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The document summarizes the experiences and perspectives of several volunteers who have worked with Saksham NGO, which aims to educate underprivileged children. The volunteers describe their positive experiences like feeling happy while interacting with the children, learning important life lessons from them, and being motivated to continue their work each week. They discuss both the challenges of their work like gaining the children's trust and the local issues, as well as the rewards of seeing the children learn and grow. The author also provides a brief overview of their own positive experience interning with Child Rights and You, where they helped create case studies of the Saksham volunteers.

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P a g e | 1
P a g e | 2 I am highly indebted to Child Rights and You (CRY) for their guidance and constant supervision as well as for providing necessary information regarding the project. I would also like to express my gratitude to my mentor Ms. Veronica Xavier and Mr. Shubham Goyal for their kind encouragement and cooperation which further supported me in completion of this project. I would also like to thank Mr. Santlal (founder of Saksham NGO) for enlightening me with his experiences, which of course is a major highlight of the whole program. Acknowledgement
P a g e | 3 Introduction The reason I choose to do an internship is because I wanted to benefit from the experience. I wanted a new challenge and to learn, improve and develop new sets of skills. At the beginning of this internship I formulated several learning goals, which I wanted to achieve:-  To understand the functioning and working conditions of a non- government organization;  To see what is like to work in a professional environment;  To see if this kind of work is a possibility for my future career;  To use my capabilities to the best of my potential  To see what skills and knowledge I still need to work in a professional environment;  To get fieldwork experience in a locality unknown to me;  To enhance my communication skills;  To improve my photography and content-writing skills;  To build a network.
P a g e | 4 Description of the Internship Child Rights and You (CRY) is an agent of change and with your involvement ensures the fundamental rights of Underprivileged children in India are protected and honoured. CRY- Child Rights And You is an organisation which ensures the rights of children being rightly received and exercised by the children of the country. It has been working for the last 30 years with a vision of a happy, healthy and creative child whose rights are protected and honoured in a society that is built on respect for dignity, justice and equity for all. Its mission ensures enabling people to take responsibility for the situation of the deprived Indian child and so motivate them to seek resolution through individual and collective action. CRY’s role is that of an enabler between two groups of people – the development organisations working for child rights at the grassroots level and people like you, who come together for child rights.
P a g e | 5 Project Role and Responsibilities I had joined Child Rights and You (CRY) as an Intern for a month from 13th December’2015 to 14th January’ 2016. As part of field work, I was assigned the task to prepare case studies for volunteers enrolled at Saksham, a Non-Government Organization (NGO), which is funded by CRY. As an ardent writer and a fairly passionate photographer, my role was to interview the volunteers about their overall experience at Saksham in the last six months or more and put it down on paper as part of the case study project. The project was complete with photographs supported at the bottom of each volunteer’s experience, which gave me a good opportunity to capture countless candid and photo-ready shots. Every Volunteer has based their write up in the sequence of the interview questions listed below. 1. For how long have you been volunteering at Saksham? 2. Tell us a little more on your journey with Saksham and how it has helped your grow as an individual? 3. What are a few things that you have specially learnt from the kids? 4. List a few hardships and comforts you've encountered working at Saksham? 5. Briefly share one of your most memorable experiences at Saksham? 6. What is the one thing that drives you to Saksham every Sunday morning? 7. What is the one message that you would like to give to other volunteers who are looking to work at Saksham? Note: This is an off-camera interview conducted through detailed interaction with each volunteer on individual basis. Most volunteers were camera-conscious and uncomfortable to express explicitly on camera.
P a g e | 6 PORTFOLIO OF THE VOLUNTEERS APOORVA AGARWAL ‘Apoorva Agarwal’s contribution at the organization’ “I have been a volunteer at Saksham since October and unhesitantly it has been an outstanding experience. This seemingly endless journey with Saksham has helped me boost self-confidence while simultaneously brushed upon my patience level in dealing with kids of varying age groups. Often times, the kids display minimal interest in perusing new ideas and tend to hesitate in chasing towards a new attempt. To what I comprehend from this refusal, Most of their parents are not comfortable in sending their kids to Saksham presumably due to unsafe locality it encompasses in. Despite the initial setbacks, one of the best feelings of being with the kids is the chance to relive my childhood days. The innocence on their faces is priceless which makes it impossible to reprimand them for their disobedience. One of the most memorable days at Saksham were the introductory sessions whereby all kids attempted to bully the volunteers. It certainly was one of the most nostalgic introductions I ever had in the most unique manner. The gleam on the kids’ faces is the one essential factor that drives me to Saksham every Sunday Morning. I would advise you all to be a part of Saksham as it will be an altogether new experience for you, in my case, it has changed my life tremendously into giving it a meaning by bringing and sharing happiness amongst all.”
