enough to make their day better.