Defining moment for a Volunteer :)

Here is one of those defining moments for a volunteer :)

Rajiv lies down after setting out the dari in the new class on the eve of the class inauguration. The class is finally ready after more than a month of work from negotiating with the broker, deciding the colors that need to go in the class, finalising the inauguration date to this day. 

He now looks around & reminisces the moments of toil and shared efforts of all the volunteers that has been put into completing the work to develop this class. The smile on his face says it all ... :)

Thanks to all the volunteers who contributed equally to see this dream @ Prayas take shape. 

Our new class is a standing monument of the work we have all done for the past 3+ years and is a call out to all others to give back to their society.

Dance Team @ Prayas - Needs your Support

With the AID Delhi birthday celebrations nearing, planned for Sunday 25th January, an event hosting children of all our projects across Delhi / NCR. We are expecting atleast 100-120 children, volunteers to settle in & participate in events and games. The plan is to celebrate and have fun.

I presented this opportunity to the children Prayas who were enthused and all reared up to dance their hearts out. Asmina & Ishrat specifically came up and told me that they it was their 'tamannna' (dream) if they could get dress up in pretty clothes to do perform on stage. I was totally for this but we needed somebody to train the children for the performance. And so the search began.

An innocent request that came in from the children and I felt honored to work towards getting it done. Being the lazy person that I am I did put a mail but dint go out actively searching for a choreographer for them, honestly speaking. But thanks to the good hearted and active volunteer lot that we have at Prayas we found not one but two choreographers. Good Work - Sonika & Tarun :)

But we finalised with Apoorva who was from Tarun's office - Kritikal Solutions. And she has been doing a wonderful at this 6 days of dance classes down the line. 

The enthusiasm and happiness while dancing has been an invaluable sight to me the past few days. They keep telling Apoorva about possible different ways of presenting a step - 'Didi, hum aise kar len?'. They are ready to discipline themselves to make the dance appear as beautiful as possible. Apoorva gives them the necessary space that this creative spirit in the children also works along.

And finally, when they are all tired after working hard dancing when they sit down to take a break and drink water there is an observable shade of satisfaction that could be read only through their eyes. Hope we better the ever ready to dance Aashayein team.

Hey, if you wish to support you could pledge an amount you wish to support the team for the cost transport, clothes and accessories. You could also be part of this wish coming true. Please come forward :)

- Arun Raj

Finally, Open for Business :)

Jan 11, 2009 (Sunday): 

Today, we inaugurated the 'much talked about' new center of Prayaas in Sec 15, Naya Bans. It was attended by all the children of Prayaas along with parents of some of the children plus entire gamut of volunteers. We started with the brief introduction of Prayaas covering how it evolved to its current level, why we felt the need to start the new centre and what value new set up would bring to the children. Nikunj was formally introduced to as full time teacher. After that parents of the five Nai Disha children shared their experiences and changes felt by them in their wards. This was followed by cultural program by the children showcasing their inherent talent. Snacks were served to conclude the event.

Volunteers who witness to this mega show of unity and commitment were Anuradha, Arun, Atul, Charu, Divisha, Neha, Nikunj, Peeyush, Prasad, Raj, Rajiv, Sonika, Sugandha, Tarun, Vikas & friends of many of the volunteers. Literacy India was represented by Mr Duggal & Sohit. This event was made successful by arduous effort of all Prayaas volunteers, notably Arun, Prasad, Rajiv, Sugandha & Vikas.

Overall we all enjoyed and it went quite beautifully.

Cheers!!

Anand

We are all Selfish - Instinctively

Whom better to understand this from other than from the innocent children who voice their opinions in vivid and naive statements, beyond bounds of diplomacy and politcal correctness. I was a victim or a proud recipient of one such opinion or compliment yesterday.

With the AID Delhi Birthday celebration coming up on 25th Jan I saw an opportunity for our children to performand showcase their abilities. I presented this last week to Asmina, Ishrat, Reena & Subi who after which have been clinging onto me everyday I met them to get them somebody to teach and prepare them for the performance. And, we did successfully manage to get a lady for teaching the children dance. One nice lady from Kritikal Solutions - Apoorva. Asmina even voiced to me that it was her 'tamanna' that she wore some lovely designed clothes and danced on a stage. 

