Noorain Ansari
Srinagar- Winter can bring a lot of suffering to many poor families in Kashmir. Poor housing, power cuts and lack of warm clothing could make it harder for them to live through the season.
A group of city youth inspired by ‘The Wall of Kindness’, an Iranian initiative that spread across the globe, have set up Kashmir’s first such wall on the Bund, Srinagar to help poor families live through the chilly season with some comfort.
The group known as ‘Who is Hussain’ (WIH) urge people to donate clothes and hang them on the wall so that the needy can use them in the cold months.
The graffiti on the wall near Abi Guzar Bund reads: Take If You Need, Hang If You Have.
Abrar Ali one of the promoters said that in the initial stages the wall of kindness would continue on the Bund while the group plans to install six more such walls around Srinagar.
He said that people who have extra or do not need old clothes anymore can hang them at the wall voluntarily.
Labourers, the homeless, orphaned kids or anyone who cannot afford warm clothes to fight the winter chill can then take these clothes without asking for them.
To kick off the project, WIH volunteers and some residents hanged their coats, sweaters and clothes on the hooks fixed on the wall.
Over the course of the day, those who needed these items silently took them without being noticed by anyone, said Syed Shahryar a photojournalist.
This novel concept which originated in Iran as a citizen-led project has become popular in other parts of the world. The concept encourages sharing, and helps anyone in need, without them having to beg, or buy these clothes.
We want the concept be taken forward by general masses especially youth and take this initiative and start similar walls in their own communities and mohalla levels as well, said Mir Atif.
Next time, don’t use walls around your city to urinate and litter but make it come to good use and help the poor and needy.
The kind of wall, we encourage building. Cheers to this novel idea.
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