1. circle
of life
© www.natzphotography.info
BY RANGASHREE SRINIVAS
A little boy with a rescued pup at the Chennai Adoption Drive
V
olunteering time, effort cycle: Maybe you are a volunteer tutor of the benefits he had derived from
and resources for a cause is for someone who cannot read, and it. In 2004, he brought together some
intrinsic for the welfare of the just last month the Exnora volunteers like-minded friends and set up an NGO
human ecosystem. Often, volunteerism cleaned up your neighbourhood. DreamIndia, to teach under-privileged
is mistaken as an act of ‘charity’ Volunteering also includes ‘self-help’. So children.
towards a less fortunate person. In if you are active in your neighbourhood
fact, when you give yourself to an crime watch, your home gets protected Says Varun, “One Sunday afternoon,
effort without expecting any monetary even as you protect your neighbours' we were playing with some wonderful
benefit, you get much much more in homes. When you add your effort to children from a nearby slum. This initial
terms of personal growth and learning. the work of others, everyone's life tryst led to regular weekend study
gets better. sessions with the children. We took
THE TRUE MEANING OF them out to various places from time to
VOLUNTEERISM YOUR SPIRIT EXPANDS time. Suddenly, the weekends seemed
Instead of considering volunteering as You are at the pinnacle of your growth the most important part of the week.
something that you do for people who curve when you realize that you want I was earning well at work and was
are not as fortunate as yourself, begin to go beyond your own needs to happy; but by doing such activities, I
to think of it as an exchange. the needs of the society, the country experienced pure joy. We had a positive
and the Earth. Different people have influence on children, we ensured that
Consider that most people find different motivations before they did not develop bad habits and
themselves in need at some point in they volunteer. that they went to school regularly.”
their lives. Today you may be the person
with the ability to help, but tomorrow Varun Rangarajan, a software Today DreamIndia has more than 50
you may be the recipient of someone professional, opted for social active volunteers from all walks of life
else's volunteered effort. Even now you volunteering because he wanted to volunteering to teach underprivileged
might be on both sides of the service give back to society in gratitude, a part children across the country. One of
46 Parent Circle / February 2012

2. them is Jamuna Rangachari from My daughter and her group of friends Reclaim Our Beaches (ROB) is
Mumbai. “Three years ago I was enthusiastically went from door to door a youth-led initiative that aims
teaching spoken English to a group of taking pledges for a plastic-free lifestyle. at reclaiming democracy while
girls from the slum. I had to discontinue They also sold cloth bags made by empowering youth to take informed
this when I moved to another area. rural women, and gave them back the action. They address issues relating
However I am still in touch with the proceeds of the sale. This was a win-win to garbage, waste management,
girls and am gratified to see them situation for everyone. The children got corporate social responsibility and
bloom into confident young adults,” their grades along with a sense of pride consumer ethics. ROB has organized
says Jamuna. by being socially productive; the rural cleanup drives, waste audits,
women could sell their products without symposiums, music concerts and other
Divya Rolla, a Yoga teacher says, “I any intermediaries; and the buyers of related activities. Find them at:
was looking for an avenue to teach the bags could purchase good quality www.letsrob.org
Yoga to people who really needed it. cloth bags at a very reasonable price at
I got the chance through the NGO, their door step.
Nalandaway, and I started teaching
Yoga to the young girls at the Kilpauk CITIZEN VOLUNTEER GROUPS
Juvenile Centre for Girls in Chennai. My Greenagers from IIT, Roorkee is an Why Volunteer?
experience has been very satisfying; I association of young, green minds who Some of the reasons people have
teach, but I feel that I have much more are reaching out to other youngsters to want to volunteer:
to learn from those I teach.” through social media networks. They
have a slew of creative projects, like To chase a passion
Divya also volunteers with Chennai making people ‘Green Magnets’ who to share a skill
Volunteers, an agency that acts will practice and motivate others in the to keep busy
as a bridge between NGOs and greening/cleaning of their immediate for recognition
individuals looking for opportunities environment; the ‘Green da Cafe’ drives to help someone
to volunteer. Several people with where green practices are introduced to learn something new
varying skill sets have signed up with (eg: using eco-friendly plates and to get to know a community
Chennai Volunteers. There are various disposal of waste mechanisms); trips to to demonstrate commitment to
requirements - from teaching Yoga to green spots and industries near their a cause/belief
painting walls at an orphanage - for campus. Find Greenagers on Facebook. to gain leadership skills
which the volunteers can devote as to do your civic duty
little as an hour a week. Chennai Adoption Drive is a group of to gain satisfaction from
passionate people working to increase accomplishment
VOLUNTEERING BY STUDENTS public awareness about Indian strays. freedom from routine schedules
The recent reforms in Indian education With an aim to reduce the stray dog to be challenged
with the introduction of CCE, has population, they organize monthly to make new friends
made social work an essential part of adoption drives for Indian puppies and to explore a career
school curriculum. “This augurs well for educate the public about animal birth as a therapy
children, as they would grow up to be control. The members of this group are for fun!
more balanced and sensitive as adults,” animal lovers who rescue strays and for religious reasons
says Divya. abandoned pups, nursing them till they to earn academic credit
are fit for adoption. Find them to keep skills alive
Says Malathi Rao, on Facebook. to build your resume
mother of Shreya Rao to be an agent of change
(a class IX student Chennai Volunteers is an online because of personal experience
from Bengaluru), “My platform to connect volunteers to with a problem, illness
daughter’s school, Sri NGOs. Find them on facebook to find to stand up and be counted
Kumaran Children’s the best-suited volunteering activity at upon
Home, has integrated the Duke of a convenient time and location, for you
Edinburgh Award scheme in their CCE. and your friends.
www.parentcircle.in 47