Volunteer Work Opens Up Your Mind To New Perspectives!

Sudeep Dabas

First-year LLB student, University of Delhi

Went to Nandkumarpur in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district and in Kolkata in 2009

We spent one week in Kolkata and three in Nandkumarpur village. The day we reached Kolkata, cyclone Aila struck. Although disaster management wasn't part of our plan, we got involved in relief work. The most surprising thing was the attitude of the cyclone-hit people. They tried to make the best use of everything and helped each other. Language was the main problem there but within a week, we overcame it. As part of our internship, we observed how the host NGO was teaching child labourers and trying to get them into mainstream education near Kolkata. In Nandkumarpur, we met microfinance providers and self-help groups (SHGs). We suggested ways in which more women could be encouraged to form SHGs. I still cherish those memories. Once when I was in Class 9, I couldn't even speak out my name during a quiz and our house captain spoke on my behalf. Today I am speaking here.

Rudrani Dasgupta

English graduate, Jadavpur University, Kolkata

Lived with local communities in London and Jodhpur district for six months under a global exchange programme involving Indian as well as British volunteers, organised by various organisations

This was not so much about learning as it was about unlearning. I came out of that experience equipped with some ideas.

I unlearnt my pre-conceived notions. For example, I am very gadget-dependent but I lived in a village for three months which didn't have electricity.

In the village, our objective was to create awareness on child rights. We conducted a survey relating to it and filed a report. We found out that most families had no clue about the Right to Education.

In the UK, we were in north London, which is ethnically diverse with people living in extreme economic conditions - both very rich and poor. Under our project, we worked to develop a community garden to provide the locals with cheap-priced vegetables.

Manisha Kairali

Graduate in mass communication, Christ College, Bangalore

Part of the same programme as Dasgupta

Being a volunteer means picking up skills such as being adjusting, learning a language, fund-raising, and communicating. We didn't know all this but we learnt. Volunteering makes you get out of your comfort zone. You also see factors like caste and gender at play.

In this exchange programme, one of the things that came into focus was development. Before I went to the UK, I thought it's a wonderful country, which it is, but is that what India should aspire to be? One can't say convenience is equal to development.

My project was on horticulture (organic farming) in both communities.

The area we worked in the UK was poverty-stricken (by their standards) with different ethnic communities. It's a lot more challenging to make a difference there because their lifestyle is so different. There's greater scope for the youth to do something here - the results come in much quicker.

Ratnpriya

Final-year history student and president, NSS cell, Miranda House, University of Delhi

Worked on media alternatives with an NGO in Nashik (Maharashtra) last year

My project involved using community radio to spread social messages. The NGO employees who worked there were drop-outs but they were hardworking and enthusiastic. We are the most privileged lot. And that's a lesson there. If those people can work for society, why can't we?

Talking of challenges during my stay there, language and food were a problem but people helped us everywhere. When I got down at the railway station at 12.30 am, I was looking for an auto rickshaw but the drivers couldn't even understand Hindi. Then I took out a map of Nashik and we managed...

A journey of six weeks taught me a lot but that was just the beginning. I am very happy to have been a part of it. I believe in the phrase, ‘Be the change you wish to see in the world'. You have to be the change.

As an NSS volunteer, I have been a reader to visually challenged students in our college hostel and teaching under-privileged children near the university campus, among other activities.

 

Source: HT Horizons

Date: 27th April 2011