The Importance of Empathy in a Novel

I would love it if empathy and, you know, writing a book, was able to change the world. As a writer, i struggle with it. I struggle a lot as to what is the point of writing not as who will read, but does it actually make any difference? So there's a section in the book where the writer goes to the port, and he sees all these tenage of afghan boys. He feels he has to buy their tickets to doto to athens. But then i keep thinking, well, it did nothing other than it sent a few boys further to athens,. And they probably got stuck in athens. When i feel hopeful, i think