Caring for each other during COVID-19

Although a majority of the residential students have gone back to their homes because of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, more than 20 students are still on campus at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa. These students have remained on campus due to not having a suitable working environment at home or international borders being closed. 

Being on the 18-acre campus with not that many people, the students on campus are missing their friends and teachers a lot. As a way to comfort these students, the Academy’s Senior School Student Representative Council’s (SRC) well-being committee wrote letters for each student on campus. Along with some warm regards, the letters also included some suggestions as to what the students can do on campus with their free time, how to take care of their mental health and more. 

“Home is somewhere we all want to be but of course not everyone can,” said a message by the entire well-being committee. “School is our second home and we wanted to remind the students remaining on campus that they are on our minds and in our hearts. These letters will hopefully remind them that they are not alone and we are all there for them. Doing something as simple as this melted their hearts, and ours too.”

Homemade muffins accompanied the letters, which were made by the Head of Student Support & Well-being for the Senior School Minal Shah. 

“If anything matters right now, it’s how we look after ourselves and others,” Minal said. “It’s heartwarming to see how students reach out to their peers during these times, highlighting the ‘Caring’ attribute from the Aga Khan Academies Learner Profile in the truest sense. The students are showing empathy, compassion and respect. It’s also wonderful to see how committed the students are to ensuring their peers are being cared for. Hearts expand, humanity flows!”

The students were all very surprised by the muffins and letters. They all said they felt very appreciated and cared for by their peers. 

“It’s so nice to know that people care about us while we remain on campus,” said Year 10 student Furzon Atobekova. “This just shows how committed our well-being committee is to their position. They’re at home, also going through this crisis, but they still managed to do this.”