My Experience in short as a "Volunteer"

What exactly is meant by Volunteering is something that I learnt from a Hearing Impaired... "Volunteering is * doing something * out of your own will and * without any expectation n return!!!"

My experience in short as a volunteer, to list a few...

Ø One time events:

o Have been part of over 50 one time events on issues like children, special kids, bringing HIV and AIDS awareness in form of street plays, old age homes, marathon, walkathon, collection drives, been part of a singing group for performing in front of cancer patients, women in distress and in remand homes, cycle rally on health awareness, wish collection and granting of terminally ill children, homage to the victims and Martyrs of Mumbai attacks by participating in Walkathon etc etc etc in Bangalore, Mumbai, Chintamani, Kurnool and Vizag.

Ø On long term:

o Been part of community development at an organisation named “Makkala Jagriti” (matlab awakening among kids) where I spent time with construction worker’s children and was part of their core committee meetings which included they reaching at their new mission statement.
o Was a reader for visually challeged student and asisted him with subjects like Income tax, Business law and Marketing management. This was at “Samarthanam Trust for disabled”
o Spend time with old inmates whenever possible. This is at “Om Ashram”
o Have started volunteering on Sundays with Government Reception Center for Women and Children, which is an observation home for girls and women. Each one have a sad story of her own with cases like victims of all sorts of abuses, sold by their own family members, and most, serious victims of carnal instincts of some animals in the form of human beings around. Some of them haven't even come out of the shock and not socializing at all. Out of 70 girls/women we saw almost 30 of them had been in a shock state and around 10 of them had become mentally challenged to a greater extent. Some of them wake up in the middle of the night and start crying. And their families also don’t accept them after all these things. But the caretakers at this home are very good and kind to them and encourage and motivate them a lot.
o Been part of HIV and AIDS awareness programme on regular basis.


Ø On short term:

o Recorded cassets for visually challenged – Work from homeJ for organisation named “Mitra Jyothi”

Ø Learnt sign language (basic), so have coordinated for super cool hatke event where I volunteered as a mediator between deaf student and elderly grannies and grandpas (Organisation – APD (The Association of people with Disability) and Om Ashram)J

Ø Not volunteering as such but I am glad to say I have taken over 20 volunteer orientations with an average of 12 people per orientation:) And been part of over 5 major workshops as a resource person.

All event snaps:

http://picasaweb.google.com/ivolunteerbangalore

http://picasaweb.google.com/ivolunteer.bengaluru

http://picasaweb.google.com/prarthana.unkalkar/ICICIEventAtDreamsHome

http://picasaweb.google.com/prarthana.unkalkar/WorldDisablilityDay

http://picasaweb.google.com/smitakpawar/BCGEventWithDreamzHome

AIDS awareness event snaps:

http://picasaweb.google.com/ivolunteer.asha

Wow this is making me feel great and proud:) Thanks a lot to everyone for their all time support…

Best Regards,
Prarthana
Prarthana Unkalkar,
Head - iVolunteer Centres
iVolunteer -- Your skills can change lives.http://www.ivolunteer.in/

“We need a massive number of volunteers to change the fortune of our country!”

