Johannesburg – For Rabbi David Masinter there is something special about the ability of human beings to exhibit kindness towards one another.
Explaining how his mission came about, Masinter said he was spurred on by the realisation that the only way to bring light and positivity to the country was through kindness and the need to do something about it.
“I woke up one day thinking that this world is so dark; wherever you look there’s fighting and negativity. Without taking sides and saying who’s wrong, we see atrocities and all these things,” he said.
“I use the rule ‘negative action creates negative energy’, and conversely positive action, speech and thought, done privately or publicly, create positive energy, so I decided to create a campaign to get people to increase their acts of goodness and kindness.”
And that’s how the Acts of Random Kindness (ARK) campaign was born under the non-profit organisation (NPO) Change Our World for Good banner.
Since ARK began more than two years ago, the NPO has distributed 414 928 miniature arks to be filled with coins in an effort to make someone’s day, week or even month easier. Just out of pure kindness.
The idea to use miniature arks as piggy banks was a simple result of the acronym of the campaign Acts Of Random Kindness and that was one of the ways Masinter thought the campaign could be made more practical.
He said the idea was for people to make an effort to be kind, either through their words or their actions.
“It’s not about the money, it’s about being kind. We have a comprehensive programme for young people right up to senior citizens,” he said.
It begins with age-appropriate colouring and reading books that educate children on the value of kindness, saving money and how to resolve societal problems like bullying.
Older kids are encouraged to write an essay explaining how they can change the world for the matter.
Companies can take part through Change Your Company for Good. They buy arks for their staff members, encourage them to fill the arks and then donate them to a charity or deserving individual.
The campaign has been launched in conjunction with Net#work BBDO mobile app, also named after the campaign, that helps people keep track of their acts of kindness by setting goals for themselves.
It also allows them to share their experiences through the app on their social media accounts.
It will be available from Thursday from the Android and Apple app stores.
With the campaign growing and endorsements by celebrities such as comedian John Vlismas and footballer Dean Furman, Masinter said he wanted people to remember at all times that the project was about bringing kindness into the world.
Week of Kindness has been organised for Monday until Friday next week but people have been encouraged to continue with their Good Samaritan acts beyond then.
For more information on the kindness campaign, contact Tarryn Horton at 0114406600.