We all have great potential for change; All we need is a little motivation.- Rupal's Internship Experience with CRY

Although this particular chapter in my life is from August 2017, I hope it helps others to understand how we, as humans, can create an impact in our own little ways.

I was looking at NGOs for my internship when I came across CRY. Interning with them meant joining a Public Action Group (PAG) situated in the suburbs of the city and helping the children there. I took it up as a challenge.

As expected, the initial days were difficult- I was constantly juggling between teaching the kids Mathematics & English and basic day to day etiquettes.

Never had I ever done anything like this before, and the task started to look daunting to me.
However, it did not take long for me to adjust. Within a week of working with the kids, they became my friends- I knew their names, what subject they liked, their strengths, their areas of improvement etc. Every day, I went with only one motive in mind- to teach them something new.

The one thing common in all these kids was that they wanted to learn something new- a new rhyme, a new English sentence, anything. They would always make me feel happy with their innocence and their undying curiosity and it was always fun to be with them.

In all the madness and fun, there was this kid who would always get my attention because he would be running around barefoot. One fine day I told him to come to the class wearing slippers. He did not pay much heed to what I said and continued playing. This reaction made me realize that he might not be an easy kid, but that motivated me even more. For the next four days, I kept telling him the same thing over and over.

After all this effort, seeing that nothing was having an effect on him, I decided to give up. But to my surprise, he came late to class the following day, and he looked different. On asking as to why he was late, his responded saying "मैं तैयार हो रहा था  क्लास  आने  के लीए ", (I was getting ready to come to the class)- he was wearing sandals.

"तुमने सैंडल क्यों पहने  रखा  हैं ," (Why are you wearing sandals?) I asked. "आपने कहा था ना चप्पल पहन कर आया करो क्लास  में, वरना  पैर  ख़राब  हो  जायेंगे ", (You had asked me to wear slippers to class or my feet would get dirty) he said.

But I had said slippers, not sandals.

" चप्पल  नहीं है  इसलिए  सैंडल पहन कर  आया हूँ ,” (I don’t have slippers and that’s why I’m wearing sandals)

This was the most heartfelt experience of my life. It didn’t matter if he wore sandals instead of slippers, what touched me was that he had understood the underlying reason for my concern and did something about it, whatever was in his power. From that day, I could see him respecting what I said and listened to me as his teacher.

This incident helped me understand that we ALL can be an agent of change; it is just that we need some motivation and some passion to help others. It is important that we move out from our comfort zone and understand that there people out there, who need some help, and a little guidance to achieve greatness.

The world is plagued with problems and we can make it a better place for ourselves and for the future by making sure that every child gets educated.

I would like to thank CRY for giving me a month full of happiness and joy, moments that I will cherish forever and friends that I will never lose.

- Rupal

Student, Christ University, Bangalore

CRY Intern