Let me start by confessing that I am not a blogger but I
am just randomly posting all my thoughts on what made me feel nostalgic and
speechless…
Past few days I have been questioning myself, “Am I
moving in right direction and doing right things for Social good”… There has
been an improvement in each phase of my journey in the Social sector right from
my shift from Corporate World to Social Sector 8 and half year back as a
Bangalore Centre head of iVolunteer to a Lead Resource in Training and Regional
Head at iVolunteer to a Trainer and Social Entrepreneur today. Roles changed
and each role had its own beauty not because of its “Designation” but because
of all the work and people around me, be it my colleagues or my friends, my super
volunteers or the beneficiaries or the people dedicatedly working for the cause
:) Using word ‘my’ proudly for have been associated and attached to all of them
so much :) What remained constant or increasing all throughout was my passion
for the cause and my volunteering experience. And also questioning to myself at
regular intervals, “Have I really impacted at least a couple of lives through
my passion and dedication for the cause?” “What more can I do to bring in more
positive Impact” “How could I reach to many and in turn those many reach to
many more and the chain goes on?” “Now that I am focusing on Disability how do
beneficiaries get benefited through GiftAbled platform” “We would complete one
year soon, what have we really achieved and what and how we could do even
better?”
And here I am with few sentimental moments from Friday to
Sunday (14th to 16th November):)
Friday 14th November, I was helping a
Corporate Emtec get connected with VKH Rainbow Home for Girls, a place invented by
me in 2012 for Volunteering and today I see sooo many volunteers visiting and
volunteering there :) VKH Rainbow Home for Girls (A Foundation for Child
Care and Development) is an organization working in the sector of providing
care, protection and education for the street and vulnerable girls. Protection
of the vulnerable street girls, in the slums & streets of Bangalore
providing shelter, food, health along with education is mission of the
organisation. Currently there are 62 girls from 3 year to 18 years being
supported by the Home. Emtec team was donating 4 of their laptops to us.
They wanted to spend time with kid’s organisation and post event also donate
the laptops to GiftAbled Foundation. It was long time that I had visited the
girls and thought this would be best place :) While I entered the home after
many months, many kids came running to me with many questions like “Why
Prarthana Akka why you didn’t come for so long?” “Why you missed the Ice-cream
event?” and couple more Whys? :) Tried getting every kid settled down with a
promise to answer all their Whys? After longgg time did few energisers, believe
me felt super awesome :) In fact kids made me to get them do few more that I missed
:) The team Emtec managed the whole event very well and organised painting and
quiz competition for them along with cake cutting. The kids were very happy.
They had sponsored the snacks which was cooked by Rekha - The Cook who cooks
for all 62 girls and the staff there. While I went to meet all staff members I
met Rekha who again had a question? Akka Remember me? Tell me where we have
met? Having met thousands of people during past few years at various event I
was trying to connect and suddenly I recollected Rekha who once upon a time was
a beneficiary at Government Reception Centre for women and children where there
are Women who have gone through hell lot of trauma in life. I used to volunteer
here every weekend before marriage and here I see a change :) A beneficiary
turning into benefactor :) Wow! She
brought in all those moments live in front of my eyes, started updating on all
girls I knew in her friend list from the Reception Centre. I was so touched to
hear from her about few girls who have settled in their lives and somewhere I
had in some small little way touched their lives :) While couple of kids from
Rainbow home asked her if she knew me she said yes since the time she was of
their age :) Oh God! Time flies and all
those moments I spent at Reception Centre for Women and Children came in form
of picture in my mind! Nostalgic I say! This Sunday when we had our Deaf Club
Meet with theme Volunteering where all GiftAbled Deaf Club Members needed to
volunteer, there was moment where I was sharing Rekha’s story to all on how a
beneficiary is become a benefactor today and I could see that proud feeling in
her eyes and that encouragement from all to her in form of smiles and claps:)
Coming to Sunday 15th Nov 2014: In past few
days while I was thinking of all those years spent in believing in Volunteering
and in causes close to my heart and of impact made, I could see how my
passionate volunteers have grown and moved on to lead super big events and
bring impacts in many lives. I was just speechless and emotional to see the
change, the energy level and the enthusiasm floating around during Tandav event
:) Had some personal commitment so I went there with a feeling that will drop
in spend few minutes and leave but when I reached there the positive vibes just
caught me and I ended up staying there till the end and for 6 hours :) I again
went to picture mode cherishing all my time spent with kids of Surabhi
Foundation and Rainbow Home for girls when I saw those little ones growing so
fast and being part of event as participant :) Emotional and Nostalgic again!
It's an amazing feeling to relive all those memories! Feeling
contended and happy! And ya inspired to write all my stories during my Volunteering
Journey of past 10 years :)
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