My life after joining iVolunteer

Today is 15th June 2008, I finished my 2 memorable years full of learning and good experience at iVolunteer… Today I started my day with cycle rally (7.30 Am to 12.30 PM for around 20 Kms):) 4-5 days back had given my cycle for putting gear in it, so that I can cycle with ease for this rally as well as future ones… Yesterday while returning from office after 3-4 hours of orientation session, on my way back home at 8PM, my kinetic petrol got over mid way, my Mechanic came and helped me by getting petrol and also unfortunately, I got the sad news at night 9 PM from him (as had given my cycle to a cycle shop known to him) that my cycle is not yet repaired and I wont get it…:( Wasn’t tensed though…. But was thinking that I have planned to leave at 7 AM and some people joining rally just because I have also confirmed my participation and now no cycle in hand… Fortunately my mechanic said he has a good gear cycle which he hasn’t used since months but would sit at night get it cleaned, fit the seat for my height and fill in the air and keep it ready by 6AM:) And he did what he said… After parking my bike on my way back to home at night yesterday, I met my Istri waala (Iron fellow, who irons clothes of around 100 houses:)) who was parking his cycle and generously agreed to give it to me next morning… I knew few people who were very much willing to join us, so also called few neigbours and arranged for another cycle at night 10 PM.. So finally we had 3 cycle in hand:) 6 people started from Koramangala to go the place where rally was supposed to start… Rally was of 4 kms from Cubbon park, but to reach there we had to ride atleast 8 kms:) But then we all enjoyed going there as a group and then even exciting was joing 50-100 more peopleJ Before rally started I was also honoured by the organisers (Jagruti organisation) with cute memento for doing volunteer coordination. After rally we did a street play on AIDS awareness, where I played Doctor’s role:) This is how I celebrated my 2 years completion at iVolunteer by spreading health awareness and environment awareness… You may enjoy the snaps which I would upload shortly:) Now I can feel bit tiredness after 4 hrs of completion of rally but still didn’t wanna miss this chance of writing this blog…

Coming to how iVolunteer platform changed my life….

I used to think that volunteering is something to do with orphans, but after teaching visually challenged boy Suresh I came to know that it’s also something to do with Blind people. But after I joined iVolunteer I realised that it’s not just children or blind but there are sooooo manyyyy other things that the list is endless… To mention a few, we have Special kids, Old age cares, Human right issues, women issues, education, community development, Civic issues, Road safety, environment etc etc etc and the list goes on and on… I am lucky that I got a chance to contribute to each of these in some or other way and sooooo I just feel that I have done and learnt something good and remarkable and there is lots and lots that I can do and learn… Words just can’t express my gratitude for such a wonderful platform i.e. “iVolunteer”, which has given me a chance to independently explore the social sector and touch thousand’s of lives directly and indirectly. It’s really been great to work here with everyone, be it the whole wonderful staff all across the country or the lovely volunteers or the cute beneficiaries or the great NGO’s or the professional corporates. There has been a great learning at each step and from each one of them in some or other way. Without your support I wouldn’t have been what I am today.
Also to join iVolunteer wasn’t an easy decision; it was a big decision to move from Corporate World to Social sector where you need to consider many things infact many facts… Joining iVolunteer wouldn’t have been possible without the support from “My family, my Super cool world’s best Family”, which has always and always supported me and my all interests.

So I really can’t miss this opportunity of saying everyone and each one of you “A Special Biiiiiiiiig Million dollar Thank you for making my journey in voluntary social sector worthwhile and a joy ride”. Please pray that I always do my best...

Would also love to and request you all to let me know your feedback on my work as well as the areas of improvement:)

Always Cheers and Smiles,
Prarthana :) :) :) :)

Giving happiness to others is a gr88888 act of charity:) So Keep Smiling guys!!!

Life before joining iVolunteer

This is my first blog posting :)

I was born and brought up in a very beautiful place Dandeli in mid of nature (http://www.dandeli.com/)... Lots of memories from my childhood till my graduation period with my family, friends and all the lovely people of the town!!!

After completion of my graduation (B.Com) I came to Bangalore to pursue my further studies. I was in a very confused state whether to go for MBA or CA or M.com or..... Finally decided to join CA course which was cheap and the best assuming I could do it with ease because I was one of intelligent students but ignored the very important minus point that when it comes to studies I am not a hard worker but a hardly working person... Cleared all my Sunday tests i.e. entrance tests (with help from my friend Mr. Santosh Hegde who was Gold medallist in our graduation days and who taught me all topics in bus and at home before tests) at one shot but couldn't get through CA Inter exam. Started my articleship at with Gulecha and company and successfully completed my Articleship with lot of good memories at Sathish and Ravi Associates, where my bosses Mr. M. Ravikumar and Mr. Sathish Makhija helped me a lot to grow personally as well as professionally. Thanks to them for supporting me at every step with their all time guidance. As I wasn't putting the efforts required for CA Course (though I did put a lot comparatively :)) I finally decided to change the field. I don't think I wasted 3-4 years because I got a chance to learn a lot, gained good knowledge and got lots and lots of good friends...

