A bus-load of happiness for determined ones

Celebrating the spirit of giving during the holy month, the School Transport Services (STS) gave out life-changing gifts to a number of determined ones as part of Stuff the Bus programme.
The bus service provider recently hosted an Iftar for families and friends of about 40-50 determined ones of Special Family Support Group (SFS) where they surprised the latter and their families with the gifts, which were brought to the venue stuffed in a school bus.
The Iftar also included a number of fun activities for the determined ones, including painting a school bus.
In order to surprise the determined ones, STS officials had visited the homes of some of the families (prior to the Iftar) to understand how they could help and support them and identified essential equipment, including hearing aids and wheelchairs that could make a big difference to the determined ones and their families. STS then stuffed one of its buses with these gifts for the children that were presented to them at the Iftar.
Gulshan Kavarana, founder of SFS, said: "Thank you Steve Burnell, managing director of STS, and the entire team at STS for a wonderful evening. We know that our families and their children will return home with a smile on the faces. We thank you so much for spending time with our families, listening to our stories and making them feel heard - this was really special and we know that the children's and their families' lives will be enhanced by the essential gifts given today."
"Young Maharukh got her much needed hearing aids and her life will become much easier from now on. The new wheelchair for Beroz will enable him to enjoy his life more comfortably. These are the best gifts they can get during the holy month of Ramadan, which will truly change their lives."
Talking about the campaign, Neetu Deshwal, marketing and communication manager of STS, said: "The 'Stuff the Bus' campaign was launched last year with the sole motive of supporting less privileged students during the holy month of Ramadan. We believe it is our responsibility to help and support such families and children for a brighter future."
Steve Burnell, MD, STS, said: "Community celebrations and support is extremely important to us. We all need to stop and listen and understand how small changes can have a significant impact on others. We are delighted that we can be part of making life easier for the determined ones and their parents. We look forward to the coming months when we can ensure that the summer camps are accessible for the children through the provision of our buses and provide an all-round memorable experience."
saman@khaleejtimes.com