Tag: Volunteer Engagement

Speak Out – Children’s Day Special

Speak Out – Children’s Day Special

Inspiring the child in us!
Everybody has a child like nature within us and SpeakOutians got a special way to let it all out on this Children’s day with our bright angels! Volunteers at two of the Pudhiyadhor centres, Samarpana and Arun Rainbow planned a Children’s day event at their respective centres. At few centres we celebrated it giving chocolates, biscuits and stationary to the whole centre. We also screened movie at one of our centre “Despicable Me“ with prior permission of management. Kids absolutely loved the minions!

We thank volunteers from all 4 centres to take an effort and give me our kids best they deserve. A much cherishable day on the 2016-17 Calendar of SpeakOut!

Speak Out – This Week’s Special Children’s Day Special

“Akka parunga neenga dhan en name English la eludha soli kuduthinga.” said a kid named Madhan whom I used to teach. It made me so happy and that was the day when I realized that just the 2 hours we spend can make a bigger difference.

After that I actually wanted to bring change and that’s why I applied for ‘Lead Bhumi’. Kishore and Avinesh were my boosting tool. Everytime I come to Chennai and go back I carry a million memories and wait eagerly for the next weekend.

Even In future If I move of to some other city I will plan to start a Bhumi chapter. Bhumi is closely connected to my heart and soul and has been the platform to change myself from within.
And I’m looking forward to start a Project for Women Empowerment in Bhumi.    
                                                                                                                                              – Pavithra Mannan, City HR

 

Merchant of Wow! – Rhaasi

“Volunteering is an amazing chance were you get to contribute in making difference in society” says Rhaasi. An architecture student, joined Bhumi last year and this year she took up the role of centre HR coordinator of Arun Rainbow-Purasawakkam.

She says that she believes in good bonding among volunteers and team work and she’s put her words to action as well by having the best volunteer   bonding for her centre.

Thank you Rhaasi for being an awesome coordinator this year! We are proud to announce you as merchant of Wow!

Champs in the Amps!
Here are Samreen & Mansi – centre HR coordinators at CMS and Kamaraj Illam respectively doing an amazing job! Sharing their experience and journey so far:


Samreen

Volunteering for me means: Simply a chance to make a difference.

Best part of Bhumi: Its functioning pattern itself and youth volunteering which offers several responsibilities to youngsters.

Best part of Speakout: The maximum strength that our project has. Larger the count bigger the impact.

Bhumi has changed you as: As a better person who is very comfortable in conversing and working with many strangers whom I didn’t know before I joined Bhumi.

Inspiring person you meet in Bhumi: Our Founders are the best example that anyone would take them as inspiration because there start and the level and influence that Bhumi has now after 10 years of Journey showcases their hardwork.

What’s the most special thing happened to you in class: After class when I went down the stairs a little girl came running towards and draged me to her parents and introduced to them. That gave the absolute teacher feeling which was great!

 

Samreen’s Rapid Fire

Hobbies: Reading, writing
Love to: Dance, Enjoy songs
I dream Of:  That day when I can afford my parents’ living!
Chennai to me is: Its just Namma Ooru Chennai for me. A place where I would love to live in and make changes accordingly.
Favorites: Books – Alchemist   Movie – Any inspirational story and All love stories that has practical endings.  TV Series –  Koffee with Karan.

 

Mansi

Volunteering for me means: It’s all working selfless . Being carefree and just because you wanna do something which many peoples don’t tend to do that comfortably.

Best part of Bhumi: Attending class and being with kids. Meeting like minded people.

Best part of Speakout: Spamming and irrespective fights which has no head and tail. (All volunteers group whatsapp)

Changes you would like to see in spo: Recruitment process, where in beginners understand the seriousness of volunteering.

Bhumi has changed me as:  A person who consume time in proper channel.

Inspiring person I have met in Bhumi: “Pavithra” our HR coordinator. Being a working woman, she finds time to manage things at best way possible. She travels every weekend just to ensure that things at SPO goes smoothly.

Most special thing happened in class: Met this naughty kid at my spo class, Vignesh. He’s full of energy and not stoppable. He makes me dance every time I enter class, which makes me feel special and is signing on note for me to begin class.