P a g e | 7 DHRUV AGGARWAL “‘Playing with the kids during Picnic trips is the happiest moment of my life. Every Sunday is a cinthol for me which refresh/ rejuvenate me for the next hard week, desire to play & have fun with kids, makes Sunday, from monotonous to most happiest day of my week; this is the driving force which pull me out of my bed.” “Formerly the mere intention of volunteering at CRY was weighted towards getting a certificate for my master’s admission; however, within a short time span the purpose altered upon seeing the happiness displayed on the young faces comprehensive of profound love and compassion to further engage with the kids. As time craved for a strong desire to experience and grow on a personal level, I was associated with a large number of campaigns which further gave me a first-hand experience while simantanouely endowed upon shaping my leadership, presentation and communication skills on a professional level. Despite the workload on weekdays, it is unimaginable to skip any of CRY sessions. To add to that, Sundays has been the driving force to pull myself out of the bed into a world full of happy faces and childhood days.” “I have been a part of this organization from April 2013 and over this long haul journey I was voluntarily engaged with a large number of events namely Click rights campaign, Child advocacy campaign, Speaker of the year to Public action groups (PAG) etc. established to train the kids in communities. Initially, educating the kids was the most cumbersome activity since majority of the senior secondary students were unmindful of basic mathematics i.e. addition and subtraction. The school books were published in typical Hindi language which most volunteers failed to have a command upon. However, upon deep analyses we perceived that overcoming the challenge of disseminating accurate knowledge to the young crowd was not as hard we imagined it to be. Fortunately, our prolonged interaction with the kids further helped in equipping the best methodology in making learning a success. Moreover, Learning has always been a dual process while working in a large population. Similarly, the kids at PAG taught me the true innocence of life which in a highly intellectual world is opaquely observed. Furthermore, they taught me to patiently accomplish tasks and to question. Altogether, interacting with the kids was no different from a meditation class for me. Each event in itself had a different experience to cherish and acquire adequate knowledge from. The first event was the Flash mob which helped me to build strong networks from people across the globe. Moreover, similar events such as CRY HT enrolment campaign gave me a platform to mentor the volunteers of CRY & HT in East Delhi. Not just that, I was also held accountable towards convincing the school authorities and parents for enrolment of underprivileged children. Altogether, these campaigns helped me to get my hands upon the Indian administration system and largely appraised the pitiable condition of children who remain within our surroundings yet being unnoticed. The kick starting attitude, the communication skills, and the presentation skills I have enhanced at CRY act as a bridge of growth in my professional career. Today I am a much responsible individual than I used to be before joining this organization.”
P a g e | 8 RISHU SINGH “My inclination towards Maths and bestowing my knowledge through social work, largely by educating the young children was one of the primary reasons I enrolled with Saksham.” “Without mathematics, there's nothing you can do. Everything around you is mathematics. Everything around you is numbers. Presently, perusing my degree in maths honours, learning and teaching maths has been the most intriguing part of my life. The kids equally inclined in the subject, biding at the doors of Saksham minutes before my arrival has been one of the most earnest gestures that has inspired me to be persistent towards my regularity and efforts. In extension, this has also encouraged me to grow my knowledge extensively on my academic front. One of the most exceptional aspects about these children is the happiness they inherit in small gestures. Altogether, Working at Saksham for the past five months no longer seems like a duty to me. Saksham and the kids have become a part of my life now.” “I enrolled myself for volunteering at Saksham in August 2015 and the past five months swiftly passed by while spending time and educating the young kids. On a personal level, Working for Saksham has helped me to alter my viewpoint about various aspects. I have become come more close to reality. It has helped me grow as an individual. I have become more patient now. The kids there inspire me to be persistent with my efforts. I would recommend you all, reading this, to contribute your time and effort into doing something similar for the society in order to build a better future for the less fortunate children.”
