A 10-year-old student from Dubai is diligently collecting used school supplies for a charity in India. Additionally, she conducts weekly online music lessons for disadvantaged children. At her residence in Al Safa, Mireya Guliani organizes a book exchange initiative where children aged 2 to 12 can borrow, lend, or donate books.
Guliani shared her inspiration for this initiative: “During a previous trip to India, I witnessed underprivileged children attending school with plastic or tattered cloth bags, lacking proper supplies. Upon returning to Dubai, I pondered how I could assist them. This concern persisted even during my school days.” She also noted her realization of the abundance of old supplies she possessed and their potential for donation. “However, I can’t do this alone. So, I created a poster about it and my mother helped me distribute it via WhatsApp groups to our community, friends, and family,” explained the Year 5 student from GEMS Jumeirah Primary School, Dubai.
From January to April 2024, Mireya successfully gathered 10-15 school bags, 5-10 lunch boxes, about 10 water bottles, and several partially used notebooks. “Every two days, we received donations and stored them in our storage room. I believe if we have annual back-to-school shopping, we should also have annual ‘kids helping kids’ initiatives.” In April, during a visit to her grandparents in Gurgaon, India, she transported all the collected supplies for donation. “I was slightly disheartened that we couldn’t deliver them personally due to ongoing farmer protests, but we arranged for them to be sent to Harmony House, a charitable organization in India supporting underprivileged children,” the young expat added.
She plans to increase awareness and further contribute. “The charity informed us that over 1,000 children are benefiting, with numbers continually rising. These children, from daily wage earners, receive free education and meals. Hence, I aim to sustain this project annually,” she stated. Additionally, Guliani teaches piano and vocal skills to young learners from the charity via Zoom. “I return home early from school on Fridays, so my parents suggested I use this time constructively,” she explained. Trained in music, holding grades in vocals, piano, and violin, she aims to impart musical knowledge to less fortunate children, helping them express themselves and find joy. “A teacher assists from the other end using a laptop and a small keyboard. Lessons begin with vocal exercises, followed by narrating nursery rhymes and singing birthday songs if there’s a celebration,” she detailed.
Furthermore, Guliani has initiated a home library called “V Read and V Swap” for children in the Al Safa community every Saturday from 11am to 1pm. “We welcome children from other communities in the UAE to participate in book swaps. I keep a record of swapped books and accept donations of used books to expand the library,” she concluded.
