Computer students hit right keys to kindness

22 Apr 2015

A video showing a group of Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University students performing acts of kindness to make other students' days has taken social media by storm, with people challenged to do the same in their areas...

Computer students hit right keys to kindness

The computer science programming students, calling themselves NMMU-Random Acts of Kindness, are seen dishing out cupcakes and leaving motivational notes for unsuspecting students on campus.

But their kind acts also extend beyond, with packed lunches handed out to homeless people who have made the Port Elizabeth beachfront their base.

Computer science students Lutho Msutu, Bonga Ngubo, Ruan Olivier, Christopher Marinus, Chruden Daniels and Michael Selby took up a challenge by a lecturer, who said they needed to work on their "soft skills".

"With computer programming, people being stereotypically known for having little or no people skills, we were tasked with developing ours," Marinus said.

"We decided to do something that will put smiles on people's faces - without expecting anything in return."

With their busy schedules, it was not always possible to perform these random acts as a group and they were therefore trying to adopt this as a lifestyle.

"With all that is happening in the country - xenophobic violence, destruction of monuments, etc. - we thought that we needed some positivity," he said.

"And it takes so little to make someone's day."

The students' video has drawn about 2,000 views a day, with the group also having contacted student leaders from other universities and Bay schools to take up the challenge. People are urged to post videos of themselves performing random acts of kindness and challenge their friends to do the same.

Another video is to be released by the group soon to keep the momentum going.

Social media has been abuzz as the students' video is shared by users, garnering some inspiring comments from the public.

Water company aQuellé said: "We love to see you spreading kindness all around, so thank you to the NMMU students for sharing such a cool video while doing random kind acts on campus."

Global community website SA People.com also shared the clip, with the caption "PE students bring a smile to others with a little Ubuntu" and a comment, "Fantastic! How to lighten anyone's day."

Luzuko Genu posted: "I am touched. How does one join the group? I'd like to participate in putting a smile on people's faces."

Zahn Koen Hughes wrote: "This is wonderful . I'm very proud of my alma mater."

Source: Herald

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