P a g e | 9 AKSHIT MALIK “Undoubtedly, the adorable faces always lighten up my day” “21ST June, 2015- One of the most special days of my life. On this very day, I walked inside the door of Saksham. Since then, it has become a part of my Sunday routine to wake up and look forward to meeting the adorable kids. On the very first day, we got an opportunity to meet the kids from varying age groups and interacting with the mischievous crowd. The formal introduction established some form of mutual comfort in becoming familiar with another, after which the decided to present their talents through dance moves or unravel their melodious voices in the manner of singing. Unavoidably, I was indeed engaged to enact as well, expect the fact that it led to dreadful performance. Notwithstanding the drawbacks including space constraints, lighting and ventilation blockage, the plight was nothing when compared to the amount of love and respect displayed by the kids at Saksham. Upon joining this organization, I’ve recognized the importance of education among the coming generations. On a personal level, I have achieved confidence and optimism in resolving basic problems and living a fearless life. One of the most crucial lessons that I have familiarized oneself with is that a simple smile can make a huge difference in boosting one’s moral. Moreover, the young budding kids just float your heart away simply by exhibiting effortless gestures of love and respect.
P a g e | 10 The one essential resource that the kids lack in relation to the other kids admitted in private schools is the shortage of sufficient motivation and support to achieve great heights. Without any second thoughts, people should really indulge themselves in lending a hand towards community work because a small deed of enlightenment, could contribute in bringing a very bright future for these kids.”
P a g e | 11 PRERONA “When Learning meets fun” “Interestingly the children are eager to learn and their elevated intellectual adaptability inspires me to perform to the best of my ability and help them excel. Although, it takes around 1-1.5 hours to arrive at the final destination which is certainly an uncomfortable process for regular visits, however, the sessions we have there more than make it up for. Moreover, their playfulness, happiness and their energetic activities always enthuse us to have fun and learn at the same time. It gives me a reason to be happy for the whole week.” “Been enrolled with CRY since August 2015, I’ve learnt a lot in these few months that I’ll continue to remember for the rest of my life. Moreover, it has given me a first-hand experience regarding education of children, the conditions they live in and how we can contribute in their learning process. The satisfaction and happiness I get from the sessions at Saksham drive me here every Sunday morning. No matter what I do in the whole weekend, nothing makes me happy more than the time spent on Sundays at Saksham- it makes up for the week!! Altogether, Working at Saksham has been an amazing experience so far. It’s like a family to me now; every other person is so nice to us that we try to give our best. The eagerness of the children to learn is the icing on the cake.”
P a g e | 12 SHIVANI GARG “Be it bird watching, these innocent faces will always remain the best source of entertainment and happiness.” “This impeccable journey of my life started in October 2015- the day I decided to engage in social work, for the most part with the much awaited enthusiastic faces of Shahabad dairy. Beyond my confidence level- I, personally too equipped myself with the setbacks the locality encompasses in. Despite the struggle and restrictions they are raised with, I’ve always thought of ways to build their personality and bring a smile on the young faces. One of the major hardships that I encountered during this journey, were the interaction sessions. The kids used to shy away in initiating conversation with the volunteers presumably due to lack of confidence. However, on a positive note- I enjoyed a lot while I was with them because those moments will always remind me of my childhood days. In a flick of a second, the innocent faces can melt your heart away. Unforgettably, the introductory sessions was one of the memorable moments at Saksham especially, the point when the naughty kids tried ragging us all. I would highly recommend you all to join Saksham because it will change your perspective of living life by bringing and spreading happiness amongst all.”
