Maldivian NGO Tiny Hearts might have fallen short in its attempts to secure a place in the Guinness book of World Records, despite thousands of people turning up at Male’ National Stadium yesterday, yet the NGO said the event was nonetheless a great success for charitable aims in the country.
The NGO, which was formed back in 2009 to help local children suffering with Congenital Heart Defects (CHD), attempted to gather thousands of people into a heart shape to raise awareness about the number of Maldivians affected by the condition. The charity estimates that one person in every 100 born around the world suffers from a CHD.
According to organisers of late nights record attempt, the target number for participants needed to enter the record books was 11,708 – a figure corresponding to the date of the attempt July 8 2011 – with 4,665 turning up to be involved.
Although not sufficient to make the record books after several attempts yesterday evening, a spokesperson for tiny hearts said that as a means to create awareness and organise local people to a cause, the event was still a success for the group.
“Ultimately, we aimed to get as many people together as possible to raise awareness [about CHD] across the country. We therefore achieved our objective,” said the spokesperson. “We managed to organise thousands of people together for a single cause, with no salaried staff: this is a huge success.”
Future goals
Yesterday’s event was designed as a means to celebrate two years of Tiny Hearts being registered as a charity in the country. Yet in looking ahead to its future goals, the NGO’s spokesperson said that it was not presently planning to renew its attempts to break into the record books – focusing instead on fundraising measures.
“Right now, we are trying to minimise costs in looking for events for funding,” the spokesperson said. “At present one surgery [for a local child] costs US$5,000, this does not include additional charges for transportation abroad. People affected by CHD are increasing all the time in a country. We have more than 200 children registered with the charity and there are likely to be an even larger number unregistered.”
Last year, a charity football match organised by the charity involving public figures and celebrities raised Rf265,000 (US$20,500) for patients.
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No words of praise high enough...
This is the most beautiful thing I have seen.
It just goes to show that the basic essence of the Maldivian is still one of great kindness, compassion, and softness. This reminds me of the reason I love the Dhivehin so deeply, why you are so special.
I get frustrated at times and make comments that may come across as racist, and I have to say, to all, I am deeply sorry.
It is just that, I see this compassionate, intelligent beauty in the Maldivian, and I see it being repressed, and that makes me angry and lash out at the Maldivians who do the oppression.
I had the privilege of once meeting with one of the founders of tiny hearts, and she was such a compassionate person, that, when she spoke to my Wife with compassion, I started to cry my own eyes out...
No other ppl have ever had that power over me, and I can speak a little Chinese and an Australian Indigenous language.
This is something which is beatiful, most importantly, for the little babies in the world who have heart problems.
Tiny heart failed for being too political and making something little into a big mountain. As a neutral I can't understand what the fuss was about. I lost faith in them and didn't take part.
Theses guys are nuts.. They keep writing on fb in the name of their kid.. Considering thier kid died few years ago...How sick is that??
Failed because Islamic Foundation organised Sheikh Fareed's lecture at Artificial Beach where thousands attended.
@Ben. Close to a thousand attended Sheikh Fareed's lecture. More than 4000 attended tiny hearts event. Religious causes always draws bigger crowds. Just because you are stupid does not mean you can make stupid comments. oh wait...
@Jazz> you will not know how sad it is to loose a baby. The smile you see when they wake up or seeing them playing around or trying to crawl. You have no right to call the parents sick....They are doing this cos they loved their baby so much and they dont want anyone else to go through it or atleast trying to help anyone else going through it.
your comment is very inconsiderate and lame
Congratulations Tiny Hearts, for proving that an NGO can make as big a ruckus as politicians can in this country.
Just a bit of constructive advice. Make your next step that of ensuring transparency and good governance. Publish an audit of your accounts and management practices. This will attract more donor aid to your efforts.
Best of luck. Hope to see your audit report in the future.
Awesome work guys! 😀
Great attempt Tiny Hearts. Congratulations.
Very true @ tsk tsk.
Good luck.
@Reeko Moosa: Just in case, that BEN above (except for where it said Ben Plewright) was not me...
@Jazz and Luthfy
Why is it that people who try to do some good gets shot down the way you have?
I have personal experience of the work of Tiny Hearts when I contacted them after a family friend was told his new born baby was not likely to survive if he did not have surgery. they had no idea who to go to, where to go for treatment, but IGMH recommended they call up Tiny Hearts. From the moment they did Muaz and Hisco took care of the situation, provided counselling to the distressed parents, contacted a hospital in India that they could take their baby for surgery, made appointments with the hospital which then took over by booking accommodation for the family, transport from the airport. Tiny Hearts went the extra mile to help the parents fast track gettig travel documents as it coincided with a government holiday, and through it all kept touch with the parents as they struggled through the heartbreaking experience of 7 hours surgery of their tiny baby.
The costs were astronomical, more than Indian Rufita 300000 but with the assistance of Madhana and fundraising by family and friends they were able to get the baby the surgery he needed. he is now 7 months, very much alive and kicking and a joy to see. If Tiny Hearts did not exist I know for sure that valuable time would have been lost.
I dont know the politics of Tiny Heart, ad I don't care to be honest. What I have seen and know is that Tiny Hearts made a difference to a tiny life.
Tiny Hearts did not have the financial capacity to give financial help. But they gave the emotional and technical support these parents so desperately needed. I cant praise them enough.
Thank you Shafeea, its good to know that some people care about the important things
I don't know what the the criticism about Tiny Hearts is all about but I know that Hisko, who as I understand is the founder of Tiny Hearts Maldives, is the real deal. Her own story is just heart breaking and for what she had been through, Allah had chosen her to do this work because she is the authentic giver of true compassion, THAT I can promise you. I have seen her shed genuine tears of compassion for the oppressed, and they were so real, that I could not look, it choked me up too much to look, this was before her heart breaking story. She is the real deal, now what advantage would I, a total stranger to your country and a complete foreigner have in saying that, NONE, I say it because her work, her motive is the real thing... and you would be doing a damned good thing in supporting it I Guarentee you THAT!
@egon.
I know whats its to loose someone u love..but theses guys are over the limits
If you are ok with dead children posting on facebook, you are as nuts as them.
@Shaffea.. I completely support what they are doing and appreciate thier work.. Its their sickness that I didnt like
Great show and brilliant effort. Next time, perhaps a little more advanced notice would help but you should be really proud of yourselves. Well done.
To Jazz and Lufty. OMG is there no depths of disrespect a normal human being can plunge. The only compassion you have is for yourselves.
Ahmed, we have been active in the media for the last month, giving info about the events,
@jazz...i think ur comment was a bit harsh considering the fact that its not u who went thru the suffering of watching their son die...may it not happen to u...but i think its undersatandable that some people atleast are trying to help others and prevent others from going thru the same pain once they went thru..for u keyaan might be a 'kid'..but for a lot of people, including me and his parents keyaan was 'hope' sent from above to heal n help million others out there with the CHD...so went u talk dont talk nuts...becox u surely havnt understood how meaningful a life of a little kid may be for a lot of people..
well..tiny hearts i want to say thank u for all the work you are duin to save some little lives..may Allah bless u all specially the founders of this organisation. keyaan was a very lucky child to have got to spent few specail moments with great parents like u..im sure he wud be proud of u more than i even can be. best wishes. 🙂