CHARITY

Good morning staff and students of JMC,

My name is Oloruntobiloba Olagunju of SS1D and I’m here to present the virtue of the week. Before we dive into the topic, let’s play a little game. I’ll give you three clues, then you’ll have to guess what the virtue of the week is.

Clue 1: This is something you do when you see someone in need, and it’s not just about giving money. It’s about caring and helping out even in small ways.

Clue 2: It can be something as simple as offering a smile to a person who may not be having the best day or sharing your lunch with a friend who has got very little on their table.

Clue 3: It’s all about looking out for others, and sometimes it means going out of your way to make sure someone else is okay whether they’re a close friend or even a stranger.

If you guessed Charity, Then, you’re very correct!

Now, when you hear the word “charity”, what comes to your mind? Some of you might think about big fundraising events or a rich person donating a lot of money to orphanages and the less privileged homes. That is a very influential aspect of charity too. But what if I told you charity doesn’t always have to be a huge, grand gesture? What if I told you charity could be as simple as a smile, a small act of kindness, or helping someone in need?

Charity is all about showing care and support for others, especially those who may not have as much as we do. It’s about giving—not just material things, but sometimes, it could be time, attention, and love. Charity can be seen in actions that help others improve their lives, whether it’s through giving money, donating things to others, or offering your skills. With all I’ve said so far, you may ask, what’s the difference between charity and kindness?

Kindness is also an important gesture everyone can show to others. It’s the little everyday things like holding the door open for an elderly person, complimenting someone’s choice of sandals for the day, or offering a listening ear to someone who had a bad day or, in some cases, a very good one. Kindness is free and easy to give, and it doesn’t always require a lot of time or resources. It’s simply being considerate and showing people that they matter.

Charity, on the other hand, usually goes a step further. While kindness might be an instant, small gesture, charity often involves a bigger, more intentional effort to improve someone else’s situation. Charity might involve taking the time to help someone in a real way, even if it means stepping out of your own comfort zone. You can actually say kindness is a part of charity, but charity is often about doing something that makes a long-lasting impact, no matter how small.

Let me go ahead to share a short story with you before we go further.

Regina is a 15-year-old girl who lives in Anambra state. She loves going to school and is lucky enough to have all the supplies she needs. But one day, she noticed something—her friend Chika, who sat next to her in class, didn’t have any of the basic supplies. Chika was always borrowing a pen or pencil, and she was always tearing pieces of paper to write in class because she could not afford to pay for the school books. Every day, Regina noticed how embarrassed Chika looked every time she had to ask for something.

Now, Regina didn’t have much money herself. Her family wasn’t rich. Her father was a farmer and her mother, a trader, and they lived in a small home. But Regina remembered what the principal of her school had talked about the previous week during their weekly assembly. He had told the students: “My dear students. Always remember this, Charity isn’t about having a lot of resources—it’s about using what you have to make a difference.” Regina felt deeply touched by this. So, she decided to help.

She went home, found some extra pens and notebooks she wasn’t using anymore, and took them to school the next day. She also gave Chika a small bag of rice that her mom had bought in bulk.

“Here,” Regina said with a smile, “don’t worry about not having enough. I’ve got you covered for now.”

Chika’s face lit up with gratitude. She couldn’t believe it. That small, simple act of charity—Regina giving what she had, even though it wasn’t much—was enough to help Chika feel seen and supported.

But Regina felt so happy with herself after the events with Chika and so didn’t stop there. Inspired by how much that small act of charity had meant to Chika, she wanted to do more for others in her community. So, she came up with an idea. She started collecting unused school supplies from her friends and classmates—pens, notebooks, and even clothes and shoes. She set up a “donation box” at her school gate where anyone who had extra supplies could drop something off. Then, Regina and her friends would distribute the supplies to kids who needed them most.

Over time, the project grew. Regina was able to help many children who didn’t have the resources they needed to attend school or stay healthy. But what Regina really learned from this experience is that charity doesn’t always require huge efforts or resources. It’s about sharing what you have, even if it’s small. It’s about stepping up for someone else and making sure they feel supported.

Regina was just a 15-year-old girl, but she understood the power of simple actions and the impact they could have. Her story is a perfect example of what charity looks like in action. It didn’t involve a big event or a large donation; it was a series of small acts that made a huge difference in the lives of those around her. She didn’t have to wait for something big to happen; she created a change by starting with small, meaningful steps.

And the best part is, charity doesn’t have to look the same for all of us. There are so many ways we can show charity, no matter how much or how little we have.

Here at Jesuit Memorial College, we have countless opportunities to show charity every day. It may be helping a friend who’s struggling with a difficult subject like Chemistry or Further Math, or offering a word of encouragement to someone who seems down. It might be inviting someone who’s sitting alone at lunch to join you, or lending a hand when you see a teacher carrying something heavy. It might be listening attentively to that one friend talk about their days joy and pains or, as a senior, helping a sick junior wash his/her clothes. These might seem like little things, but trust me—these simple gestures can change someone’s day, or even their life.

In the Jesuit tradition and education, we learn the value of “men and women for others” which is the idea that we are called to serve those in need, to stand with the marginalized, and to seek justice for all people. It reminds us that charity isn’t just about giving material things—it’s about responding to the needs of others with compassion, care, and a deep sense of justice. When we live by the principle of being “men and women for others”, we realize that our community is bigger than just ourselves. We are called to act in solidarity with those who may be suffering or left out, and it’s through these acts of service that we grow in empathy and compassion.

This is why charity matters—not just as a nice thing to do, but as a deeper way to live out our faith and values. When we help others, when we step into their lives with a willingness to listen, to serve, to make a difference, we are showing love in the deepest way possible.

So, I challenge all of you to think about how you can practice charity today. It could be something small. You’d be amazed at the difference it can make.

Remember, charity isn’t just about giving—it’s about showing up for people, showing them that they matter, and being the kind of person who makes the world a better place by doing one small act at a time.

As St. Ignatius said, “Go forth and set the world on fire.” Let’s set our communities on fire with small acts of love and charity that can spark a change. Let’s continue to serve others, knowing that every act, no matter how small, is a step toward building a more just and compassionate world.

Thank you and have a splendid week ahead.

 

Oloruntobiloba Olagunju

Class of 2027