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!”