P a g e | 13 PRIYA SHARMA ‘I don’t think I’ve ever been as happy in my life as much as I have been after spending the best time of my life with these beautiful young souls.’ “I have been volunteering for Saksham since August 2015.My journey with Saksham till now has been a transforming one. Working as a volunteer for underprivileged kids brought with itself a lot of challenges. However it helped me delve deeper into understanding behaviours and psychologies. Seeing and interacting with talented, budding and innocent children is not only a great experience but has also developed me altogether. Every moment with the children teaches me myriad things and is a new experience. Their innocent fights, the dedication, talent, confidence love and respect has made me appreciate the little things in life. It made me realize that sometimes the solution of every problem lies in the simplicity of a child and the happiness they bring into your life. The most difficult part was the beginning, where the nervousness of dealing with children and getting to know them was extreme but with time and increased interactions, it was quite a settling feeling. The best part till now has been giving lessons on Sanskrit and to know that even they enjoyed my company as much as I did. Spending time with them fills me with the zeal to to get up and see their faces every Sunday morning. At Saksham I forgot every problem and pain. Time spent with them has been one of the best moments of my life. An NGO like Saksham not only helps us individuals to understand our capabilities but it is a platform to touch the souls of the little friends that we make.” ---IT WAS A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE---
P a g e | 14 PERSONAL EXPERIENCE “The internship was a great-learning experience which gave me a platform to polish my skills on a personal and professional level. Despite the time constraint and specialized experience due to age factor, I had a strong desire to learn and gain part time experience with complete commitment and dedication in developing practical knowledge of the subject. Pursuing my academic Program in International Studies, I was confident to intern at one of the government organizations. With a focussed mind-set, I started applying to a number of organizations including Goonj, Pratham, Teach for India, Child Rights and You (CRY) and many more. As a backup plan, I also applied to a few other sectors including advertising and news agencies as well as kept exploring freelancing work options under content-writing, photography etc. After a week’s time, I began receiving mails from a few organizations I had applied to, out of which; I was also shortlisted for Child Rights and You. (CRY) After gathering an intensive research and discussion with my reliable sources, I opted for Child Rights and You (CRY) as my final plan. The next step involved was coordinating with the organization, for which, Ms. Veronica Xavier, a member of the volunteer action team constantly guided me at every step with the enrolment process and explained me about everything in detail about what my experience was going to be like for the next one month. As a result of which, my application was timely accessed and approved with her constant support and cooperation. Upon close scrutiny of my academic transcripts and application letter, I was assigned a position under the department that best suites my interest and skills followed by an internship offer letter. The conversation concluded on a happy note and I was ready to begin with my internship. “My journey embarked from my residential apartment located at a half an hour drive from the Metro station to the last station which is 35 stations away from the starting point. Believe it or not, I was the first one to enter inside the metro and last one to step out. Clearly, this seemingly endless journey nearly took about two hours to reach my final destination. Initially, it was a tiring process to sit at one corner and constantly keep an eye at the general public pass by. It was a great challenge to kill time until I decided to productivity utilize this time effectively, I started carrying my reading material, be it the morning newspaper or the novel to ensure the day begins on a learning note. My journey would start from Huda City Centre where I would board the metro to Samaypur Badli, the last station on the
P a g e | 15 Yellow Line. As I got down at Samaypur Badli, I used to take a private auto to Shahbad Dairy, which was the location of Saksham. As I reached Saksham on my first day along my co-interns and volunteers, I was still in my zone trying to figure out how to go about it while the others seemed more comfortable and settled. Gradually, the introductory sessions established some form of mutual comfort in building closure amongst a large gathering. Followed by which, there was a rule for all the newcomers to reveal their talent by either singing or dancing. I was extremely apprehensive until I was offered to dance in a group with my co-interns. Anything is better than a solo performance and thus, without a second thought, I hit the dance floor! Altogether, my first day was full of anticipation and excitement. On the following day, I met his young girl named Ms. Aryee Kung, who had come all the way from China. The moment I got to know that she is from China, I started off with our economic superpower talks, for which, I was addressed as a peculiar and an intellectual person. She also urged me to look at the brighter side of life for which I highly encouraged. I would probably never meet her again, but I believe that’s what made it better. Walking inside the doors of Saksham every morning made me forget all my problems and made a happier day, with every passing day. I felt like I was reliving my childhood days with the best crowd of people around me. I will continue to cherish this journey for the rest of my life. While I consider myself lucky that my parents can financially afford to provide me with all the necessary resources, the kids might not have the finest facilities or resources to satisfy their living yet live a much happier and a content life. The kids understand the value of things which makes them savour it for life. This totality of the mental peace that I have achieved is way greater than any sort of paper value. I once again would like to thank CRY for giving me this opportunity, and giving me a reason to look forward for things in life.”
