Generosity is a word we often associate with acts of random kindness. The kind person is almost always generous too. It’s a trait admired by many and a quality we teach our children. For those who believe in God, generosity represents the driving power behind service, not only for others but for God as well.
The University of Notre Dame’s Science of Generosity Project describes this quality as “the giving good things to others freely and abundantly. What exactly generosity gives can be various things: money possessions, time, attention, aid, encouragement, emotional availability, and more.”
A white paper from UC Berkeley says that “Humans are biologically wired for generosity.” According to their findings, people don’t always act on their natural inclination to be generous, but once acted on, doing so can positively affect an individual’s life. Their study suggests, for example, that those who volunteer regularly reported greater happiness and quality of life. It’s especially true for those who volunteer with religious organizations.
This is exactly what volunteer walkers of the annual ANCOP Global Walk (AGW) have experienced for themselves. Running for the past decade, the AGW has been a much-awaited venue for families, friends, corporate sponsors, and other donors to help send scholars to school.
“As time goes by, volunteering in AGW has become meaningful for me. Because it made me realize that helping others even in the simplest way can make me feel happy because I know that I made someone happy,” shared Zyra, a 4-time AGW walker from Cadiz.
For Alessandra of Iloilo, who has joined the AGW twice, it was the rewarding feeling of being part of an initiative like the AGW that inspires her to continue supporting the fundraiser event.
They both shared how it amazed them to see firsthand so many people willing to help strangers and how more and more walkers joined over time.
This year, even under community restrictions, the AGW has continued raising funds for scholarships by going virtual. Walkers now register via its website ancopglobalwalk.com and track their minimum goal of 5 kilometers through pedometers.
Even on lockdown, there are ways families can help others—and we don’t need Berkeley to tell us that! (Brienz Athena Suaberon)
