"As a child, my ambitions were very different. But life had a different plan for me. I did my bachelor's in pharmacy and started working with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in December 2006. I enjoyed my work there. TCS also offered weekend volunteering opportunities through Tcs-Maitree.

My friend and I were looking forward to do something on weekends. That’s when Sion School initiative happened. A team of TCS employees volunteered on Sundays at a school in Sion. We taught English to 8th and 9th standard students. My friend went on for further studies, and I continued with this initiative on weekends. Working with students here was a very positive and motivating experience. I enjoyed what I was doing there.

I realized that I would love to be involved in teaching, but didn't know how. I was academically not trained to be a teacher. However, this passion to teach and the concern about the education system in India grew with my volunteering experience. I wanted to do my part to bring a change, however small.

In December 2013, I quit my corporate job and started looking for options for. I started volunteering with The Akanksha Foundation’s Shindewadi Municipal School. Later one day, thanks to a friend, I was introduced to Kranti, which works ‘to empower the daughters of sex workers and make them agents of social change'.

Kranti offers a personalized developmental program to the girls. I used to provide home schooling support to them. This changed my life in many ways and I realized teaching could be so much fun. You can teach critical thinking in so many different ways. #Education is ultimately about empowering kids to be independent - emotionally, financially and socially. I enjoyed the alternate education system. Through Kranti, I came to know about lot of people who are involved in making education more relevant and practical.

During my Kranti journey, I got in touch with an organization called Antarang Foundation that provides employability skills to build self-reliance. I have trained youth from different communities on employability skills and have seen their journeys.

Now I'm working with Happy Feet Home – a hospice that provides palliative care to terminally-ill children. Here I teach kids who are living with Thalassemia Major or HIV. The kids are in different age group and are different backgrounds. I help in their academics, conversational English, reading and writing skills. I hope to help them to increase their critical thinking ability. I'm still associated with Kranti and Antarang.

When I talk to my cousin about the work I do, he says “you would always become a teacher when we used to play in childhood, and you used to love being a teacher.” When I think about where I'm right now, I didn't plan this but it feels so right. It seems like it was meant to happen. I love children, I love being around them. Teaching gives me an opportunity to interact with them, understand them and love them"

"Dots are starting to connect"

As every Saturday, I reached 5 mins before the usual school time. I was talking to few students and they said they have some programme in school, so are we still having the sat English class ?

Luckily, I spotted the principal of the school. I went to her and asked her if we can take our usual class. She told me, there is some cleanliness drive for which she needs students for 15 mins and then we can continue. I was like hmm, ok , we can start our class after 15 mins

Then we spotted a bunch of people who have come for this cleanliness drive. Principal introduced us to them . One of them said they got late as they were waiting for someone so couldn't start the cleanliness drive on time ( they had to start it at 10). They said that we can start our class little late because they want to click pics with students. So out of our 1.5 hrs time in a week you want to take our precious 30 mins.

The cleanliness drive was to walk from one corner to another corner with a broom and click photos to show their participation.

Then me and some other volunteers were talking , and we wondered if " Swachh Bharat Abhiyan" started is a one day cleanliness activity to click pics. It has become a sham where people clean one street ,click pics and then post about their participation and views on " Swachh Bharat Abhiyan" 

This is not the point of 'Clean India' . It is more about to create awareness on cleanliness and establish the importance of having clean surroundings such that they can keep their surroundings and country clean always. We don't need someone to clean our street for a day and click pics 

It is sad that everything is so hyped and media oriented...!!!

An interesting article shared by a friend

http://esnoticia.co/noticia-8790-swedens-prostitution-solution-why-hasnt-anyone-tried-this-before

So as per this article Sweden government introduced a law which led to decline in use of prostitution services

What was important to me and thought was interesting is - clear definition of the victim and culprit

In prostitution and human trafficking ( be it men, women or children) , the service providers are the victims ( they are forced into prostitution , at least more than 50% are forced)

And the people who pay to get these services and people who force others into prostitution are the real culprits..

Hope to see changes in outlook on prostitution in every part of the world !!! 

Life continues....

Mysterious life

Some people are happy, some are not

Some people get mostly what they want, some don't

Some people have a purpose in life , some don't

Some people are brave to go after the purpose, some are not

Then we all use fancy quotes on "Karma" , "Destiny", "Choices in life" , "Faith" , "Hope" etc to answer the questions we have...

But do they give an answer or rather are momentary distractions.... 

Guess it is a "Mysterious Life" !!!

Year that passed by : 2013

2013 has been a roller coaster ride for me



This year has been very eventful for me...at the end of the year I'm clueless , in dilemma and in utter confusion

It started with anxiety at work, work pressure and craziness... Then landed with a promotion which I had yearned... Then comes a twist where I did quit work...I have been praised, taunted and mocked in this year...I'm not sure where I'm headed.. But realized that life cannot be planned...I have taken my decisions after lot of discussion and speculation but  its still all blur and hazy....

Sailing in 2014 with twilight and hope in my eyes..

constant.....

Recently realized my life has been constant.....

I have loved and respected few of my cousins always, they are important people in my life ...  avi, jinus, grishma, rakhi,  shefali....

Initially when I was small, I used to dote on my bros (avi and zenith) and found friends in grishma and jinus. Then came my cousins, shikha whom i loved and shaily whom i wanted to love and protect... (sisters I have)

Then i gave all my love to my beautiful nieces simoni and yasha....
now my new kids are kiyaana (niece),  diyaan ( nephew) and Aagam (nephew)

Whenever I'm with these people around i am happy. I wish for their love and happiness

I will always love them
God bless them always... :)


people have changed , generations have changed but I have been constant....

Life - part 2

Today after a busy day at work, was so tired, I dragged myself from train to train.. Just wanted to reach home and drop on bed...
I reached thane station....

There near the ladies compartment, two ladies (one old and other in 40's) who have come from interior regions of Maharashtra were asking which train to take...
Then me n one more lady started talking to them n told them which train to take...
Then the lady who was in her 40's told us that she is upset with the attitude of people in Mumbai, everyone is so rude, no one listens, just rushing, can't even wait a moment to help some one
She had asked so many people which train to take but no one even cared to answer her...

This lady was not angry just upset that no one has time to help others, is everyone so busy...??
She had to attend a funeral and was in hurry...

I was so stunned after listening to this,that I couldn't speak further
All these busy people are us ( each one of us).... 

Reaching heights without compassion towards others is of no use, it will bring us down... We got  to think on this...