11 more acts of kindness from all over the world during the coronavirus outbreak

In the past few weeks, we have been seeing more and more people joining in the fight against COVID-19 through kindness. In particular, we want to celebrate all the people from refugee and migrant backgrounds from around the world offering their time and help in one of the toughest times of our history. This proves, one more time, that every nation in the world can be enriched so much by their support.

Here’s where we found some of the nicest acts of kindness:

1. Malaysia

A team of refugees is cooking and then delivering food to the hospital staff in Kuala Lumpur working hard during the outbreak. Mahi Ramakrishnan, the coordinator of the initiative, said: “Refugees can effectively contribute to the society, and demonstrated how they are a part of the society.”

2. France

Mohamed, who worked as a doctor in his home country until violence forced him to flee to France, said he is “ready to do anything to help.” He is among the many refugee medics from Libya and Somalia offering their experience to help tackle the coronavirus crisis in France.

3. The Netherlands

In the Dutch town of Ter Apel, Dyar, a 23-year old Kurdish asylum seeker, together with other volunteers from Algeria, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria and Tajikistan is disinfecting shopping carts outside grocery stores to help keep local residents free from COVID-19. “We help everyone,” said Dyar, “and if I say the people, I mean all the people.”

4. Pakistan

In the midst of the pandemic, Afghan refugee Dr Saleema Rehman is at the forefront helping the poorest patients and caring for pregnant women in the city of Rawalpindi. She is the first Afghan refugee woman to ever become a gynaecologist in Pakistan.

5. The United Kingdom

A fantastic team of Polish volunteers in Stoke-on-Trent, West Midlands, are sewing scrubs for the local hospital. Here you can donate to support their great work.

#RightThereWithYou
Great initiative by two Polish women to help local hospital during #Covid_19.

Agie and Katie together with team of fantastic Polish volunteers are sewing scrubs for the local hospital.

You can donate towards their project here:https://t.co/NyBdlE9t9f

— the3million (@the3million) April 7, 2020

6. Portugal

A local Syrian restaurant, run by a refugee couple who fled the civil war,  is sending free food to the Lisbon hospital’s health workers fighting the pandemic in the capital. “When you flee a war, you feel the disaster but you also realise who is there for you,” said Alan Ghumim, the owner of the restaurant. “So in all things we do here in Portugal, we try to give back to the people who welcomed us with open arms.”

7. Iran

Moheyman Alkhatavi, 24, is an Iraqi refugee who is a nurse at the Taleghani Hospital in Abadan. He works tirelessly enduring 12-hour night shifts to assist Iranians and fellow refugees in the current coronavirus crisis.

8. Germany

Over 400 refugee doctors offered to volunteer responding to the Facebook appeal for help by Saxony’s regional medical board. “I’m prepared to go anywhere I’m needed,” said Adnan Ali from Syria, one of the volunteers.

9. The United States

Syrian refugee Yassin Terou is offering advice on how to cope with these difficult times using his experience of living in a war zone and staying indoors to avoid uprisings and police brutality. He has also been checking in with other small businesses in Knoxville, Tennessee, to see how they can support one another.

10. Bangladesh

In partnership with Artolution, a charity working with communities through the power of art, Rohingya families are creating beautiful drawings and informative paintings to spread essential public health safety measures and to share messages of solidarity.

Our teams are working with their families to create drawings and paintings as messages of solidarity, concern for the world and care for others through essential public health messages. #RohingyaArt #RohingyaRefugees pic.twitter.com/aGwYAqfjDT

— Artolution (@ArtolutionOrg) March 30, 2020

11. Ireland

A group of asylum seekers in Cork are manufacturing washable face masks and then distributing them to vulnerable groups, including people living in nursing homes or provision centres.

Thank you to all these amazing people putting themselves at the forefront of helping their communities and setting an example for others, even in the darkest times. As all these inspiring stories teach us, if we help each other, we’ll get through the current crisis quicker and stronger.

If you have any positive stories to share during this crisis, let us know @IMIX_UK or media@imix.org.uk.