My first weeks' Rich volunteering experience at WOTR, Ahemadnagar!!

Firstly I am not very sure if I would do justice to this blog when compared to the Rich experience I had in May 1st week... 2 weeks up and I been so wanting to write this blog and capture those memories but due to some or other reason couldn’t. Finally am starting to write this blog before I miss blogging any of those lovely moments...

Story Before Going on Sabbatical break, how it all started:

Where do I begin.... Back in December while I casually had a chat with my Directors Shalabh and Rahul, during a Workshop in Chennai, I mentioned my interest to take Sabbatical break and Volunteer full time for sometime... Shalabh did say that we were planning to have a policy where employees who completed 5 years can take a break for a month and volunteer at NGOs of their choice but didn’t put it in Policy, but if you want to do we can surely add it. I took this casual discussion seriously and decided I should use this opportunity. Few days later I wrote a mail to Shalabh, Rahul and HR Aparna and was happy to see that they considered to discuss on this and actually came up with a format to process my request... I did fill the form and Shalabh readily agreed and approved a 1 month sabbatical for me to volunteer asking me to fix my plans as suitable, discuss the final dates with me and then freeze. Everything went as instructed, considering my work commitments I chose to volunteer from April 20th to May 19th. I decided to choose few NGO’s in Bangalore itself and volunteer whole month here, until few of my colleagues and frens (Ashima, Pavithra, Emal and Roopa) suggested why not use this opportunity to volunteer in Rural India atleast for few days. I remembered 2 years back we had done one day workshop on Volunteer Management in Ahemadnagar with our Partner NGO WOTR and I had loved it (that was my first workshop in MarathiJ), checked with Dipika and finally blocked 30th May to 4th or 5th May to volunteer with WOTR. Dipika and Kishore from iVolunteer helped to get reconnected with Mr. Kishore Telang from WOTR... My plans were – volunteer with Enable India for a week then move to WOTR then come back and volunteer again for a week with Enable India followed by 1 week volunteering at Jeevarathni (which is again in outskirts of the city, where hardly any volunteers reach). Due to some immediate official requirement of being a resource at Volunteer Management workshop at Pune along with a session at a Corporate followed by event I postponed my Volunteering by a week... So now my journey would begin with WOTR, Ahemadnagar now and not with Enable India as per initial plans... And ya BTW before I reached to Ahemadnagar which I decided to go directly from Pune, I sprained my leg on my way to Pune at Bangalore Airport..... Not a fracture but a ligament tear which I got to know after 12 days and on my return to Bangalore, like my Doctor here said Fracture is better than Ligament tear... To add here if you read anything about my illness like this at any point in my blog it’s not to gain sympathy but it’s just so that I would like to capture both good and bad memoriesJ Leaving aside all this let me begin to write my journey and it’s memories...

Here begins the journey!!!

