Sunday 12 August, 2007

First Contributions Donated at Asha Jeevan




Yesterday (Aug 11th, Sat), Gazal, Sridhar, Nidhi and I went to Asha Jeevan with the contributions of old bedhsheets, old cotton sarees etc made by the volunteers of the group.

It is our first contribution and lets keep this activity on!!

Friday 10 August, 2007

APD Activities List - Volunteer opportunities

Hi All

Kindly check mail below from Mr Abhijit of APD (Association for Physical Disability)

Please confirm if you are interested in volunteering. Volunteers need to be dedicated and need to vist APD regularly. We can work on a rotation plan so that a volunteer can do activities at the APD once a month.

Also please spread the message to friends/colleagues as we can get more volunteers to support these activities.

Lets plan to visit APD to start volunteer activities on Aug 24th(this is based on the confirmations I receive)

Regards
Satya




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: ext C&F [mailto:ablehand@vsnl.com]
Sent: Friday, August 10, 2007 1:04 PM
To: venkata1.satyanarayana@ge.com; Sharma Satyadarshini (Nokia-ES-IdentitySystems/Bangalore)
Cc: surya_narayan48@yahoo.co.in; ushakbala@gmail.com; apdblr@dataone.in
Subject: Fw: VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES



Dear Satya/Venkat,


I have given below the requirements for our Shrdhanjali Integrated School (SIS) and Community School (Gowripalya,BLR)

1) Objective,Theme and Target Group
------------------------------------------------------

We have students here upto Class VII following SSLC curriculum

We need support in coaching both our teachers and students in flgs :

a) Written & Spoken English communication skills
b) Soft Skills & Personality Development
c) Pictorial,Experimental and Experiential method of teaching (for teachers)
d) Any other inputs that will enhance their comprehensive ability,conceptual clarity and ability to think

2) No.of Volunteers Required = Five

3) Date & Time : Five Days a week ----- Two to three hours (time can be as per mutual convenience)

4) Activities involved
------------------------------

a) Simple science experiments
b) Chart making
c) Teaching through playing cards
d) Reading out inspiritational stories & expounding on that
e) Teaching through CDs and audio-visual methods.

5) To be held in APD campus and Community School

6) To get in touch with Ms.Usha or Mr.Kantharaj

7) Last date of enrolment ----- ASAP

8) Date of completion of task ------ Ongoing in nature but connected to monthly or quarterly cycle of school

9) About NGO Partner
-----------------------------------

SIS or our children education programme consists of around 80% disabled and balance normal.They come from very poor background.Some of them also dont get prope nutrition at home.Hence we serve them mid-day meal which costs Rs.1000/- per day for 125 children.And the comprehensive education cost per child is Rs.5000/- per year.Anybody can choose to sponsor a child or sponsor the mid-day meal for a day in the year.

The other thing which may be an enriching and revealing exposure for any volunteer is to visit our Urban Outreach Programme areas in BLR with our field staff for a half a day or full day.Our field staff visits regularly the slums in certain areas of BLR identifies families having a disabled member,does the need analysis and begins with comprehensive intervention.Its someting one has to see and feel directly how the process goes ----- the complexity,issues involved and the multidimension facets.We want volunteers to somewhat soak in this aspect of Reality which exists abundantly around us.And that impression and imprint may give u lot of ideas on which u may work if u choose to.


Kindly circulate this to anybody interested in volunteering or render any other support and encouragement to us.

Regards

Abhijit

Asha Jeevan - program cancelled

Hi All

We have to cancel the music/dance program to be held at Asha jeevan tomorrow (Aug 11th) as one of the performers isnt available. We will plan the program again in a few weeks time.

Volunteers who had planned to come, can join in visiting the old age home to make the contributions (old besheets etc..)

Regards
Satya

Thursday 9 August, 2007

Requirement with IBM for People with Disability

Mail from Sujeet:

H i Guys n Gals,
I am sure this mail is more than a forward. Someone must be really waiting for this mail somewhere.

IBM is looking for People with Disability and details on the same can be found in the below appended mail.

Please help those physically disabled souls in and around your locality by just a mail forward.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Candidate,


This is with regard to a requirement with IBM for People with Disability. IBM is looking at people who are disabled and physically challenged for specific requirements.

So, kindly let us know if you have any refrences for the same, so that we can help them take up an good career oppurtunity with IBM.

Please mail janardhank@jkconsultants.com with details.


