In Saudi Arabia, the days are very comfortable for the offspring of expatriate professionals. These youngsters go to international schools and live in villas on compounds equipped with the most modern amenities. Their parents can afford to buy them everything from designer clothes to the latest electronics. It’s no wonder that such teens can become spoiled brats, with no concept of how desperate a struggle life is for millions of people.
That’s why the Leadership Club at the International Programs School in Alkhobar fills an essential need. The 17 students who are members of the club have been challenged to find ways in which their efforts can make meaningful change in our world. It is not enough for the students to speak the words, “I want to make a difference.” Action is required.
“Initially our goal was that our volunteer activities would help to provide some serenity for orphans and sick children in our immediate area,” said 10th grade student Kareem El-Sadi, the club’s president. “We soon discovered that due to certain regulations in the Kingdom, it was not possible for expatriate youth to actively volunteer with local charity organizations. So we had to turn our attention to opportunities abroad.”
That led the students to sign up for a two-week stint with Cross Cultural Solutions (CCS), an organization that operates international volunteer programs in 10 countries. From April 29 to May 13, the members of the Leadership Club, accompanied by three chaperones, will be living at the CCS house in Trang, on Thailand’s west coast.
“We will be engaged in various types of relief work. Some of that will involve lending a hand in childcare facilities, helping the elderly, caring for the disabled, assisting teachers and also working on continuing tsunami cleanup efforts,” explained 10th grade student Waseem Feddah, the club’s financial director.
The CCS (www.crossculturalsolutions.org) experience will be an opportunity for the students to not only provide aid, but they will also be immersed in a variety of cultural and learning activities — all within a safe, age appropriate environment. Plus, while joining in the CCS work in Thailand is certainly a worthy goal, as always the journey to that goal is actually an essential means for the students to develop life skills.
“Our parents were not allowed to fund the trip to Thailand for us. We had to figure out how to get the money we needed on our own,” said 11th grade student Noaf Al-Jasem, the club’s co-president. “We sent out proposals about the trip to dozens of local companies. We followed up the proposals with phone calls and in some cases had meetings with the businessmen. We also had bake sales and organized fairs and other entertainments. Our final fund-raising campaign kicks off with a Fun Day at our school on April 13. To contribute to our efforts, contact [email protected].”
Today the students are just SR65,000 away from meeting their budget of SR222,000. Companies have donated amounts from SR500 to SR24,000. Support from the business community has been broad-based and includes among dozens of firms: Ernst & Young, Le Gulf Meridien Hotel, Al-Mowasat Hospital, National Marketing Company, Schlumberger, Al-Turki Group and Zamil Marine Services.
In addition to their upcoming trip to Thailand, one of the club’s advisers, Kerry Ogilvie, stated that the students in the Leadership Club have participated in the Model UN Conference in Qatar and in fund raising for the poor in Sierra Leone. Linda Amin, IPS’ Elementary School principal, and another of the club’s advisers, added that the direction of the club and the choices made concerning its activities are at the discretion of the student members. Adult advisers play a strictly consultative role — it’s up to the students to plan and then take action.
“In this club we all say, ‘We want to make a difference,’” remarked 6th grade student Alexis Fulcher, club secretary. “To do that we have to learn how to become leaders, because leaders can make a difference.”
