Ahsan Gardezi
No matter where you live in this world, you form a part of a society. For societies in general, members have a responsibility to help others and improve the state of living conditions. What do we have to do to benefit people around us? Here’s how to be a useful part of the society.
Also Read: Analysing Yourself For The Better In Pakistan
Opportunity | How To Be A Useful Part Of The Society
Help whenever you get a chance. While they may not be glamorous, small gestures of kindness at a one-on-one level are a great way to be useful in your community. When you spot an opportunity to make a direct intervention and help another person in your community, just smile and do your thing.
- For example, help an elderly man or woman cross a busy street.
- Or, give a few rupees to a homeless person. Better yet, buy them a meal and chat with them while they eat.
- If you see someone struggling to open a heavy door or carry a heavy package, go and help them.
- Helping with a smile is also considered an act of charity in Islam. So, if you’re aspiring for the ideals of a good Muslim, this is one the simplest things to do.
Listen to people in your daily routine; be empathetic. Our friends, family, and co-workers are members of society, and we can contribute by showing them emotional support.
Or, if you need to talk about a negative experience with somebody else, let them share their own experiences, too.
- For example, if a co-worker recently lost a loved one, say something like, “I’m so sorry, that’s hard to go through. If you want to talk about it, I’m happy to sit and listen.”
- Or if a friend is having a hard time in school, say, “That sucks. Sorry you’re struggling so much this term. Let’s have a coffee; want to talk about your classes?”
Don’t overdo it. A little too much is often misinterpreted for ‘taking pity on someone’. Our intention here is to encourage togetherness, but without a hint of any inferiority complex.
Character Building | What’s Your Contribution? | How To Be A Useful Part Of The Society
Mentor a young person in your community to build their character. Hey, if you’re an adult, then you’ve probably much to share from your experiences. Mentorship programs exist for this purpose and allow adults to pass on personal or professional knowledge to young people who are struggling with an aspect of their lives.
- For example, you could mentor a young person in your area through by forming an independent teaching program for kids. Many social groups (like the Boy Scouts) also encourage mentorship programs.
Note: This point has no direct relation to mentorships at mosques. For more details, confer with a qualified professional regarding this matter.
Mentoring is an awesome thing to do, and there are similar things to it as well.
You can also Volunteer at a community organization to help others in society.
Volunteering is a great way to interact with your local community and help out people who are less fortunate than yourself. Volunteering will only take a small amount of your time each week and can make a huge difference in the lives of people in society around you.
Depending on the kind of volunteer-work you’d prefer to do, you could:
- Volunteer at a local homeless shelter or food bank.
Pakistan doesn’t have any registered food banks, but there are some amazing NGOs working in similar capacities. Some of the biggest names in this sector are the JDC (Sindh) and Edhi (Edhi hospitals, Edhi Homes, etc).
- Build or contribute to construction of homes for the less fortunate.
- Volunteer at a local hospital or pharmacy.
- Arrange little societal get-togethers for everyone and arrange intellectual talk series between the elderly and the young.
Inspire To Teach | Nurture Young Potential
Teach people in your community useful skills to benefit their lives. Giving other people practical knowledge and day-to-day skills is a great way to contribute to your local community and enhance society overall.
You can help friends, neighbours, local kids, or complete strangers by showing them practical ways to solve common problems.
- For example, if you see someone with a dead car battery, show them how to jump the car.
- Or, teach kids in your neighbourhood useful outdoor skills. Teach them how to pitch a tent, light a fire, or sharpen a knife.
- If you’re a mechanic—or just good at fixing things—you could show a few neighbours how to change a flat tire, change the tire on a bicycle, or repair simple engines.
- If you’re a doctor, you can distribute things like CPR instructions, awareness brochures for blood donation, etc.
Whilst you’re inspiring others towards self-improvement, preach about the environment and how to keep it clean. Reduce, reuse, and recycle goods whenever possible.
We all live in natural ecosystems, and protecting your local environment is an integral part of contributing to society. Recycle plastics and try to use less plastic in general. Always make sure to throw recyclable materials (e.g., drink and food containers) in recycling bins rather than trash cans.
- For example, if your clothes are wearing out, mend them rather than trashing them. Or, donate the worn clothes to orphanages or recycling centers.
- Also avoid buying materials that aren’t biodegradable, like Styrofoam.
Prayer For Nature | Plant A Wish
Plant a tree in a local public area to help clean the air.
Not only will planting a tree enhance the beauty of your neighbourhood, it will also make the environment a little healthier. You can purchase saplings at a nearby plant nursery or garden center. Plant the tree in spring at the beginning of your local growing season
- If you’d like to plant a tree in a public park (or another city-owned area), you’ll need to contact city hall and fill out the necessary paperwork.
- If you’re so inclined, you could also do a little research to find out what types of trees are native to your area.
There’s a lot more you can do to keep your society a nice and happy place. Stay updated to latest trends by following this page. We will be updating it soon!
This was all about how to be a useful part of the society. If you have any questions, drop a comment in the section provided below.
Cheers, and good luck!
