On a hot summer’s afternoon, despite the sweltering heat, kids and parents gathered around the various booths in the Jardim de Luís de Camões. Excited shouts, laughters, and cheery faces floated about the atmosphere.
The organizer Against Child Abuse Macau (ACAM), in response to global anti-child abuse advocacy, organized the “Against Child Abuse Day” initiative, and they have invited HCSA members and students to design and create games for the event. In order to fuse creativity, positive messages, and family-friendliness, the HC students handmade colorful puzzles for the parents and children, and created simple quizzes to help children and parents better understand family violence and its prevention.
There were still a lot of participants willing to queue and wait before the booth patiently despite of the blazing sun. Children were no less excited at the prospect of receiving stamps from the volunteers, and even more excited when, having collected five stamps, they were able to get a small gift as well! Some of participants were invited to write their wishes on a balloon wall, smiles still hanging on their faces and laughter exuding from their eyes.
As the sun set and the crowds slowly begin to disperse, the student volunteers helped to give out to the participants the balloons with the good wishes and creative drawings from the guileless children. The afternoon was amazing in every sense of the word, and not only because the participating crowds brought something home, but also because the volunteers themselves, through proactive leadership skills, were able to bring the joy to others and brought that joy with them as well. Thus happily ended the weekend before the exam week.
