Showing posts with label 2010. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2010. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Vibha Diary: First Meeting

After joining Vibha, we started receiving mails regarding a team meeting. Vibha members were planning to meet on the coming weekend at a CCD in Koremanagala. Meeting was called to decide the calendar of the next month. Mr. Ashish confirmed his gracious presence in the meeting and decided to drag me in with him. After his confirmation he received a call from Venky who summarized Vibha's work and methodologies. At the end, Venky made sure to invite us for the meeting as an introductory session for Ashish and me.

Without resisting much, I accompanied Ashish. As we did not want to leave bad impression in the first meeting so we reached before time and waited other members to join us. Other folks were late due to traffic chaos in Bangalore. Within sometime few members, including Venky, arrived

Though things were little off track but Venky, without losing much time, summed up everything about Vibha. In his short introductory speech, he introduced us with the history, objective, functionary, and work in India. He told us about the organization structure and heads. He was not shy about narrating the reason of choosing CCD over any Vibha’s office.

This was my first visit to CCD and I was not aware of different kind of coffees available. So I ordered the cheapest one. Rest expected folks joined us within some time and we started planning for the next month and it was decided to conduct at-least one event, in continuation with the previous events, in Hope School.

This event included entertaining the kids, knowledge sharing and promoting moral and social ideologies to kids so it was necessary to plan according to their grasping powers and understanding capabilities. Before I joined Vibha, other volunteers had conducted 2-3 successful events and this proposed event was for kids who were studying in 5th standard.

In the mean time our coffee arrived. Everyone got their coffees. Some were cold rest others were hot; some had chocolates others had cookies and so on. I expected my coffee to be as tempting as others but waiter shattered all my dreams of tempting coffee. He brought a small cup with some black substance i.e. espresso. In-spite of not getting as tempting coffee, I was still hoping for some milk so requested waiter to bring some milk which he denied with courtesy and weird smile. All others were enjoying their coffee whereas I was staring at my cup. I emptied 3-4 sachets of sugar and somehow finished the sweet poison without seeking much attention.

This meeting lasted over an hour and we concluded this meeting after deciding the agenda for the next meeting. Each of us had to come up with innovative gaming ideas for the kids, try to bring in more ideas on table to make event more interesting, propose something better in snacks and last but not the least the gifts for the games. After that we all paid our shares and moved back.

This meeting set the tone for both of us. We were excited and happy with the idea of doing something real.

So stay tuned for next meeting and further updates.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Vibha Diary: Search for an NGO

I had been thinking to join a social group, but I was lazy enough to type "NGO in Bangalore"@Google, so joining such a group was just a dream. Though the  fuel was always there but the medium to burn the fuel was not available. People in office had lots of different reasons to join an NGO. My office used to support an NGO and my colleagues used to visit the place once a while, but I never took any interest in supporting these workers and their causes.

After 3 years one room-mate left and Ashish came to Bangalore with the fuel and the burning power. Once a while in our inconclusive discussions, we had discussed about joining an NGO and "GIVE SOMETHING BACK TO THE SOCIETY". I was never too sure if I was really inspired to do something like this but as usual we made statements and forgot them after the discussion. But one such discussion clanged to Ashish's mind and our heated and in-depth discussion provided him the inspiration to do something which I dreamt for last 3 years i.e. TYPE "NGO in Bangalore" in Google and enter.

He did not disclose any results of his search but went somewhere on the same weekend. After returning back he told about NGO. This NGO was for dogs, something like PETA. People at this NGO were working for a good DOG life. Ashish was supposed to assist a team which would catch all the stray dogs from the streets and take them to a safer place. Though I am not an animal lover and I argue with people who fight for animal's cause (Quite frankly, they are also assisting but ….). People argue when human cannot be trusted then why not love someone who can be trusted i.e. Dog. Why do we even trust our family, our relatives, our friends and people around us? People say animals cannot speak, cannot demand and cannot hit back then that it is our responsibility to feed them and take care of them. Okay, there are a lot more humans who are living life very similar to this, why not work for them. I know, there are lots of people against my ideology but is it not worth to work for humanity or to work for people similar to you who need help just like the  animals. If we all reach a level where humans are not in need then in such society we can think of uplifting the standard of animals not until someone, like us, is in pain.

Anyways Ashish and I again had in-depth discussion about the importance of social work and preferences and somehow I convinced him. Though it was difficult for me to change his thoughts but this time our discussion reached to a conclusive end. So he searched again to find an NGO for children.

Within half an hour we registered for an NGO called VIBHA, which works for underprivileged children. This NGO supports various organizations across the country, mainly in south India. This organization provides financial assistance to other organizations which work for children born with lesser privileges and higher expectations. These organizations try to bring in more children under the radar to improve their current and future life.


Vibha working for under Privilege Children
I was not yet fully sure if I would like to continue this NGO but there are few reasons which might have impacted my decision.
1.     Ashish pushed me a lot to join so that we both can go support each other for the cause.
2.     MBA was much awaited future for me, so I wanted to add something in my resume to increase its worth.
3.     Lots of girls join NGOs so …...
4.     I had lot of time on weekends, so wanted to enjoy my time than wasting it in home.

But all stated reasons were secondary as I wanted to join some group where I might not be able to make a difference but can contribute towards the cause and assist people who are trying hard to make a difference.

More to continue…

Friday, December 31, 2010

B Bye 2010 Hi 2011


Countdown for the Year 2011 has begun and sooner we all will change calenders. Our laptops will display 2011 as current year. Was 2010 not a long year?


For me yeah it was tiring and long. Lot of things, lot of expectations, targets were either achieved or removed from the bucket list.

Most importantly "Conquer CAT - Bell the CAT" was removed from my list in 2010. Though It was almost removed in 2009 but my friend compelled me to try it once more but I did not feel CAT's addition burden in 2010.

As a part of my main achievements, I moved back to North( :( :( ). After long discussions, chats and expert opinions I choose to move to north (Few friends told me that my destiny is NCR then why to delay it more). Yeah, Yeah I got good hikes and all and now I am all set in Noida. I might have achieved chota mota chisen but this is the most important thing I could remember.

I did not fail in anything yet ( :) :) ). Okay for the facts, even if I have; I have recompiled my task list and added the task at the end of it.

2011, I have a lot of things in my bag. First, get layout plans for home, build it (My dad has told me, he wont do anything now it is my responsibility. N I have told him to sit down and enjoy the freedom). Next is to find a awesome partner from an unsuitable batch (Assuming those chicks :) will screw me). Okay lets say done.... Then marry soon... And if these tasks are completed by the End of March, one more task will be appended to my 2011 list ( :(:( ) .

Chalo koi na, abhi ke liye bas itna hi... Now will come back here next year only.. Vese what are your plans to enjoy new year? I am sitting on my laptop and talking/chatting idiots like me(Psycho right now)...

ANYWAYS WISH A GREAT YEAR AHEAD FOR YOU N YOUR FAMILY .