I went to Cradles to Crayons and did volunteering.
I helped with the process of coordinating clothes and making packages of them. I was impressed by the Cradles to Crayons paying attention to children’s feelings. They ask us to avoid specific clothes. For example, ripped, torn, slightly dirty, written about family, and seasonal events. Staff told us sometimes poor children have a difficult situation about family and can’t celebrate the events. If children receive these kinds of clothing, they might be bullied in their school and feel social stigma.
The most surprising fact was that one-third of children in MA are in clothing insecurity. This number was more significant than I expected because I had an image that MA is rich. I believe clothing insecurity leads to a lack of education. For example, I’ve heard some children cannot go to school due to a shortage of warm clothes in winter. This is also one of the reasons that providing clothing to children is so important.
Through this experience, I thought I wanted to donate my clothes as much as I could from now on. Donating clothing will rescue people in poverty.
Mizuki Hara