The parlance, “Giving is living”, especially to those in stern needs, was fulfilled by Maxson Kpakio on July 26 when he donated assorted food items to underprivileged people.
“Before 2012, I used to throw out a birthday party. Spent money on drinks, food, invite people to eat, dance and so on,” Kpakio said. “But the next day, when I walked around in my community, I saw hunger in the faces of my neighbors. I decided not to have birthday party any longer but to raise money and help those in need every July 26, which is my birthday and the nation’s Independence Day’s celebration.”
However, his humanitarian gesture impacted the Deal and Dumb School, which received two bags 25kg rice, a bag of sugar, corn meal, 11 boxes of powder milk, a gallon of oil and 24 tissues; followed by United Blind Association in LPRC Community: two bags of 25kg rice, a bag of sugar, corn meal and 24 tissues; Mission of Hope for Disabled: two bags of 25kg rice, a bag of corn meal and 24 tissues; Christian Aid Ministries, an orphan home around the Samuel K. Doe Sports Complex: two bags of 25kg rice, a corn meal, and 24-tissues; Zimbabwe’s Ghetto: a bag of 25kg rice and cash; and North Side Family: a bag of 25kg rice and 24 tissues.
Donation is something that is given to charity, especially a sum of money or items. Thomas’ donation to the underprivileged started in 2012, and it continues, as he will launch a “Restoring Hope Foundation” on August 27 to boost his humanitarian service and institutionalize it.
“After testing it in 2012 and receiving good feedback from the recipients, especially by not looking at the quantity, I thought that from 2012 that I will always do such to celebrate my birthday, and not to throw out any food and drinks,” he said. “During the Ebola year and after it I helped fight the Ebola. Those items were sent to Foya District, the origin of the Ebola virus accordingly.”
However, as donation or gift given at a time when hope and aspiration is gone becomes valuable and memorial to the recipient for decades, the beneficiaries unanimously thanked Kpakio for coming to their aid at the rightful time.
“We don’t know what to say, because there was no hope for the July 26 celebration for us,” they said in a grateful tone.