简体中文
12-year-old Raghdan Faraj thought bigger than his age when he decided to sell some paintings he drew, not get money for himself, but to help his poor peers buy masks.
The idea started with Faraj when he saw poor kids on the streets without facial masks to protect against the COVID-19.
For him, it was a strange view after he had seen on TV awareness messages on the need to wear masks and maintain social distancing.
"While I was walking down the street, I saw a number of poor kids selling chocolate and biscuit with their hands dirty and without masks. I thought of a way to help them and decided to sell my paintings," the boy told Xinhua.
The boy started putting his drawings on the sidewalk in Sweida city and sold them to get money and bought face masks for the poor children.
Faraj's initiative was welcomed in his city and inspired other people to help the poor kids.
His drawings have been selling at good prices by people who wanted to encourage him and support his mission.
"I didn't expect people to support my initiative in such a short time and I sold some paintings at good prices," he said.
Faraj, with the help of his younger brother Omar, has so far drawn 25 paintings, most of which featuring the current situation in Syria, the fears of the COVID-19 virus and how people must wear masks always.
Rudaina Shaar, the mother of Faraj, said her son drew the paintings during the home quarantine, noting that her child has a talent that he decided to employ to help others.
"When he first came to me, I was amazed by his idea and how a boy his age could have this thinking. So I decided to support him," the mother told Xinhua.
Shaar said mothers should always pay attention to their kids' inspirations and never put them down or discourage them.
She said a doctor, who was inspired by the initiative, decided to buy all remaining drawings of Faraj and gave him a good amount of money for them.
After taking the money, the mother said, they bought masks and hand sanitizers and gave them away to the children on the streets.
"He was extremely happy when he gave the masks to the children," she said.
Now, the boy is preparing another set of paintings to sell and earn more money to buy masks.
His father, who works abroad, also promised him he will send him money to help buy more masks, the mother said.
Shaar said her son loves the attention he gets and started telling his friends to make initiatives to help others in need.
"As a mother, I didn't expect him to become this enthusiastic about this idea and he is now encouraging his friends to do something to help others amid the coronavirus crisis," she said.
