Paul Naidoo is a former school principal and volunteer with aid organisation Gift of the Givers, who has a long history of community activism.
Image: Picture: Supplied
WORKING in the thick of humanitarian causes is a calling that Gopaul (Paul) Naidoo responded to in 2020, and says it has given him a “new lease on life”.
While Naidoo is a Johannesburg-based volunteer with internationally recognised aid organisation, Gift of the Givers, he has been deeply involved in the various crisis situations they have attended to in KwaZulu-Natal.
Whether it was responding to the trail of destruction left by extreme weather events, water shortages, poverty alleviation and providing aid when the Covid-19 pandemic was rampant, Naidoo and other volunteers worked behind the scenes to deliver a meaningful plan of action.
Naidoo, 64, who is a retired school principal, with years of involvement in community activism and sports development among the youth, has been nominated to receive an Ammen Award for his humanitarian efforts.
The Ammen Awards is an initiative of the Mount Edgecombe based Shri Mariammen Temple Society to reward members of society, across race and religious lines, who have been Inspiring, performing, leading and teaching others.
The motto that the society based its awards initiative on was: “Ordinary people doing extraordinary work in the communities that they serve.”
The society’s 25th anniversary of the awards initiative will be held on April 18.
Awards will be handed in seven categories, including the promotion of the Hindu religion, promotion of arts and culture, excellence in sport and education.
Naidoo’s recognition falls in the community socio-economic upliftment category.
While Naidoo was grateful to have received the nomination, he counts each opportunity to uplift the lives of others a joy.
“I enjoy working with people and bringing smiles to the faces of those who are in need. It is a very rewarding experience.”
While still the principal of Summerfield Primary School, in Chatsworth, Durban, Naidoo volunteered his services (2018) to the GOG.
He retired in 2020 and earnestly pursued his calling to serve.
Naidoo continued as a GOG volunteer when he relocated to Randburg in 2023.
Some of the GOG projects Naidoo has been involved with included, providing food supplies, and attending to the medical needs of patients during the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak in 2020.
Provision of water to communities during outages and crisis situations is another constant exercise of Naidoo and his GOG team.
Each time disasters hit parts of KZN in recent years; like heavy rains and floods and last year's tornado in Tongaat and surrounding areas, GOG volunteers provided helping hands.
Poverty alleviation is a major part of the work done by the GOG and its teams.
Naidoo’s GOG responsibilities included evaluating requests for assistance, making recommendations to their head office, through collaborations with Aslam Essa, their chief liaison officer.
Once approval was granted, Naidoo and the others formulated their action plan for implementation and distribution of aid, which also required meticulous record-keeping and management of resources.
Naidoo said once they were committed to a project, it received their undivided attention until their goals were achieved.
“I come from a very poor background and grew up in the Cato Manor/Mayville area.
“When the realisation came that I needed to serve, it gave me a new lease on life.
“My mother, who never had an education, always maintained that sharing was caring, and I’ve carried those words through my life”
Naidoo also appreciated his wife Ranelle who supported him in all his endeavours, even in the days when he had to interact with Covid-19 patients
He was grateful for the support he received from Essa and had a long association with the GOG’s founder, Imtiaaz Sooliman; they schooled together at Sastri College.
Naidoo said he hoped to be an example to others who had the means to assist the less fortunate.
Seelan Archary, the society’s chairperson, said he was familiar with the work done by Naidoo over many years, including his time with the GOG, an organisation that is known to usually be the first responders to provide relief in disaster situations.
“It is our pleasure to recognise him (Naidoo),” said Archary.
DAILY NEWS
Former school principal and community activist Paul Naidoo, who is also a volunteer with aid organisation Gift of the Givers, has been nominated for an Ammen Award.
Image: Picture: Supplied