Unsung Heroes: How Warriors Impact Their World

UNSUNG HEROES

HOW WARRIORS IMPACT THEIR WORLD

He may not be your typical movie hero. The one who subdues his enemies, slaughters dissidents and never losses any battle. She may not have the matching fame and fortune that characterise heroes and heroines of iconic proportions. But their efforts have transformed lives, inspired positive changes and are held dear by the locals who know them like the back of their arms. Such is the context in which the unsung heroes live in.

They will be the first ones to lend a helping hand to disaster stricken victims, send ten cent coins for Kenyans4Kenyans , rescue the helpless and salvage property as the rest watch hopelessly. One wonders where their driving force comes from. Perhaps it is because they are not of this world. The poor sojourners are on internship in this world to prepare for rewards of eternal happiness in heaven. No man can pay them. I think that’s why they prefer to silently retreat from public life hoping that God has noticed them. They do not yearn for recognition from humanity. They are not celebrities but they are celebrated angels who make God smile and call them “My son, my daughter”. Then He sits still in His throne and waits for His children to come home, where they belong.

Once in a while major corporates put up competitions to recognize efforts of such super-humans.  Then you ignore the ad, the calling voice to take you hat off for a hero who saved you life or that of a loved one. May be if terms and conditions were flexible and fair enough they should include clauses like self nomination. May be then those who believe they have impacted their world could be appreciated. It is important to nominate someone who is truly a legend. Someone who is selfless, brave, courageous ,caring , loving, honest, God-fearing and humble so that the public can learn from their triumphs. These role models can then be imitated by both the young and the old to shape positive behaviour change.

Though some people will engage in humanitarian work to appease employers in their CVs, they too ought to be recognized.  Though done in “bad faith”, they have made their point. But when such folks stand shoulder to shoulder with the well meaning celestial candidates, the latter should carry the day.

Judges play a pivotal role in the awards process. They therefore ought to be fair so that the process becomes credible. Otherwise inclined judges serve to make nominees shy away from the participation.

The bankrollers of such noble projects are the perfect example of corporate social responsibility. They invest in non profit making undertakings worthy managing their images as pacesetters. Again, whether it is a PR case or genuine affair it does not matter. The point is that they are among the few who take their hats off for the champions. They are not the proud, braggard and arrogant companies who initiate a scam to swallow shareholders’ investments other than engaging in charity. Business is not business unless it cares for the people, its customers and the environment.

The Jubilee Insurance Samaritan Award recognises unsung heroes. It is encouraging to see Jubilee appreciate good Samaritans who impact their world by making it better than they found it. One of the most vulnerable sectors of the economy to deserve sympathies and mercies of volunteers is the transport sector. Due to road carnage, they are the life savers who donate blood, participate in evacuation emergencies and lend a helping hand however and whenever.

One major hindrance of accident and emergency rescuers is the stigmatization of blood donors. Volunteers fear knowing their HIV statuses. They don’t like being watched by their friends going to the tent to give a drop of blood to those who desperately and urgently need it. Blood donation is far much greater lifeline than water. Health practitioners should demystify disaster mitigation to the public so that they can participate fully. Incentives such as presents like energy drinks to the donors may be the magic bullet that does the trick of recruiting a dedicated army to raid accident scenes with the common goal of saving lives. One should endeavour to know their blood group and a compatible friend who they can save during the hour of need. After all, a friend in need is a friend indeed.

So next time you hear the wailing of the siren, listen, give way, do not sit back and watch or be indifferent. Ask the Red Cross what you can do to help those in dire need. The worst you can do is to raid the scene, steal from the victims and trample on the pieces of evidence or shred the bits of intelligence which could serve justice to the victims by say, compensation. Impact your world!