After deciding to change my field(course) I applied for PGDBA Correspondence at Symbiosis. Got the admissions done (http://www.scdl.net/), while I was in my first sem, decided to take up a job at some MNC, fortunately IBM was looking out for people with Finance as background and I got a job in IBM as Senior Procurement Specialist. Got a chance to visit USA twice for training purpose. Met lot of wonderful people. While working at IBM me and my friend Pradeepa (who joined IBM on same day) decided to do something worthwhile during weekends. We contacted Anna at iVolunteer whom I knew since my CA days. She connected us to Samarthanam Trust for disabled where we used to go every weekend and teach a visually challenged very intelligent and confident boy Suresh Reddy who was doing his BBM. Teaching him in turn resulted as a benefit to me. I used to teach him some commerce subjects one of which was Income Tax. As he lost his eyes when he was in 7th standard, I actually used to teach him some formulae on his hand. He cleared his exam with good % and we were very happy that we did something good and worth it!!! Later after my return from US trip when I had missed almost all exams I thought let me give a try for 1 paper left that is Income Tax... Can you believe without any studies I just glance the book appeared my exam, actually started recollecting all that I taught to Suresh and just did it very well. When results were out many people flunked in Income tax and to my surprise I scored 83 marks... Lesson learnt: Helping others is a great help to self!!! Then formed a group at IBM and started spending some time with slum children through Makkala Jagrithi where we met this wonderful Trustee Joy Srinivasan who's now one of my good friends:)

Dad retired as Manager (Research & Development) at West Coast Paper Mills, Dandeli and then underwent a bypass surgery... Parents moved to Bangalore. I got attracted a lot to the little social work I used to do and wanted to spend some time with my parents, so decided to change my field itself and quit my job at IBM where I grew a lot professionally and added many good friends to my list...

Have been very lucky to have such a wonderful family who has supported me at each and every step and has helped me come up in life with confidence and determination that yes I can do it:) I thank God to infinity for giving me such wonderful family and friends. The belief that my family and friends showed in me and support that they gave me has resulted in me taking next major step of life of moving to Social sector....

When it has come to family I can't miss telling you guys about my sweet little family... My Dad - is currently a Vedic Maths author (http://www.vedicmathsindia.org/other_associates.htm), dad has written books on Vedic Maths and these days he keeps himself occupied by giving lectures at various places in Bangalore and other parts too, recently gave one lecture in US:) ( http://picasaweb.google.co.in/unkalkar/VedicMathsSessionsUSA )(http://vedicmathsindia.blogspot.com/). Mom is a spiritual student, was a Maths teacher and now also to keep herself occupied takes few tuitions:) Have an elder brother and sister, both are married and are in US currently. Sister has a 3 year old cute little son. Brother, sister and brother in law are Software Professionals. Brother in law works 24/7 (even 24/7 is less). Sister in law is a good painting artist and works too:) All are fond of music, my dad and sister are too good singers, I hope so am I:) Both of them play too good casio, not learnt but in born talent:) My brother is a good cricketer and resembles Rahul Dravid a lot (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNxfKs-HswY).

This was my story in brief before I joined iVolunteer:) Wait for my next post on how my life changed after joining iVolunteer!!!

P.S: Haven't named any friends as such because I have got so many good friends in every walk of life and I take this opportunity to thank each one of you, for, you have touched my life in some or other way!!! Special thanks to all!!!