If I was given the opportunity to do something for the people who saved the lives of children and helped survivors during the recent earthquake in Venezuela, honestly, I don't think I would take their efforts for granted.
As a Nigerian, I know how much it means when people come together during a crisis, we may not always have everything we need, but Nigerians have a way of showing up when something serious happens, Sometimes it is through donations, food, clothes, money, medical supplies, or simply volunteering, so, the first thing I would do is support them financially.
I know money cannot repay someone for risking their life to save another person, but it can help them continue the work they are doing, I would donate to verified organisations or groups that are directly helping the survivors and supporting the rescuers, the word "verified" is very important here because when disaster happens, some people suddenly become professional scammers.
You see one sad picture online and someone is already asking for money into a personal account, so I would make sure whatever support I am giving is going to the right people.
I would also support the survivors directly if possible, many people who survive disasters lose almost everything, their homes may be gone, they may lose family members, their businesses, their belongings, and even their sense of security.
So helping them shouldn't stop after the first few days when everyone is posting about the disaster, food and water are important immediately, but people also need shelter, medical care, clothes, education, and emotional support afterwards.
If I had the resources, I would support a programme focused on children who survived the earthquake, children are especially vulnerable during disasters because they may not fully understand what has happened, some may lose their parents, their homes, or their sense of safety.
Providing them with proper care, education, counselling, and a safe place to stay would be something I would consider very important, as for the people who risked their lives to save others, I would honour them publicly.
Sometimes, people do incredible things and then everyone forgets them after the news stops trending, i would want their stories to be told, i would also support awards or recognition for them, not just for the attention, but to show that their sacrifice was seen and appreciated.
If I could personally meet them, I would simply say thank you, maybe it sounds small, but sometimes people need to know that what they did mattered, I would also encourage others to support disaster relief efforts.
One person may not be able to do everything, but when many people contribute what they can, it becomes something much bigger, for me, being Nigerian does not mean i can only care about problems happening in Nigeria, we are all human beings, and tragedy can happen anywhere.
Today, it is Venezuela,
Tomorrow, it could be somewhere else.
At the end of the day, I believe the best thing we can do for people who save lives is to support them, appreciate them, and help them continue saving more lives, and for the survivors, we shouldn't just help them survive the disaster, we should help them rebuild their lives afterwards.
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