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Full Hearts for Global Youth Service Day

Students stand in front of a sign that reads "Donation Drop Off"

By Rayane Chams Bacha (YES 2021-2022, Lebanon, placed by AYUSA in Macon, GA)

My name is Rayane Chams Bacha and I am presenting the Full Hearts team project for Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) created by Eunice from Liberia, Victor from Ghana, and me, Rayane from Lebanon.

After brainstorming several ideas to apply on GYSD, we finally decided to contribute to the community of Macon, Georgia by donating clothes to people in need. Our donation project was aligned with Eid Al Fitr, which is an Islamic holiday after the month of Ramadan, a month where giving charity and thinking of the others are outstanding pillars. During Eid Al Fitr, people tend to wear new clothes to celebrate the break of the fast after Ramadan. Therefore, we thought it would be a nice idea to donate clothes.

Students standing in front of the trunk of a car filled with boxes of donations.

First, we started asking people we know about clothes they need to donate. Then we collected them. After that, we dry cleaned some and sorted them in boxes. Then, we went to the Rescue Mission to deliver the boxes. The people who took the boxes from us were really welcoming and nice. They were so excited that they wanted to take our picture. 

The Rescue Mission in Macon is a really beautiful place. It provides residential shelter and meals to those in need in the Middle Georgia community. The long-standing relationship between Middle Georgia and the Rescue Mission has changed the lives of thousands of men, women, and children for over 67 years. They help to change the lives of those facing addiction, domestic violence, and homelessness. We were really glad and felt a special type of satisfaction! Then we headed to the Salvation Army to deliver some other boxes, but unfortunately they were full and weren’t taking any donations. 

Student smiling and being handed a box by a volunteer.

That is how our GYSD journey went! We really enjoyed giving and helping in our host community. We felt a special connection and it made us realize that if more people in this world were to dedicate a little bit of their time to help others in their community, we would live in a peaceful and humble world. Have a full heart and start making the change you want to see. 

Eunice, Victor, and I learned so much from this initiative and we can’t wait to have more initiatives in the future in our home countries!

Eunice Franklin (YES 2021-2022, Liberia, placed by AYUSA in Macon, GA)

Victor Amuquandoh (YES 2021-2022, Ghana, placed by AYUSA in Macon, GA)

Watch Rayane's Full Hearts project video to learn (and see) more!


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