We are delighted to share a blog written by student Fatma, from the International School of London Qatar, who is part of a team that participated in the Global Social Leaders Global Goals Competition 2024-25.
Their project was among the 190+ social action projects delivered in 2024-25 as part of the GSL movement.
Participating in the Friendship Bench project has shown me the power of kindness, connection, and teamwork.
Project Summary
The Friendship Bench project was established to fight loneliness and social isolation in our school. Inspired by an initiative in Zimbabwe, we created a safe space where students could sit to convey their openness to conversation and eagerness to connect. The bench promotes bonding and meaningful friendships, and students can leave colourful handprints with their initials to leave a symbol of their bond. Linked to SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing, this project brings attention to the importance of social interaction for emotional wellbeing and intends to make our school more inclusive.
The Journey
My involvement in the Friendship Bench project and GSL Global Goals Competition has given me new skills, such as teamwork, leadership, organisation and resilience. I’ve built self-confidence, gained skills like presenting ideas clearly and found an interest for advocating for inclusivity and mental wellbeing.
Student engagement was one of the greatest issues, some people were reluctant to use the bench. We overcame this by hosting assemblies, using posters, and getting peer volunteers to demonstrate its purpose. The experience has shown that these qualities, consistency and adaptability are the key to making an impact.
The Next Chapter
I hope that in the future the Friendship Bench will not just be a short-term phenomenon in our school, but will become an integral part of our school culture, that there will be more benches in the school, and that new student volunteers will lead the initiative each year.
I urge everybody to act within their communities – even the little things can make a big difference.
My message is simple: kindness and connection matter. It is always possible to change something through the launch of a similar project or just by contacting a new person; everyone has a chance to make a difference.