Prateek and I left to Ahemadnagar on 30^th early morning by 6 am, reached there by 9 am. We were welcomed by 40 degree temperature and Mr Kishore Telang who briefed us about the organisation and their different projects. As it was off on 1^st May they had given compulsory off on 30^th April and 1^st May. That day we went through few documentaries and presentations. We were inspired by their work and were curious to start the assignment. Mr. Telang informed us that my first assignment of 1.5 days starts at Ghulewadi village near Sangamner which was closer to Shirdi, and I can go directly over there without coming back to Ahemadnagar. He gave me all details on how to reach this place which was in outskirts of Sangamner along with contact person Vandana Patekars’ no. who heads 30 villages tribes in and around Ahemadnagar and informed that my assignment here is to “Train Vasundhara Sevikas from some 25 to 30 villages on Effective Communication and Social Mobilisation”... After going through many documentaries, we decided to leave to Shirdi. Left on same day evening stayed at Bhakinivas, took darshan on next day and as I was down with migraine/sun stroke decided not to leave in night but on next day early morning. I was down whole night with headache and stomach infection, by  5 am I made up my mind to just forget the illness and leave. Thanks a ton to Prateek who was there with me to support me and took super care of me, what would I do without himJ Have got this habit of depending more and cribbing more to him after he came in my lifeJ We left the place by 6.30 am, by then I was feeling better. Reached Sangamner bus stop, luckily Vandana had arranged for auto guy who dropped us to Ghulewadi village. A small plot where WOTR does lot of trainings for Village leaders and their Staff members. The Women leaders in Villages are called Vasundhara Sevika. Meena Tai and her Mom does cooking for all the participants. They stay there and her husband works with WOTR’s Sangamner branch.  We ate yummie poha soon after we reached. Slowly all Vasundhara Sevika’s started coming in, they usually have 2 days training but as I was coming in they all were called for 4 days i.e 2 days my training followed by 2 days of their routine training on various topics like Women Rights, Health, Mal Nutrition etc which they in turn speak at their respective villages. Few of them coming in with their kids a baby and a elder sibling to take care of baby while their mothers are in WorkshopJ Wow, I was so moved to see how the elder sibling took care of little one, also how Meena Tai’s kids helped her in serving food to all participants!!! I decided I would bring some happiness to these little 6 angels post my workshop at night who at this age are so so kind and helpfulJ As there were only Women crowd and no other assignment that Prateek could work on he decided to go back to Pune giving me his inputs on the training I had planned in my mindJ His inputs did help to change some structure of my Training I had initially planned and add more interaction to it by adding few Role Plays in it. Initially I was little sceptical on how I would manage, what I would do and over that I had to train all in MarathiJ This was my life’s second workshop in  Marathi (I am sure my Dad/Baba would have been too proud to note thisJ Aai and Baba did help me with few Marathi words too pre workshopJ) ) My session started at 11 am and went on till 6.30 – 7 pm on day 1 and next day started at 9 am and went all till 2 pm... I was super happy to see myself managing workshop in Marathi, of course Vandana who has been with Social Sector with over one and half decade now and manages her Role sooo wellJ, adding few energisers after every session, making it fun filled, interactive and knowledgeable... Finally to hear those feedbacks of how this workshop helped them, how it was hatke and to hear those few take aways by every Vasudhara Sevika, their 3 Reporting officers SDO (Social Development Officers) and their leader VandanaJ They promised they would use training learnings in bringing awareness in their villages and will communicate right message using right mode” 1^st day night from 8-10 pm I spent time with my 6 little angels, made them do something of their choice like few chose to write essays, few to draw whatever they liked and few to do bothJ My God, you must check out the essays written on My School, About Myself, My Mother, My Cat... Although they might not be Grammatically correct but “the THOUGHTS” put in were just WOW... Felt so good when a Vasundhara Sevika came and said, “Madam hardly any trainers interact with our little ones but you have taught them so much” The little 6 year old Chaya coming and asking me while having dinner on Day 2, “Madam will you come back again to meet and spend time with us?” I said Sure, I’ll try my best. Next question... “Madam will you come for my wedding?” (6 year old haan;)) I was like yes if you invite I would, “Yes madam I’ll surely invite youJ” She was so fond of my hair that she started doing some experiments, when I told her you can become a beautician and start your Beauty parlour when you grow she was like OK Madam, I’ll MadamJ Taught few kids photography too and you would see few clicks in midst of nature shot by little ones...  Slept on that charpai outside seeing cloud and tress around, chatting with kids and ya at night planned for my Ahemadnagar Workshop... Had informed few Vasundhara Sevikas to wake me as soon as water is heated for all for bath (U would see how it is heated in pics)Slowly a Vasundhara Sevika comes in at 4.45 am and says Madam the water is heated. Going there with a bucket getting it filled and walking back towards room with hot water, all these little little moments were so moving... We at times don’t value of things we get easily in life at our door steps... Anyways, here ends my Sangamner journey, thanks to Vandana and team for lovely coordination and Meena Tai and her mum for lovely yummie foodJ Click and check out The fun I had with little ones (don’t miss reading those essaysJ)and Workshop I did for Vadundhara Sevikas on Effective Communication and Social Mobilisation