P a g e | 16 THANKYOU 

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Report (1)

  • 1.
    P a ge | 1
  • 2.
    P a ge | 2 I am highly indebted to Child Rights and You (CRY) for their guidance and constant supervision as well as for providing necessary information regarding the project. I would also like to express my gratitude to my mentor Ms. Veronica Xavier and Mr. Shubham Goyal for their kind encouragement and cooperation which further supported me in completion of this project. I would also like to thank Mr. Santlal (founder of Saksham NGO) for enlightening me with his experiences, which of course is a major highlight of the whole program. Acknowledgement
  • 3.
    P a ge | 3 Introduction The reason I choose to do an internship is because I wanted to benefit from the experience. I wanted a new challenge and to learn, improve and develop new sets of skills. At the beginning of this internship I formulated several learning goals, which I wanted to achieve:-  To understand the functioning and working conditions of a non- government organization;  To see what is like to work in a professional environment;  To see if this kind of work is a possibility for my future career;  To use my capabilities to the best of my potential  To see what skills and knowledge I still need to work in a professional environment;  To get fieldwork experience in a locality unknown to me;  To enhance my communication skills;  To improve my photography and content-writing skills;  To build a network.
  • 4.
    P a ge | 4 Description of the Internship Child Rights and You (CRY) is an agent of change and with your involvement ensures the fundamental rights of Underprivileged children in India are protected and honoured. CRY- Child Rights And You is an organisation which ensures the rights of children being rightly received and exercised by the children of the country. It has been working for the last 30 years with a vision of a happy, healthy and creative child whose rights are protected and honoured in a society that is built on respect for dignity, justice and equity for all. Its mission ensures enabling people to take responsibility for the situation of the deprived Indian child and so motivate them to seek resolution through individual and collective action. CRY’s role is that of an enabler between two groups of people – the development organisations working for child rights at the grassroots level and people like you, who come together for child rights.
  • 5.
    P a ge | 5 Project Role and Responsibilities I had joined Child Rights and You (CRY) as an Intern for a month from 13th December’2015 to 14th January’ 2016. As part of field work, I was assigned the task to prepare case studies for volunteers enrolled at Saksham, a Non-Government Organization (NGO), which is funded by CRY. As an ardent writer and a fairly passionate photographer, my role was to interview the volunteers about their overall experience at Saksham in the last six months or more and put it down on paper as part of the case study project. The project was complete with photographs supported at the bottom of each volunteer’s experience, which gave me a good opportunity to capture countless candid and photo-ready shots. Every Volunteer has based their write up in the sequence of the interview questions listed below. 1. For how long have you been volunteering at Saksham? 2. Tell us a little more on your journey with Saksham and how it has helped your grow as an individual? 3. What are a few things that you have specially learnt from the kids? 4. List a few hardships and comforts you've encountered working at Saksham? 5. Briefly share one of your most memorable experiences at Saksham? 6. What is the one thing that drives you to Saksham every Sunday morning? 7. What is the one message that you would like to give to other volunteers who are looking to work at Saksham? Note: This is an off-camera interview conducted through detailed interaction with each volunteer on individual basis. Most volunteers were camera-conscious and uncomfortable to express explicitly on camera.
  • 6.
    P a ge | 6 PORTFOLIO OF THE VOLUNTEERS APOORVA AGARWAL ‘Apoorva Agarwal’s contribution at the organization’ “I have been a volunteer at Saksham since October and unhesitantly it has been an outstanding experience. This seemingly endless journey with Saksham has helped me boost self-confidence while simultaneously brushed upon my patience level in dealing with kids of varying age groups. Often times, the kids display minimal interest in perusing new ideas and tend to hesitate in chasing towards a new attempt. To what I comprehend from this refusal, Most of their parents are not comfortable in sending their kids to Saksham presumably due to unsafe locality it encompasses in. Despite the initial setbacks, one of the best feelings of being with the kids is the chance to relive my childhood days. The innocence on their faces is priceless which makes it impossible to reprimand them for their disobedience. One of the most memorable days at Saksham were the introductory sessions whereby all kids attempted to bully the volunteers. It certainly was one of the most nostalgic introductions I ever had in the most unique manner. The gleam on the kids’ faces is the one essential factor that drives me to Saksham every Sunday Morning. I would advise you all to be a part of Saksham as it will be an altogether new experience for you, in my case, it has changed my life tremendously into giving it a meaning by bringing and sharing happiness amongst all.”
