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A thankful schoolboy has 'melted the hearts' of staff working at a leading Bahrain hotel after they set about sponsoring him as part of an innovative social responsibility project.
Filipino John Mark Sabado is thriving at school thanks to a partnership with The Diplomat Radisson SAS Hotel, Residence and Spa in Manama and has been sharing an array of gifts he has received with his younger brothers.
The nine-year-old has also written a letter of thanks, updating his sponsors on his progress and enclosing a photograph.
"When we saw his photograph his smile was the cutest one I had ever seen!" said Denise Al Meer, personal assistant to the general manager, who came up with the sponsorship plan with her colleague Anjali Pillai.
Mrs Al Meer, heads the hotel's Responsibility Business programme team and made contact with the youngster through the US-based Pearl S Buck Foundation.
She explained that Responsible Business is The Rezidor Hotel Groups Corporate Social Responsibility initiative which began in 2001 focusing on social, ethical and environmental issues, adding: "Every Rezidor hotel has a Responsible Business co-ordinator and I took up the post 10 months ago. As part of our community outreach activities, I wanted to target communities that our employees could relate to - with the majority of our team coming from the Philipines, India or Bahrain.
"Our RB team consists of various hotel staff who has volunteered to be part of this initiative including waiters, secretaries, receptionists and room attendants. Our general manager, Rick Erdos, is very supportive and participates in as many activities as he can."
The Pearl S Buck International fitted the bill. It was founded in 1964 by human rights activist and author Pearl Sydenstricker Buck. For a nominal fee of just BD200 per annum, it helps support a child's educational needs and other basic necessities. The organisation based in Pennsylvania has developed the 'Opportunity House Child Sponsor Programme' for needy and orphaned children from various Asian countries.
John recently wrote a letter to his sponsors expressing his gratitude. He said: "I, together with the whole family, wanted to say thank you very much for all the gifts you sent to me. I received the card, 12 polo shirts, eight T-shirts, two T-shirts with a collar, a jacket, four pants, one pair of shorts, a box of coloured pencils, a box of candy, four boxes of chocolates, two packs of cookies and toys consisting of a robot, cars and a Frisbee. I will share the clothes you sent me with my other brothers. Again, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you very much. I love you!"
For further details about sponsoring a needy child through PSB visit www.pearlsbuck.org/sponsor
