Volunteer Diaries: A lifetime experience!

The Mobile Creches summer camp at Sector-38, Gurgaon center was the most wonderful experience for me as a volunteer. Watching and interacting with the children was a great learning and helped me realize the importance of the smallest things. Here’s my amazing experience of the summer camp:

Day 1:

The first day of the summer camp at the Mobile Crèches center was a very joy filled experience. The children were given small pieces of paper and sheets with drawings made on it and were told to stick the small colorful pieces of paper on the drawing provided to them. With no rules to bind their imaginations, the children made the plain white paper into a colorful rainbow.  I interacted with the children as they worked and discovered how quickly they accepted a person into their groups. Not one kid was left alone. The day’s activity ended with the girls singing an inspirational song on Girl Child.

Girls singing the song: ' Bitiya hun bitiya main tara banoongi'

Day 2:

On second day the children portrayed theatrical skills. They dressed up as various animals and danced to the songs sung by the staff and the children themselves. Bharat, who is better known as Bum Bum sang a song based on personal hygiene. His enthusiasm towards everything was very pleasing to watch. The staff then raised various educational slogans as the children repeated after them. The children also put up a brilliant play based on Akbar and Birbal.

'Jungle Friends'

Day 3:

The 3^rd day was spent making toys out of well-moistened mud. I sat with children with my share of the mud and watched the children create beautiful toys while I was still wondering what to make. Sapna, the most talkative and active one, out of the girls made a wonderful ‘chullah’.

'Clay workshop in progress'

Day 4:

The 4^th day saw the children teaching me how to make a wonderful plane, boat and a flower just by folding papers. I was fascinated by how talented these children were despite them not having any sort of formal education. On interacting with them, I learnt more about each one of them. They talked about their hometowns and their likes. I was immensely touched when the staff and the children made a flower for me made out of paper.

Day 5:

On the 5^th day of the camp, I worked with the older children and helped them prepare a chart on the evolution of education over the years. Their eagerness to do any kind of work and complete their task was really touching. They did not fight if another person got what they wanted; they happily accepted what was being offered to them and they did their activities with all smiles. They might not be great artists but their willingness and efforts were more than enough to make the chart a perfect piece of art. 

Day 6:

The last day of the summer camp concluded with the exhibition of the children’s craft works, final performances of the songs, dances, acts and drama. The centre had been beautifully decorated and the excitement of the children was so evident. They performed the jungle song on the beat of music instrument by the staff. They wore paper butterflies on their shirts. Children sang, danced and showed their skills happily.

'Exhibition of Efforts'

The children at the Mobile Creches centre have taught me that despite the hardships of life, one should stay up and have a big smile. The dedication of the staff is amazing. They are so patient and have taught the children the very basic things in the most fun ways possible. Every moment spent with the children brightened my day and I’m really thankful that I got an opportunity like this.

These words have been written by Qudrat Singh who is a student of standard XII at G.D. Goenka World School, Gurgaon. As part of her summer vacations, she volunteered with Mobile Creches at the Unitech Resort Centre in Sector 38, Gurgaon. 

Volunteer Diaries: A Beautiful Experience!

Back after a four day gap, I could spot similar faces again. They as usual had a lit up face and nothing seemed to matter to them. Seeing children everywhere, giggling and gaggling enjoying their childhood, fearless of the outside world, always cheers and boosts me up.

 

I go there to inculcate in them teeny-weeny bits of knowledge, but at the end of the day it’s not always them who end up learning, I am also able to learn various things from them. The way they do what theywant to do and don’t allow anyone to force them onto something, speaks of their levels of concentration. If they want to draw, they would only draw and likewise in other areas such as Maths, Colouring, Hindi etc. Spending those 2 hours with them always turns out to be a whole new experience, each and every time.

These words have been written by Manan Kedia who is a student of Standard XI at DPS RK Puram. As part of his summer vacations, he is volunteering at the Mobile Creches Day Care Centre at Raja Bazaar, New Delhi.

Volunteer Diaries

Day 1 (1st June, 2013)

It was an amazing experience. I managed to spend some time with the children at the centre and could help a bit in teaching Hindi to children of 5+ years of age.

I came across a girl named Radhika. It was very interesting to notice her enthusiasm to study. While teaching the other children of the same group there would be a voice from the other side of the table saying "didi ho gaya, kya ab main koi aur shabd likh sakti hoon?" I turned around and saw it was Radhika. This happened at least 3 times. I felt so happy looking at that and this indirectly motivated the rest of the children to learn.

There was a lot of happiness in the centre, among the children.

Day 2 ( 3rd June, 2013)

It was again a very interesting day for me. I read out a story to the 'Non-Formal Education' children in the age group of 6-12. The children themselves selected a book that had many short stories.They repeated the lines that I read out and tried to enact them.

During the drawing session, there were plain sheets being distributed for them to draw. Then I came across a girl named Ishika and her lovely drawing -  One can see the hidden talent in her. She made birds, sun, butterfly, balloons and the overall pictures were also very scenic. If all goes well in the future she can become one of the most talented artists.  

Day 3(4th June, 2013)

This was also the pay day - a day when the field/creche workers come to the Head Office for their salary. It was an amazing experience but to be honest I also missed being at the center with the children as I came to see the Pay Day activities in the great hall with the creche workers. One could see the excitment on all the faces. People were dancing, singing, playing the dhol and having an amazing time. I'd also want  to that there are many good dancers there. Their facial expressions while dancing are amazing. The best part is that in the starting they were shy but once they started one could never say that they were ever shy. 

Today in the center, the children were learning paper folding and they made boats, fans, topi. They enjoyed the most while making boats. Whenever I would ask, "ab kya bana rahe ho" they'd say, "nav(boat)" then again " didi hum fir nav rahe lekin choti si "and then  they coloured it ". 

These words are written by Udita Narayan, whose studying Applied Psychology in Amity, Noida. She's currently a volunteer with Mobile Creches.