  • 7.
    P a ge | 7 DHRUV AGGARWAL “‘Playing with the kids during Picnic trips is the happiest moment of my life. Every Sunday is a cinthol for me which refresh/ rejuvenate me for the next hard week, desire to play & have fun with kids, makes Sunday, from monotonous to most happiest day of my week; this is the driving force which pull me out of my bed.” “Formerly the mere intention of volunteering at CRY was weighted towards getting a certificate for my master’s admission; however, within a short time span the purpose altered upon seeing the happiness displayed on the young faces comprehensive of profound love and compassion to further engage with the kids. As time craved for a strong desire to experience and grow on a personal level, I was associated with a large number of campaigns which further gave me a first-hand experience while simantanouely endowed upon shaping my leadership, presentation and communication skills on a professional level. Despite the workload on weekdays, it is unimaginable to skip any of CRY sessions. To add to that, Sundays has been the driving force to pull myself out of the bed into a world full of happy faces and childhood days.” “I have been a part of this organization from April 2013 and over this long haul journey I was voluntarily engaged with a large number of events namely Click rights campaign, Child advocacy campaign, Speaker of the year to Public action groups (PAG) etc. established to train the kids in communities. Initially, educating the kids was the most cumbersome activity since majority of the senior secondary students were unmindful of basic mathematics i.e. addition and subtraction. The school books were published in typical Hindi language which most volunteers failed to have a command upon. However, upon deep analyses we perceived that overcoming the challenge of disseminating accurate knowledge to the young crowd was not as hard we imagined it to be. Fortunately, our prolonged interaction with the kids further helped in equipping the best methodology in making learning a success. Moreover, Learning has always been a dual process while working in a large population. Similarly, the kids at PAG taught me the true innocence of life which in a highly intellectual world is opaquely observed. Furthermore, they taught me to patiently accomplish tasks and to question. Altogether, interacting with the kids was no different from a meditation class for me. Each event in itself had a different experience to cherish and acquire adequate knowledge from. The first event was the Flash mob which helped me to build strong networks from people across the globe. Moreover, similar events such as CRY HT enrolment campaign gave me a platform to mentor the volunteers of CRY & HT in East Delhi. Not just that, I was also held accountable towards convincing the school authorities and parents for enrolment of underprivileged children. Altogether, these campaigns helped me to get my hands upon the Indian administration system and largely appraised the pitiable condition of children who remain within our surroundings yet being unnoticed. The kick starting attitude, the communication skills, and the presentation skills I have enhanced at CRY act as a bridge of growth in my professional career. Today I am a much responsible individual than I used to be before joining this organization.”
  • 8.
    P a ge | 8 RISHU SINGH “My inclination towards Maths and bestowing my knowledge through social work, largely by educating the young children was one of the primary reasons I enrolled with Saksham.” “Without mathematics, there's nothing you can do. Everything around you is mathematics. Everything around you is numbers. Presently, perusing my degree in maths honours, learning and teaching maths has been the most intriguing part of my life. The kids equally inclined in the subject, biding at the doors of Saksham minutes before my arrival has been one of the most earnest gestures that has inspired me to be persistent towards my regularity and efforts. In extension, this has also encouraged me to grow my knowledge extensively on my academic front. One of the most exceptional aspects about these children is the happiness they inherit in small gestures. Altogether, Working at Saksham for the past five months no longer seems like a duty to me. Saksham and the kids have become a part of my life now.” “I enrolled myself for volunteering at Saksham in August 2015 and the past five months swiftly passed by while spending time and educating the young kids. On a personal level, Working for Saksham has helped me to alter my viewpoint about various aspects. I have become come more close to reality. It has helped me grow as an individual. I have become more patient now. The kids there inspire me to be persistent with my efforts. I would recommend you all, reading this, to contribute your time and effort into doing something similar for the society in order to build a better future for the less fortunate children.”
  • 9.