6 am SDO Shubhangi dropped me safely to Sangamner Bustop. I drove her two wheeler from Ghulewadi to Sangamner in midst of cool breeze and nature.... Reached WOTR office at Ahemadnagar by 9 am where Sushma accompanied me to have breakfast and Mr. Telang briefed me on few challenges faced currently at organisation w.r.t to Communication and requested me to cover those in my Workshop. First I decided to do one day training and leave to Pune late evening but seeing enthusiasm of around 25 participants from WOTR and it’s sister concern SAMPADA to learn more and more, the need after hearing to Challenges faced by them and on public demand, I thought it was highly needed to extend it till next day lunch breakJ I assured them that I might not resolve all challenges but teach them few techniques which might be helpful... Felt really nice to see people taking each technique taught so seriously and learning  from each session... Again it was filled with lots of energisers, group activities, interactions, interviews, games etc etc and end obejective was how to work as a team and communicate effectively and ya Rediscover Their Passion (Yes I used Techniques from My personal Initiative Rediscover Your Passion Workshop For... the staff members/care takers who are tirelessly working for the organisation development… With Objective  To give them a break and enrich their work and value themselves personally and to Build a more committed, engaged, creative and energetic workforce by helping them rediscover their passion to work in the organisation) In fact on Day one of workshop itself by EOD by 6.30 we saw that most of Challenges mentioned by team were resolved and the best part was everyone together coming up with solutions for the Challenges faced and not me giving gyan on them. Infact we did few Role Plays to see if our solutions worked and must say end results were just Superbbbbb!!!! Was happy to see few people who were having stage fear coming and speaking up through different activities done. While discussing take aways/feedbacks both at end of day one and and day 2 it was really nice feeling when few assured that they would implement few techniques seriously in day to day life, few came and said how their stage fear had vanished, how their confidence level had increased, few realised they were working together for more than ten years but didn’t know many things about each other, they learnt to listen and appreciate and also a participant from Aurangabad said it would be so nice if we just went back and practices what you taught, most of the problems will be solvedJ And many more take aways. I just felt so so so happy to hear them all and see those positive changes in them already, cannot express them in words... And ya while one participant, my memory loss but I think she was Pallavi, who’s doing part time work along side studying came to drop me to Bus stand said, “Madam I have lots of ideas and feel like sharing when in college but didn’t have courage to, but now I am confident I will share them and go and speak to public at large confidently” Also when Srinivas said, “Madam truly my confidence level has increased”... It just made my day!!!! Aare haan how can I forget as I hadn’t introduced myself I was interviewed at end of the training where they would interview me for 5-10 mins and hearing to few of my volunteering stories the 10 mins went on and on for 40 minutes, I was actually feeling like a celebrity J he he How can I forget the other celebrity. The Bhau who delivers Chai to all staff, he so wanted to be in workshop but couldn’t... We did interview him and ya I was the Interviewer and he was feeling so privileged, infact one of his stories gave solution to one of the Challenges faced...:) And ya under non workshop stuff enjoyed the kulfi and Sugar Cane juice, saw that hatke sugar cane juice gaddi which is not to be seen much in citiesJ

How can I forget our intelligent environmentalist cum Research Guy from Pune office Girish, he was so knowledgeful and asked me during lunch break on day 1 how to speak to 100s of people to next day playing a lead role in Role Play to we had few discussions on his career at night... Just check out his mail to me few days back that said, “Respected Madam, I hope you and sir rich to Bangalore comfortable and carefully. Mam heartily thanks to you for great and life changing training in Maharashtra. Please try to understand my bad English because I know my English language is not good and fluent but I can try to write and send mail. Student, Girish S. Jagtap Maharashtra.”  Happy to see Girish took my little advise seriously and has started using internet activelyJ Loved to check Thank you message mail on behalf of all participants from Sushma:  “Dear Prathana, A BIG THANK YOU from all of us for your time,  special efforts taken and sharing excellent inputs with our team. The training was very enriching and interactive with relevant illustrations related to daily working.  Especially, the energizers/interviews etc. were very enthusiastic/filled with fun ; in real sense boosted and energized us.  The feedback received from our team (Sampada & WOTR) is  exemplary.  Each one of us convey our special thanks and best wishes to you. Do keep in touch and we look forward to  welcome you.  Take Care ! Warmly, WOTR & SAMPADA, Training participants team”

My God, feeling so so honoured and happy!!! I just can’t express it, how fruitful was that May 1^st week… Thanks to Mr. Kishore Telang, Sushma and Datta for lovely arrangements and to all participants for their enthusiasmJ Here ends my 3^rd Workshop in Marathi and my First Assignment of my Sabbatical to volunteerJ…

Check out Memories of “Rediscover Your Passion at WOTR and SAMPADA, Ahemadnnagar”

Wait and watch for the further 3 weeks story shortly!!!J

Warm regards,
Prarthana Unkalkar Kaul

Regional Head – East and South

+91-99803 50180
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