Since I am not working I wanted to devote some time to volunteering with the children of Delhi. Specifically I want a medical assignment. I've been volunteering at an orphanage but that has been more like a social visit than anything. I've found 2 NGO's (non-governmental organization) to work with. One is more of a grassroots organization run by a local doctor. I will be helping her run vaccination campaigns throughout the year. We'll be going to the slums and inoculating children with various basic, potentially life saving immunizations. Dr. Josephine is also trying to educate the girls within these slums. To accomplish that, she needs money and/or school supplies to be provided by volunteers. She spends a lot of her own paycheck on these girls which at once warms and breaks my heart at the same time. More on that organization later.
The other NGO is called Salaam Balaak Trust (meaning to salute the spirit of the children). These kids are are the 'Railway Kids' of Delhi. They have either run away from home or have been abandoned by their parents. If they are found by this organization they are given shelter, food, medical attention, safety, and education. Today we were lucky to go on the CityWalk tour and meet some of these kids. They were so full of energy and smiles. They were so eager to practice their English "How are you, what is your name"? We would do this exchange in English and then I would ask the same thing of them in Hindi, to which they were astounded and no longer thought I was a foreigner but an Indian. Only for a second, I don't know what gave it away.
Living here in Delhi and seeing the street kids every single day is heartbreaking. I hate that I have been desensitized to it. I hope in some small way I can make a difference by participating in a positive way to help these kids feel something other than despair and hunger. Every child wants the same thing. Food, safety, a hug, to be heard, to feel like they are someone. And to me, they are. I will always carry them with me no matter where I am in the world.
If you want to know more about Salaam Balaak Trust click here. Hopefully that link works as it's the first time I've tried doing it. I'm going to be volunteering in the girls home in Gurgaon assisting a doctor with medical check-ups. I'm so excited!
The other organization doesn't have a website. They find a lot of their volunteers through local networking. If you want to learn more about them there are 2 different blogs you can read. This is the organization that I will be doing a vaccination campaign with in July. We will also be buying and donating schoolbooks for the girls. Gotta' educate and empower the girls!
Family Health and Education and Feeling India.
The other NGO is called Salaam Balaak Trust (meaning to salute the spirit of the children). These kids are are the 'Railway Kids' of Delhi. They have either run away from home or have been abandoned by their parents. If they are found by this organization they are given shelter, food, medical attention, safety, and education. Today we were lucky to go on the CityWalk tour and meet some of these kids. They were so full of energy and smiles. They were so eager to practice their English "How are you, what is your name"? We would do this exchange in English and then I would ask the same thing of them in Hindi, to which they were astounded and no longer thought I was a foreigner but an Indian. Only for a second, I don't know what gave it away.
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| Iqbal our tour guide and former orphan |
Living here in Delhi and seeing the street kids every single day is heartbreaking. I hate that I have been desensitized to it. I hope in some small way I can make a difference by participating in a positive way to help these kids feel something other than despair and hunger. Every child wants the same thing. Food, safety, a hug, to be heard, to feel like they are someone. And to me, they are. I will always carry them with me no matter where I am in the world.
If you want to know more about Salaam Balaak Trust click here. Hopefully that link works as it's the first time I've tried doing it. I'm going to be volunteering in the girls home in Gurgaon assisting a doctor with medical check-ups. I'm so excited!
The other organization doesn't have a website. They find a lot of their volunteers through local networking. If you want to learn more about them there are 2 different blogs you can read. This is the organization that I will be doing a vaccination campaign with in July. We will also be buying and donating schoolbooks for the girls. Gotta' educate and empower the girls!
Family Health and Education and Feeling India.
That's awesome Jen!! I am on a similar search of NGOs to work with in Caja as I want to do more real nursing things... hopefully soon enough. Good for you to put yourself out there!
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