My first International Volunteering Day

Surbhi Pandey a intern with the Volunteer Action Team recounts her experience of organizing her first IVD at CRY

Leaving Lucknow and coming to intern in Delhi was a personal milestone for me. Leaving home in the middle of the academic year, I was already quite anxious. My fears were exacerbated by the fact that my first internship would be with one of the largest national NGOs in India.

This being my first experience of working in a formal setting, I initially felt a little disconnected with the organization (as this was very different from any space I had been at, before). However as the first week passed, I had assimilated and embraced the open office atmosphere and was already assigned numerous tasks in preparation for the much anticipated ‘International Volunteers Day’ (IVD). The office was buzzing with excitement for ‘IVD’. The idea that an organization was taking out one whole day, to celebrate the spirit of volunteering and to thank it’s volunteers seemed very new and interesting to me. The buzz had been infectious, soon I too had dived head first into my tasks. I was simultaneously writing content and painting facemasks for the much-awaited event.

On the day itself, the venue had been swamped with a 100 volunteers. I was in awe at the number of volunteers who had come together to celebrate the “Child in You”. What was even more inspiring was the fact that they came from such varying backgrounds. There were college students and retired personnel, all of whom were celebrating each other and their contribution towards moving the child rights movement in India.

What was most amusing to me was to watch all of these people very actively taking part in all of the games we had organized on that day (There was balloon blowing, lemon race, poem recital among the many other games that we played).

    

Through all these tasks and fun games the message was to keep the inquisitive, passionate child in them alive.Looking at all of them playing these activites so enthusicatically, one could hardly tell their age. The event ended with the CRY team rewarding the volunteers, interns, Child Rights Leaders and partners with a certificate of appreciation. All of us then took the pledge together to ensure a happy and healthy childhood for the children we worked with to always remember to keep their childhood as rich and enriching as theirs was.

 I'd like to end by saying that the event has definitely changed my outlook towards volunteering!