Teaching and supporting children from under-privileged backgrounds is an area of concern for all socially conscious citizens. It is easy to begin such initiatives, but to outreach effectively, we should ask ourselves the following questions:
· Are we giving respect to each child?
· Are we feeling love for each child, like we love our own children?
· Are we treating each child as an individual, with respect?
· Are we devoting time to understand the challenges faced by each child?
Philanthropy for the sake of it cannot bring any impactful transformation as is the experience of most charities. Education should be uplifting, all-encompassing and empowering – both for the supporter as well as the beneficiary.
In case the emotional quotient of a child is not considered, it will be difficult to have an everlasting impact on the child’s psyche. Hence, the child has to be loved and respected to establish the connect first and then open the communication to understand the real problems. This will also help the child to adapt to changes and inculcate positive attributes. Our love and compassion will motivate the child to exhibit similar behavior towards others. Our tolerance and forgiveness, which are an offshoot of our love for the child, will make the child understand the importance of such values, which will then be automatically.
In the coming years, such evolved individuals are going to become our ambassadors to bring the change in geometrical proportions. A sapling nurtured with love and care will bloom into a strong tree and will gives its shade to innumerable others.
I would like to put forth the essence of SOUL by answer the following questions:
· Why are we doing this work?
· What do we wish to achieve?
· How do we propose to achieve?
Why are we doing this work?
Like many others, we could also be sitting in the cool confines of our homes rather than coming out in the harsh heat and dust to care for the children. There could be 3 reasons for this behavior exhibited by us:
· We want to do some charity and social work for passing the time.
· We wish to bring a positive change in the lives of these children.
· We want to give and receive love since this is our basic core value.
Of these, the first point is of least significance, the 2nd is good enough, but the last one is the best and most evolved since it nurtures the humanness in us and at the same time, this is what pleases our soul.
Nature loves without any discrimination, expectation, status, color, creed or religion. And love constitutes the power of our soul. This power is of giving, sharing and loving. Love is beyond the limitations of the physical form, it is from within our hearts.
Thus, we should preferably be doing this work to share love with these children. Loving them, listening to their chit-chats and respecting them – form the essence of SOUL. The way we love our children, the way we tolerate them, the way we pamper them, the way we think about their future, the way we are concerned about their safety and the way we care for what they eat – all these concerns we should have for these children also. If all this seems too much to handle, then let’s just love them genuinely. Rest will happen spontaneously.
What we wish to achieve?
We wish to achieve the following:
1. Coming to school is a happy experience for the child.
2. Coming to school is a happy experience for the teachers and volunteers.
3. Coming to school is a happy experience for the visitors so that at some point in time a change in their compassion and perceptions also happen
How we propose to achieve?
In order to achieve our targets, we need to work as a team and understand the core values of SOUL. We need to do regular counseling of the children as well as occasional counseling of their parents, since they too need to be in sync with our vision. We should ourselves exhibit the behavior which we want the children to inculcate. No petty politics, no harsh talk, avoid physical contact and provide a conducive atmosphere to the children to help them learn and evolve.
Ramnish Tangri
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