Thanks & Regards

Janardhan K
J.K. Management Consultants Pvt. Ltd.,
499, Amarjyoti Layout, Domlur I Stage
Bangalore - 560 071.
Board lines: 080 - 41262500 - 2505
Ext : 3030
Email : janardhank@jkconsultants.com
URL : www.jkconsultants.co

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wednesday 8 August, 2007

APD - website

You all may want to check out the site:

Look out for improvements in the website and you've already made a contribution ! :-)

regards,

Sridhar

Aug 11th - Music/Dance program at Asha Jeevan

Hi All

As informed earlier, Suresh and Saigeetha will be performing on Aug 11th, 4-5 pm at Asha Jeevan.
I have just spoken to Kalpana of Asha Jeevan and confirmed all plans.

They have the following available with them:
-Hall
-With mike
-Chairs will be arranged by staff

We have to be there by 3:30pm latest. Looking forward to alteast 4-5 volunteers to assist for this event.
Kindly confirm ASAP on this so that we can go ahead with the plans.

Further, any suggestions from all volunteers (even if one cannot make it), will help in conducting a better program.

Regards
Satya

Monday 6 August, 2007

Update on our visit to Association for Physical Disability - APD

Madan, Satyanarayana, Sridhar and I visited the Association for Physical Disability at Lingarajapuram. They have a huge center inclusive of school, computer training, industry based trainings etc. They are looking for committed, regular and dedicated volunteers. Mr. Abhijit at APD will be sending across a list of activities in a few days time.

Just to set the tone - this is a place where the possibilities are immense in terms of contribution. Unlike our earlier efforts where we repeatedly encountered management that was not very receptive of our presence, this place has opportunities for people to contribute in many different ways:
- teaching/training the faculty on advanced topics on different subjects (technical subjects, or non-technical skills like soft skills),
- assisting in upgrading courseware (through your knowledge of the industry - e.g. in IT, in manufacturing etc. ),
- going on field-visits with the staff to reach out to disabled people who may not have the means to come over themselves to the APD home
- teaching music, dance, painting and other arts to children with disability
- upgrading their websites
- helping in arranging sales of craftwork that is made by the residents
etc. etc.

The possibilities are immense - the only constant is a committment on the part of the volunteers to be regular - it could be even be just 1-hour-a- week but it has to be every week. Occasionally, you can have someone else fill in for you but the idea is that once you take up a particular activity you take it to completion.

Anyway, we can wait for the details but I am sure many of you would be enthused by the sheer range of activities where your help will be valued.

Friday 3 August, 2007

More Volunteer opportunities!!!

Folks, this is a tremendous recognition of the work that we have started in a small way!
The people at "Association of people with disability" and "Newlife chldren's home" have contacted us knowing that we have an extremely good set of volunteers who are willing to donate their precious personal time to noble causes. I call upon each one of you to come forth and participate in this activity.

As we have now got a critical mass of people we can engage more such organizations and give back to society in a much larger way than by visiting one place.
Volunteers please send in your names by today(Friday) evening without fail - based on our response the people at this particular NGO will decide the scale of activities that we can take.

Tomorrow, we don’t intend to goto Asha Jeevan as Aug 11th we are visiting them for the music/dance program and we will give the contributions(funds, bedhseets etc) on that day itself. Instead the plan is to visit "Association of people with disability" and "Newlife chldren's home.

If you are interested to join in, kindly reach the address below:

Association of people with disability
6th cross, Hutchins Road
off Hennur Road
Lingarajpuram
St Thomas town post
Blore - 84
phone: 25475861, 25475165

We can plan and meet at a common point before we reach there.

[Another contribution: Thanks to Sravan for the Rs. 500/- contribution made towards the funds!]

Regards
Satya

Wednesday 1 August, 2007

Association of people with disability - volunteer opportunities

Hi All

There are volunteer opportunities available at the "Association of people with disability"

The address:

6th cross, Hutchins Roadoff Hennur RoadLingarajpuramSt Thomas town postBlore - 84phone: 25475861, 25475165
(Landmark: near Bangalore east railway station)

They are mostly closed on Sundays so prefer Saturdays for us to visit them.

Kindly confirm who would be interested in these activities. Once we meet them they will assign us some activities to take-up

Regards
Satya

Contribution from Satyanarayan towards funds!

Hi All

Satyanarayan is contributing last three digits Rs 632 from his first salary to donate to the old age home!

This is the first contribution from our group and a very noble gesture indeed.

Satyanarayan, its so inspiring. Thanks for taking the first step towards this!

[If we can get more contributions, we can work on buying water beds for Asha Jeevan]

Regards
Satya

The group is growing!!

This week we had 3 new volunteers in our group. Now we have a strength of around 23 volunteers out of which 6 havent been able to participate so far.

Good job done Shruthi!!

Hi All [From mail dated 30-Aug-2007]

We have received the first set of old bed sheets from Shruthi yesterday evening. She has made a huge collection from friends/colleagues...

