Volunteer of the month - September2011

Toybank gladly announces the volunteers of the month for September - Aryak Singh and Seema Achlan!

Its been great to have both of you to volunteer with us!

Aryak joined us in the month of July, since then he has been very enthusiastic about helping us. He has taken the responsibility of managing one Play Centre of Toybank. He has also helped us in the planning and communications during the Joy of Giving Week!

He is a 'Toybank Champ' in his corporate organisation where he helps us spread a word about Toybank and conduct a toy collection drive.

Seema has been a Toy Donor for almost two years now! She has driven many Toy collection drives in her housing society and has succeed to collect awesome toys for us!

This time she helped us to conduct a Toy collection drive in two of the Schools and helped us spread the word about Toybank by going and speaking to kids in different classes of the Schools!

Here's a small question-answer session Aryak:  

Toybank: What brought you to volunteer with us?

Aryak: The cause of lesserprivileged children has been one that I've always felt deeply for. In a country like ours, generations have grown up seeing poverty around us, and have somehow turned indifferent to it. Yet a child robbed of childhood is too heartrending a cry for anyone to ignore. I remember my childhood as a happy time of indulgence and I feel the need to give back. Hence I have been involved with children’s causes earlier as well. Toybank, presented a unique opportunity to make a difference on a large scale for a cause I really care about and this is precisely what got me here.

Toybank: What is your most memorable experience with Toybank?

Aryak: While it is quite difficult for me to point out one of the various experiences I've had at Toybank events, there is definitely one story I'd like to share. It was one of my initial follow-up sessions at a Toybank centre. While I had a great time interacting with the kids, as I was leaving I couldn't help but wonder if I was making a difference to the lives of these kids beyond the two hours of the session. Just then while I was about to step out the door, a little boy peeped from behind the door to ask, "Sir, aap fir kab aaogey?" (Sir , When will you come again ). That, innocent question right there - had all the answers.

Toybank: What do you think about volunteering in general?

Aryak: ‘To whom much is given, of him shall much be required.’ - Many of us forget to stop and count our blessings. Volunteering is a way to find incredible satisfaction by acting in accordance with your principles . A chance to add meaning to one's existence. While all this may sound very noble, but at a very primal level I like to think no effort goes unrewarded. Just like work may be rewarded by compensation, Volunteering is rewarded with happiness and satisfaction. The positive change that volunteering brings has a purging effect on everyone involved.

Toybank: What keeps you motivated to volunteer?

Aryak: Life has so much to offer if we remember to look beyond ourselves. Personally I think volunteering at Toybank gives me a new perspective. Every event throws up new opportunities, a chance to meet so many people to collaborate over a common cause and make a positive difference to the world we live in. All this keeps me up for more, always.

Our conversation with Seema is coming up soon...