    P a ge | 9 AKSHIT MALIK “Undoubtedly, the adorable faces always lighten up my day” “21ST June, 2015- One of the most special days of my life. On this very day, I walked inside the door of Saksham. Since then, it has become a part of my Sunday routine to wake up and look forward to meeting the adorable kids. On the very first day, we got an opportunity to meet the kids from varying age groups and interacting with the mischievous crowd. The formal introduction established some form of mutual comfort in becoming familiar with another, after which the decided to present their talents through dance moves or unravel their melodious voices in the manner of singing. Unavoidably, I was indeed engaged to enact as well, expect the fact that it led to dreadful performance. Notwithstanding the drawbacks including space constraints, lighting and ventilation blockage, the plight was nothing when compared to the amount of love and respect displayed by the kids at Saksham. Upon joining this organization, I’ve recognized the importance of education among the coming generations. On a personal level, I have achieved confidence and optimism in resolving basic problems and living a fearless life. One of the most crucial lessons that I have familiarized oneself with is that a simple smile can make a huge difference in boosting one’s moral. Moreover, the young budding kids just float your heart away simply by exhibiting effortless gestures of love and respect.
  • 10.
    P a ge | 10 The one essential resource that the kids lack in relation to the other kids admitted in private schools is the shortage of sufficient motivation and support to achieve great heights. Without any second thoughts, people should really indulge themselves in lending a hand towards community work because a small deed of enlightenment, could contribute in bringing a very bright future for these kids.”
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    P a ge | 11 PRERONA “When Learning meets fun” “Interestingly the children are eager to learn and their elevated intellectual adaptability inspires me to perform to the best of my ability and help them excel. Although, it takes around 1-1.5 hours to arrive at the final destination which is certainly an uncomfortable process for regular visits, however, the sessions we have there more than make it up for. Moreover, their playfulness, happiness and their energetic activities always enthuse us to have fun and learn at the same time. It gives me a reason to be happy for the whole week.” “Been enrolled with CRY since August 2015, I’ve learnt a lot in these few months that I’ll continue to remember for the rest of my life. Moreover, it has given me a first-hand experience regarding education of children, the conditions they live in and how we can contribute in their learning process. The satisfaction and happiness I get from the sessions at Saksham drive me here every Sunday morning. No matter what I do in the whole weekend, nothing makes me happy more than the time spent on Sundays at Saksham- it makes up for the week!! Altogether, Working at Saksham has been an amazing experience so far. It’s like a family to me now; every other person is so nice to us that we try to give our best. The eagerness of the children to learn is the icing on the cake.”
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    P a ge | 12 SHIVANI GARG “Be it bird watching, these innocent faces will always remain the best source of entertainment and happiness.” “This impeccable journey of my life started in October 2015- the day I decided to engage in social work, for the most part with the much awaited enthusiastic faces of Shahabad dairy. Beyond my confidence level- I, personally too equipped myself with the setbacks the locality encompasses in. Despite the struggle and restrictions they are raised with, I’ve always thought of ways to build their personality and bring a smile on the young faces. One of the major hardships that I encountered during this journey, were the interaction sessions. The kids used to shy away in initiating conversation with the volunteers presumably due to lack of confidence. However, on a positive note- I enjoyed a lot while I was with them because those moments will always remind me of my childhood days. In a flick of a second, the innocent faces can melt your heart away. Unforgettably, the introductory sessions was one of the memorable moments at Saksham especially, the point when the naughty kids tried ragging us all. I would highly recommend you all to join Saksham because it will change your perspective of living life by bringing and spreading happiness amongst all.”
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    P a ge | 13 PRIYA SHARMA ‘I don’t think I’ve ever been as happy in my life as much as I have been after spending the best time of my life with these beautiful young souls.’ “I have been volunteering for Saksham since August 2015.My journey with Saksham till now has been a transforming one. Working as a volunteer for underprivileged kids brought with itself a lot of challenges. However it helped me delve deeper into understanding behaviours and psychologies. Seeing and interacting with talented, budding and innocent children is not only a great experience but has also developed me altogether. Every moment with the children teaches me myriad things and is a new experience. Their innocent fights, the dedication, talent, confidence love and respect has made me appreciate the little things in life. It made me realize that sometimes the solution of every problem lies in the simplicity of a child and the happiness they bring into your life. The most difficult part was the beginning, where the nervousness of dealing with children and getting to know them was extreme but with time and increased interactions, it was quite a settling feeling. The best part till now has been giving lessons on Sanskrit and to know that even they enjoyed my company as much as I did. Spending time with them fills me with the zeal to to get up and see their faces every Sunday morning. At Saksham I forgot every problem and pain. Time spent with them has been one of the best moments of my life. An NGO like Saksham not only helps us individuals to understand our capabilities but it is a platform to touch the souls of the little friends that we make.” ---IT WAS A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE---
  • 14.