This is the first contribution in our group, this is very inspiring...!!

Congratulations Shruthi on your thoughtfulness and hard work!!

Regards
Satya

Monday 16 July, 2007

Visit to Asha Jeevan and Anand Ashram

A group of 4 volunteers: Siddharth, Sravan, Satyanarayan and I headed on Bannerghata road to meet Kalpana at Asha Jeevan. She showed us around the place. It has all the facilities for an old age home: good rooms, medical facilities, ambulances, kitchen, dining space and a hall. She was particularly interested in our help in conducting some entertainment activities like music, dance etc for the old age home residents. Further she mentioned we can also help by contributing bedsheets, old cotton sarees and water beds.

We then got back on Bannerghata Road and were discussing in the van as to how we could help and contribute. Satyanarayan then suggested that we can save money within the team to raise funds initially. He had done that in the past when doing volunteer activities in Trichy. It was an excellent idea which Sidhartha reinforced. So now we plan to save Rs 5 everyday and collect it from volunteers when we meet weekly.

We also visited the Anand Ashram next to IBM on Bannerghatta Road. It was a huge space with 25 old people. They also had a boys and girls home. We have to discuss with the team further how we can help here...

Friday 13 July, 2007

Your Soul Comes First, Before Social Service!!

I was reading this article in Times of India today morning and then found it on the times of india site too, read the first para:

"We are told to strive to tune in to the inner self as that is the main purpose of life. But isn’t it better to go out and help the poor and needy, feed and clothe them, engage in social service? Your noble feelings are to be appreciated. But do you think that such help alone would bring colour to their lives? Would this really change the dismal state of society? How do you assure that social help offered in the form of food and clothing would be a substantial answer to their problems?You serve food once to a person. Won’t he need it again? The clothes offered by you would need to be replaced by new ones after some time. Why not then serve them in totality? Why restrict to just doing ‘something’ for the needy?’ "

To read more check the link below:

Your Soul Comes First, Before Social Service!!

Some more plans!!

Thinking of looking at orphanages too...so that we can educate the children, impart skills, sports, fun and games.

Can create a future and life for the childre, nice vision...

Hope to start on this soon :)

Thursday 12 July, 2007

Going to Asha Jeevan on Feb 14th 2007 - Saturday

Hi Volunteers,

I spoke to Kalpana of Asha Jeevan(Old age home) about our meeting them on Saturday July 14th at 11am. The management there is excited and looking forward to see us.

Do confirm your presence...

Regards
Satya

Friday 6 July, 2007

Are we neglecting the old?

Re-reading the book "The Tibetan book of living and dying" by Sogyal Rinpoche and this passage was so true of today's society:

"...the way the elderly, the sick, and the dying are treated today. Our society is obsessed with youth, sex and power, and we shun the old age and decay. Isn't it terrifying that we discard old people when their working life is finished and they are no longer useful? Isn't it disturbing that we cast them into old people's homes, where they die lonely and abandoned?"

Tuesday 3 July, 2007

Why one should volunteer?

Check the link below shared by one of the volunteers Gaurav Goel:

A nice Article to Encourage people work for others.

http://in.specials.yahoo.com/summer-specials/volunteering_cause.html

Monday 2 July, 2007

Asha Jeevan Activities

Dear Volunteers,

Kalpana from Asha jeevan called, she was very happy that we wanted to involve ourselves. She was asking what we had done in the past and I told her about the entertainment activities....she expressed that other than other activities we can do she is looking forward to the entertainment activities. She really liked the idea.....
She has invited us to the Asha Jeevan old age home for discussion on 14th July as she is very busy on 7th July....

This is FYI..and also for planning for 14th July...please try to keep urself free then....

Regards
Satya

Friday 29 June, 2007

Running Errands

We have planned a new activity at the Shivabalayogi Old Age Home: Running Errands for the members there.

As of now the plans are: Bank work, Post office, Buying Groceries, DVDs etc

Volunteers will be available every alternate Saturday at the Old Age Home from 10 am onwards.

In the month of July, we will be available on 7th and 21st July. 7th july will be our first visit, and looking forward to it.

So Far

As of now we have been doing the following activities at the Shivabalayogi Old Age Home at JP Nagar 3rd Phase:

  1. Visits
  2. Music program
  3. Visit to Isckon temple
  4. Parties - get togethers

We are planning a Bharatnatyam peformance as the next entertainment activity...

Monday 18 June, 2007

Why this blog?

I was posting my community service activities on my blog "The Truth"

Now planning to post all community-help related activities on this page. Primarily to help volunteers to have a single page and also to spread awareness!!!

Motto of our group "Perseverance"