 

Mansi’s Rapid Fire

Hobbies: Wander lust, cribbing novels.
Matrimonial ad: Commit at your own risk.
You dream off: To command like Hitler
Chennai to me is: second home
Favorites: Books – The white tiger    Movie – Gajni, Hachiko  TV Series – How I met your Mother

Lakshya’s Day out

Lakshya’s Day out

It was a sunday; the day of vacation… when a few guys were getting acquainted in the ride in Chennai and reached the venue in an exactly planned fashion to skip breakfast (‘coz brunch was traded for early lunch 😛 ) a few were playing antakshari in Hindi, Kannad, Tamil,and Punjabi songs on the way in Bangalore. As a team on-time after a traditional south-Indian breakfast volunteers got the energy for a paintball session; on the contrary, our all time energy packages went out fetching bats, balls, nets to start with games of cricket, Frisbee,Tennikoit, handball etc…
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In Munchinbelle after paintball the ground was set for adventure with activities like tight rope walk, shaky bridge walk and Burma bridge trail in which ramalakshmi ended up proving most athletic person in the team by doing the activities twice.

The special delicacy, Pepper Chicken was enjoyed by all. To relax, volunteers got the opportunity to canoe in the big reservoir. Everything from the scenic beauty to the still water touched their soul. Occasionally guys on the other shore chilled out on the beach after fari-stastic dumb-charades in chennai, and Some of them had a dip in Rock-on style jumping from the edge into the lake in bangalore.  After that began the round of serious discussion over tea about issues like street children, it inspired the volunteers to carry on the things in bangalore but namma pasanga oru kuthaatam potu mudichaanga .Then, a journey back to home. Byju’s jokes, an integral part of the whole journey were both irritating and enjoyable at the same time. As the day came to an end, everyone had some memories from it that they would cherish for a long long time.

 

Wish of a story

Wish of a story

Here is a cute message from our volunteer Srinivasan; as you read you would know whom it is addressed too…..

When I was a child, my granny used to say “if you don’t behave well, Saami kanna kuthidum”. I took it serious at that time. I haven’t committed any kind of mischief; just by blindly adhering to her words and obeying her. Because of zero awareness, the phrase got attached deep to my heart and I behaved very well.  But now while thinking about it i get to know; why she had told me so? I.e. just to build me as a generous man and to make my life ecstatic.
Belief system in our body plays the major role in our life. Psychology says that if our belief system is attacked, we would never hear to anyone saying things against it. For example, the word ‘confidence’ lies in that belief system of mine. Thus my granny attacked my belief system by the phrase ‘Saami kanna kuthidum.’
Think about it, if not atheist, about the god you pray daily, Rama, Jesus or Allah. He might have been a leader to certain people, who took care of the people very well; with affection, love and care. He had been to spread the purity. He had ruled his people with greatness. He had given his life for the people. He has lead during the enemy attacks. He had come first to face the challenge. He might have won the hearts. He might have spread the spiritual awareness; and even spent his whole life with selfless attitude. Thus, the perfect leader, a ruler or a king has been worshiped as God. They were made as God to us; it is nothing but an attack in our belief system. Even Almighty Allah might have never been seen by his greatness Nabigal Nayagam.
He might have had told so just to enrich our life to feel the pureness- the emptiness- the happiness. The holy books might have been made by the one who has learned from his failures in his life and written for the future so that we can learn from them; or it might be written as formulae of life for future generation. Thus it is our awareness that results in the belief we hold today.  The photos, the sculptures we worship daily might have been the leaders, the rulers or the kings who might have lived long ago.
I dedicate this short article to my friend, to a man, to a King, to Parvez (which means King), Living yet leading beside us; Mohammed Arshath Parvez, wishing him an advance happy birthday.

Holiday Note

Holiday Note

“Summer” the buzz word with all interpretations is here. The much awaited break for most of us; with the onset of April we start to spell out dreams; that I may do …. I may stop …. I may change… ‘Coz it’s may then…. Slowly we get back in tune for its June… 😛 then we let the dreams fly either into laments or into memories….
This is a tradition we have accustomed ourselves as a  way, of breaking a habitroutine. But there is an even more adorable touch to it; remember those old school days wherein we get out for summer and get in with our summer assignments…
So ripples also wishes this holiday season with a gentle assignment; if you would care to take it up. It’s a one word assignment; an assignment that is fun working and assessing… It’s an assignment that we prefer most volunteers take up… Its called “Share… “.
SHARE…
You may send in anything that falls in the realm of sharing (your articles; artworks; emotions 😉 etc…)… Under the subject “SHARE” to [email protected]
Well Ideas too are worth a share… So why not…
Yeah mainly enjoy your holidays. For those who haven’t got one; take it up from these assignments…. ‘Coz life is what we make it…

Volunteer chronicles – Romeo

Volunteer chronicles – Romeo

On a crisp chat with Romeo Trichy:
# What was your inspiration to join Bhumi?