There was this sudden surge of popularity that Arun Sir was getting. Yesterday evening while walking all of them to their home the girls were hanging onto every bit of me as though they have found a piece of chocolate that they don't want to let go off. Each one now vying for one finger of mine to hang on to. Its been some time since I received such a lot of female attention but then this was different ;).

Then, Asmina, who was all blah-blah-blah about one too many stories of which I lost count and sync with for a while, made a startling statement which is even now buzzing in my head as fresh as then - "Arun Sir humare favorite Sir hai!!". And then as though in a chorus there was Ishrat, Reena, Kiran and others who agreed to it without a doubt. 

Surprised!!! ... I was stunned!!! I have been coming regularly only for 3 weeks now (even though I have been part of Prayas for 2.5yrs now) and I don't even teach them. Before I went to sleep, I could not help but be confused about how to accept that as a compliment or innocent attempt at coaxing Arun Sir further. 

While I was confused, I was trying to understand where was the root of this confsion. I noticed that in our daily lives we are all trying to compete, survive & diffrentiate. In this endeavor most of us unconsious of our own actions and thoughts questioning - 'Why should I help them/him/her?' or 'What is in it for me?'. I strongly feel, in this unending questioning, we are lost unable to help neither ourselves nor another. Most of us  would have surely noticed that some children make statements like - 'Why should I give him my pencil/rubber/etc.?'.

I have not received this level of attention from the children in the past 2.5yrs of spending time with them. The attention the children was giving me had a very instinctive & natural nature about it. I had aligned with a dream they had and by being able to fulfil I was being given the special treatment. I personally feel the statement they made for me was not justified enough and have not counted it as an endorsement or compliment of any sort for the work I have done. Simply, because it was out of sheer instinct. It was not right.

Some of us would have surely received such attention because of some one thing we have been able to give them. Others would struggled to connect because they not been. And this then directly affects our efforts. Some burn out, others lose interest fast and quite a few others are lost in an unending attempt trying to find out what can they do.

I love the children anyway they are. My attachement to the service I am doing will be alive as long as I am able to deliver it to my fullest capability. But then after this episode I could not help but conclude that - We are all selfish, atleast instinctively. And I believe each of us volunteers should be aware of this instinctively selfish expression of love with anybody from a 1 year old to 18 year old to a 31 year old to a 60 year old and be detached from such emotional expressions and be attached more toward the service you can provide. 

And my feeling is that if we are able to do this then we have some brighter days ahead. :)

God Bless All !!

Inauguration of New Classroom Setup @ Prayas on Sunday 11th Jan '09

" We heartily invite you to join us on Sunday Jan 11^th @ Sector 15A, NOIDA for this new beginning at Prayas. " - Friends of AID Prayas

Prayas has been 3 years in the nurturing from a humble beginning. From supporting a few teenage boys post their work schedules late in the evening to a full fledged preparatory school for young girls and boys we have grown leaps and bounds. From a humble one room setup inside the community we are moving onto a full blown two room set with more space for, as the children say, playing and study.

The volunteers or friends of Prayas have been a dedicated set of didi's and bhaiyya's for the children and today stand proudly to announce to and invite you to the opening of new class at - Nayabans, Sector 15, NOIDA.

Some Achievements: Time Line '06-'09

1. Jan '06 – Prayas begins
   
2. August '06 – Classes start for girl children of the community
   
3. June '07 - 25 Kids into government school at Sector 15 NOIDA
   
4. March '08 – 5 Children – Suby, Sabreen, Zulekha, Sona & Sajjad, joins Nai Disha a Free School at Sector 29, NOIDA
   
5. Jan '09 – A new classroom : Bigger & Better
   

Prayas has inspired many families and children in the community to look forward to education & literacy as a means to getting their deserved rights and live a better life. We look forward to seeing the same in a much more amplified and focused effort from people much like you and me.

PS: For reaching the location and directions you may call me or Arun Raj @ 9910908774 or Rajiv @ 9811981809