We can all help by asking, listening and acting #withrefugees
Meet the Social Avengers - a group of 25 Girl Guides from Putrajaya in Malaysia who have made it their mission to help young refugees.
The group’s leader, Nazira, introduced a social change programme to the group of 9 to 12-year-old’s three years ago.
This involved different change makers visiting the group to speak about their work.
One of the speakers was the manager of a refugee centre called Rainbow of Love, which mainly supports Rohingya communities fleeing violence in Myanmar.
The guides were particularly struck by her work and asked what they could do to help.
“She didn’t think they were serious” Nazira said.
They girls began a toy drive for the centre and collected 12 boxes of toys.
“Very large boxes, like the ones for a big TV.”
Before the toys were gifted the girls checked each item and even gave some back to adults to ensure everything being donated was good quality and something other children would enjoy.
They now run a donation drive twice a year, in the first year they collected toys, then school supplies the next.
This year they plan to collect both toys and school supplies.
Nazira’s group even call themselves the Social Avengers as their work doesn’t stop with refugees.
The troop also attempted plastic free Ramadan in May and June this year.
When Ramadan was complete they also set a goal to give up disposable straws, exchanging these for reusable metal options.