“Bhumi? “;
“What is BHUMI?” This was a million dollar question in my college SARANATHAN during early days… Then i came to know it is an NGO (Chapter) that Laxmi n Ranjani have established together in Trichy and they are going to work for Kids who are in need of knowledge not money… The tag line CHANGE TODAY CHANGE TOMORROW literally inspired me….And i became a part of it… Laxmi Narayanan is always my inspiration… His sense of timing (Punctuality), problem solving ability, capacity to handle any kind of situation at any time… All this made him a sense of inspiration for…

 # What were your ‘learning’s and ‘take-aways from Lakshya; or why Lakshya?

Why Lakshya? Well it has no structured syllabus. It gives more space for experimenting; our own ideas and mentoring… That’s it…

 # What is your personal interest and development after joining us?

After joining Bhumi; I started thinking from the point of view of a kid; what they needed and how could I (a volunteer)? Fulfill their needs. This is what i started doing at home. Thinking from; my parents’ point of view. And now they all say “Romeo vara vara romba porupa erukan… “

 # What are your further interests in betterment of yourself and Bhumi?

Further interest is to bring in more than 1000 kids for this year’s (2014) nakshatra. Since i was a part of last year’s liaison team. Moreover this time too i will continue in that!!
– Lakshmi, chennai

Interview with vivek rajan

Interview with vivek rajan

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Hi; first of all congrats for your married life. Since your life is so full of Bhumi volunteering; with your partner also being a Bhumi volunteer; can you tell us; how and when you joined Bhumi? And a few words about you?

Thank you!!I was born in the sceni district of Kanyakumari, as the only son to my parents. I soon shifted my base to Chennai where I had my Schooling. It was in 6th standard at my school I met the future Mrs.Vivek. After school I joined A GOVT COLLEGE at Chennai (CEG, Anna University) and did my B.E, Mechanical there. My destiny pushed me to Trichy despite job offers at ASCENDAS & TIDEL PARK; Then I joined the typical SARKARI-BABU company; “BHEL” like any other Indian in 2009. To a lot of people, a “turning point” would be an incident which leads to something better or bad in their lives. I too had one such incident on the night of June 09 of 2011 at Trichy, when I met with an accident. But i had no idea while I was literally being turned inside out on a hospital’s operating table.

After that harrowing experience, I had loads of time to introspect. A lot of questions popped up in my mind, like, “Will my death create any loss to someone; other than my family & friends?”

The answer was “no” and It really put me down. As always; I turned to the one with answers to all my problems, my best half- Rumana; she then explained about Bhumi and told that it would really be an up-lifting experience if I engaged myself in it. I was like “why not?” and registered myself for the orientation on june-13 after getting my feet back, (literally: p) been a Bhumian from then!!

 That’s inspiring and romantic too; 😉 Hearing so much on your choice of Bhumi there has to be a lot of moments; which are close to your heart… Can you share a few with us?  

 After starting this year’s Lakshya session, I had to visit the center; alone; for some follow-up work; I met with a champ to ask about the whereabouts of the warden. Since I had forgotten his name; I asked him “What is your name?”
He replied ‘”Vivek Anna, My name is Arjun. You and other annas & akkas have visited us only once but we will never forget your names, just try not to forget ours”
From that day I tried my best to be regular to my sessions and remember the kids ‘by name’.
After my marriage I visited the kids accompanied with my wife. They immediately swarmed around us and started congratulating. They also sang some songs in Tamil wishing both of us.
My wife’s only question was what did you do for these kids? The answer was “I am yet to start.”

You have started so much inside us; can you share a few words on how much being a mentor cum volunteer in Bhumi helped you in your life?

As i told you before, being the only child of working parents, I used to find solitude as my best companion. It made me a bit of an introvert. Being a mentor, is a chance to open up and test my latent communication skills. And being with mentors of my age group or older (pun intended 🙂 ) it also helped build my social skills

What are the things that you love and despise in Bhumi?

In Bhumi: I love the informal way of working; having seriousness where it is needed and the sense of belonging among all volunteers. Most of all the high level of maturity of all volunteers; who are in their teens. As in Despise; I despise the fact that there is nothing to hate.

What is your view and perspective on volunteering? And finally anything you want to share to us to enhance our volunteering experience?

Volunteering was something innate in the Indian Culture; it is slowly being eroded in this modern era. Very few people get to say that “I am back” in Billa Ajith style after facing a round and then get to realize the need to better oneself  in version 2.0 like I did.
So as youngsters we should embrace this gift of life & always remember the words of Frost

“The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

A look back into 2013-14

A look back into 2013-14

Ripples collage 2 Ripples collage

These are collages of happenings in the year… Do you feel that a promise of articles is being broken here of all these beautiful memories then bring in your stories to feature in ripples…
Send in your entries to [email protected]  with a title “Reflect in Ripples”