Sou Sou Land residents brings smiles for Xmas

For the past 15 years, community-based organisation Sou Sou Land Community Developers, in conjunction with the Bringing Smiles Foundation, distributes gifts for as many as 500 children and hampers for 100 households in the Carlsen Field community and environs.

One of its founding members Ricardo Mawahlal spoke to Sunday Newsday on Friday about its involvement in the drive every year.

Mawahlal said the group was started by residents who grew up in the rural community of Carlsen Field. “We have been doing this charity drive for 15 years,” he said. “I was a teenager when we started.”

He said as he and his friends grew older, they wanted to give back to the community that raised them. Mawahlal is also the founder of the Bringing Smiles Foundation that collaborates on the Christmas charity drive.

The foundation is also involved in other charitable events throughout the year including animal rescues and feeding programmes.

Mawahlal recalled his childhood days in Carlsen Field, saying despite not having much, he and his friends still had fun. “We had some boy days that were memorable,” he joked. “We didn’t have to buy fruits. There was always a tree nearby.”

He said the group asks for donations from residents and businesses in Sou Sou Lands and surrounding areas. He said in the past organisations such as the Chaguanas Chamber of Industry and Commerce supported the drive in the past.

“What we don’t receive from outside we dip into our own pockets,” he said, adding the group recently started a fund raiser to assist with meeting their target.

He said the group will continue to accept donations up to December 22 including gifts for children, toiletries, canned foods and non-perishables, and bathroom supplies.

He said he enjoys having the opportunity to give back to his community every year. “You have to be there (on Christmas Day) to give back to the communities. It is the driving force for us regardless of restrictions. We do what we can to assist.

“To see the excitement when we get to them, the kids’ reactions are priceless. We had a year they were jumping through barbed wire to meet us,” he said with a laugh. “It’s a joy knowing we can give back.”

He said the initiative started with a little less than 100 gifts and has grown over the years. “We didn’t have the resources (at first). Then we started to get the community involved and from there it started to grow. We (aimed for) a minimum of 250. There was one year we were able to do over 1,000 gift donations and 150 hampers.”

Mawahlal said in the future, he and the team would like to reach out to more rural communities throughout TT and looks forward to bringing Christmas cheer to more children in years to come.