    P a ge | 14 PERSONAL EXPERIENCE “The internship was a great-learning experience which gave me a platform to polish my skills on a personal and professional level. Despite the time constraint and specialized experience due to age factor, I had a strong desire to learn and gain part time experience with complete commitment and dedication in developing practical knowledge of the subject. Pursuing my academic Program in International Studies, I was confident to intern at one of the government organizations. With a focussed mind-set, I started applying to a number of organizations including Goonj, Pratham, Teach for India, Child Rights and You (CRY) and many more. As a backup plan, I also applied to a few other sectors including advertising and news agencies as well as kept exploring freelancing work options under content-writing, photography etc. After a week’s time, I began receiving mails from a few organizations I had applied to, out of which; I was also shortlisted for Child Rights and You. (CRY) After gathering an intensive research and discussion with my reliable sources, I opted for Child Rights and You (CRY) as my final plan. The next step involved was coordinating with the organization, for which, Ms. Veronica Xavier, a member of the volunteer action team constantly guided me at every step with the enrolment process and explained me about everything in detail about what my experience was going to be like for the next one month. As a result of which, my application was timely accessed and approved with her constant support and cooperation. Upon close scrutiny of my academic transcripts and application letter, I was assigned a position under the department that best suites my interest and skills followed by an internship offer letter. The conversation concluded on a happy note and I was ready to begin with my internship. “My journey embarked from my residential apartment located at a half an hour drive from the Metro station to the last station which is 35 stations away from the starting point. Believe it or not, I was the first one to enter inside the metro and last one to step out. Clearly, this seemingly endless journey nearly took about two hours to reach my final destination. Initially, it was a tiring process to sit at one corner and constantly keep an eye at the general public pass by. It was a great challenge to kill time until I decided to productivity utilize this time effectively, I started carrying my reading material, be it the morning newspaper or the novel to ensure the day begins on a learning note. My journey would start from Huda City Centre where I would board the metro to Samaypur Badli, the last station on the
  • 15.
    P a ge | 15 Yellow Line. As I got down at Samaypur Badli, I used to take a private auto to Shahbad Dairy, which was the location of Saksham. As I reached Saksham on my first day along my co-interns and volunteers, I was still in my zone trying to figure out how to go about it while the others seemed more comfortable and settled. Gradually, the introductory sessions established some form of mutual comfort in building closure amongst a large gathering. Followed by which, there was a rule for all the newcomers to reveal their talent by either singing or dancing. I was extremely apprehensive until I was offered to dance in a group with my co-interns. Anything is better than a solo performance and thus, without a second thought, I hit the dance floor! Altogether, my first day was full of anticipation and excitement. On the following day, I met his young girl named Ms. Aryee Kung, who had come all the way from China. The moment I got to know that she is from China, I started off with our economic superpower talks, for which, I was addressed as a peculiar and an intellectual person. She also urged me to look at the brighter side of life for which I highly encouraged. I would probably never meet her again, but I believe that’s what made it better. Walking inside the doors of Saksham every morning made me forget all my problems and made a happier day, with every passing day. I felt like I was reliving my childhood days with the best crowd of people around me. I will continue to cherish this journey for the rest of my life. While I consider myself lucky that my parents can financially afford to provide me with all the necessary resources, the kids might not have the finest facilities or resources to satisfy their living yet live a much happier and a content life. The kids understand the value of things which makes them savour it for life. This totality of the mental peace that I have achieved is way greater than any sort of paper value. I once again would like to thank CRY for giving me this opportunity, and giving me a reason to look forward for things in life.”
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    P a ge | 16 THANKYOU 