INVOLVE 6

INVOLVE 6, was a very special event for two reasons. Reason A being the last INVOLVE for the year 2008, reason B is that it was a celebration of the most beautiful feeling LOVE.

This ‘Involve’ took place at the Home for HIV infected children of the Hope Foundation ,our partner.

iVolunteer has been working closely with the Hope Foundation  and volunteers have been visiting their centers regularly however this is the first INVOLVE event with HOPE.

 Involve-is a string of feeler activities which is otherwise called as a one-off event. This event strives to attract volunteers in Chennai and to raise the sprit of volunteering among already volunteering individuals.

Involve objective

• Newly enrolled volunteers get to hear, see, do and feel volunteering activities at this event
• A volunteering opportunity open for volunteers who cannot engage themselves in long committed volunteering works
• To create a database of potential volunteers.
• To celebrate the spirit of volunteerism

Involve – 6 (2008)

This is the sixth Involve for the year 2008.The event was an excuse to meet the children and celebrate Christmas with the children.

3.0 The event

The orphanage was home to about 18 girls and 15 boys, falling within the age group pf 3 – 16 years of age. The entire happy group was present, awaiting our arrival.

An active volunteer soon broke the ice. Soon the volunteers plunged into the activity, by dividing the kids into groups and 2 volunteers assisted one team of children. Totally there were 5 such groups.

After an hour of interviewing and questioning, laughter and fun the volunteers and the children bonded and presented their work on friendship.

This was followed by the Santa (one of the volunteers-Suneetha) being doing what he is supposed to do – giving away gifts! The children were absolutely thrilled and excited!

The whole activity had lasted a good 3 hours and how can a party end without music and dance? This was followed by some heavy dancing and singing.

It was time to say good bye as it was already 6:00 pm and it was time for snacks for the kids

The  13 volunteers proud that their few hours had made a difference and the children shining bright and happy to have made new friends, INVOLVE 6 spread joy and happiness with colorful smiles and optimism and content.

5.0 Volunteers Speak

“Like all other Involve events, this one too gave the volunteers an opportunity to have a closer look at the lives of all the kids in The Hope. Even if it was for just one short evening, we were able to bond with the children so well. Proof enough that’s children are always welcoming and open in their mind. Thanks to iVolunteer that I could be part of this heart-warming event. It was very touching for me to see children affected with HIV lead their lives with such hope and enthusiasm that a normal person may lack. It just proves that there IS life beyond AIDS. After attending the event I told myself that there s absolutely no necessity to isolate people affected with AIDS. I think this event made me more matured to face such people in future. Would like to be part of all the iVolunteer Involve events in the future. One request from my side. If it would be possible we can have a get together of all the volunteers in an informal way. Or can also make this happen as part of any other volunteering event. This might help people to stay in touch with each other and help gather volunteers for other events.”

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Sree 

“It was my first participation in an Involve gathering and my first interaction with a group of HIV infected children. I am not sure how much impact we made on the kids by being with them for two hours, but for me it was the best outing I had. We were one small group of volunteers who were taking part in a visit for the first time. But it was great to see each of us putting our little might to entertain the kids.

My visit made me think about appreciating and enjoying life like the children of The Hope Orphanage at Medavakkam in Chennai. Did I see despair, pain or anything gloomy for that matter in their faces? No. Probably, that’s childhood but if I need to keep going in life then those cherubic faces is the example. “

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Liffy Thomas                                 

“This was the most memorable INVOLVE I have been to. I felt happy and satisfied to know that us (a small group of volunteers of volunteers) could bring smiles to their faces.

I am looking forward to more INVOLVES in 2009.

Thank you iVolunteer!”

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S.Vivekanathan