‘Walls of Kindness’ Movement Uniting Communities Across Iran

May 21, 2016

Many people tell me, “I wish I was rich so I can give a bunch of money away to charity” or “I wish I had time to volunteer.” The truth is, we have more power than we think. You don’t have to be rich or have a ton of time. You just need the intention and to take action.

That’s why I love this story so much. The idea is simple, the action is small, but the impact is HUGE.

Who: Anonymous man in Iran

What: According to the BBC, this all started when someone put up clothing hooks on a public wall in the city of Mashhad in northeast Iran.

The message is as simple and lovely as the idea: “If you don’t need it, leave it. If you need it, take it.”

That’s it — how simple and cool!

The initiative took off quickly in Mashhad and these “Walls of Kindness” have spread to other major Iranian cities, including Isfahan, Kerman, Tabriz and Bandar Abbas.

The Ripples:

Nobody knows who started the trend. A local paper reports whoever started it wants to remain anonymous.

The joy is in the pictures like this — check this picture of a little girl from the eastern town of Birjand. Just look at the smile on her face and joy in her spirit after picking up a second-hand pair of shoes:

Thanks to social media angels — lots of Iranians looove social media — this idea quickly spread throughout the country.

Photos from Iran show how some local shops have reportedly filled refrigerators and boxes with food for those who can’t afford a meal:


https://twitter.com/3LiDry/status/683726575469215746

The sign on the box reads, “Bread is free for those who can’t pay.”

Where: Various cities in Iran.

When: Started this past winter. The kindness continues…

Why: Because being kind is cool … and let’s face it, many folks have too many clothes and need to clean out their closets.

Take action:

  1. Start your own #WallofKindness.
  2. Clean out your closet and donate items to the less fortunate. I recently cleaned out my closet and donated a blanket I didn’t need to a local charity. I also gave a bag of clothes to some homeless in the Tenderloin area of San Francisco.
  3. Spread the news, share this story!

I love this because it proves that you can do something simple to make a huge difference. Fashion, passion and food for the soul.

Onward,
Toan

P.S. Special thanks to my dear friend Yasi Farazian for tipping me off to this story. Merci!

More info & special thanks to these sources for courtesy footage and pictures:

Thanks for watching. Feel inspired? I want you to think of what YOU can do to help. Share your thoughts below in our blog’s comments section.. hit that subscribe button and read more on my blog @ toanlamtv.com.

::Engage::

RELATED POSTS