During the Easter holidays, Twickenham-based A level student Tara Altaiee, 17, visited the Basmira refugee camp in Iraq to help individuals less fortunate. As a student who is determined to study medicine in the future, this provided her with a great opportunity to learn more about life as a doctor and to support others.
When speaking with Tara about her experience she explained her role as a volunteer. She stated that her aim was to gain a different perspective on how people who are in less fortunate situations live. She explained that she spent the majority of her time working with ill children and adult refugees who were fleeing warzones and terror.
Tara stated that: “When I was at the Basmira camp I spent my time doing simple jobs such as cleaning wounds, bandaging and also applying ointments to people. I learnt a lot from this experience, particularly the importance of hygiene as this was the cause of a significant number of people’s issues.”
It is clear that this opportunity was very significant for Tara as she not only grew as a person but also learnt the importance of using her privileges to do something that could help those in need. She explained that this trip was very important stating that: “As someone that grew up with a lot of privilege, I often ignored this. This trip made me recognise how lucky a lot of us are and how we can use our position to help others.” She went on further to explain the benefits of the trip, for example, she learnt simple first aid. She said that: “This is something that I recommend everyone should have a course in; you never know when someone may be in need.”
Moreover, she explained that she would take part in an experience like this again. “It was very eye opening, especially coming from a country where we are so fortunate. I would love to go back and volunteer again in the upcoming holidays, however the conditions aren’t suitable for everyone.” She explained that: “If you do not feel that volunteering is something you can do, you can help out in other ways, for example spreading awareness and donating to events worldwide.”
There is a great need for young people in particular to participate in activities such as volunteering and raising awareness. Whether this is locally or on a global scale, there are many ways that people can contribute, for example: through social media, go fund me pages and by donating to charities. You could even take that extra step by making a personal contribution, just like Tara. Volunteering can be something beneficial to those who help but can also have a major impact on other people who are suffering immensely.
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