“Sunil is all but 11. His fingers are swollen and hurt all the time. He is made to crouch in a dingy factory and weave carpets for more than 12 hours a day. Meals are scarce and hardly substantial. The backbreaking work has left him weak and wasted.” “Kirti is 13. Yet, she must wake up at 5 every morning to prepare breakfast for a family and clean their entire house. Only then, at around 11am, can she expect to eat a morsel of food, before going on to cook lunch for the family. Hired as domestic help at a rich household – her own parents could no longer afford to feed her – she does not see much of a future ahead of her.” The security of a home, nutritious food, good clothes, education, and above all, abundant love – as parents, all of us strive to provide these to our children. However, Sunil, Kirti and millions of other children in India are deprived of these very necessities. Yet, the power to restore their childhood to them lies with one person – YOU. India has always been a land of paradoxes. While we are on the frontiers of science and technology, our country is also home to 34% of the illiterate population in the world. Even as we boast of recording our highest economic growth rate ever, abject poverty still forces children into the drudgery of child labour, and they are subjected to all forms of exploitation and abuse. Today “medical tourism” and “bio-technology” are household terms, and yet, 9.7 million children die before celebrating their fifth birthday for lack of medical facilities. True development is one which is inclusive, and touches all sections of society. So if progress is unequal, it is only fair that the privileged few share the fruits of development with those who have not been so lucky. While the government and other organisations are making efforts to reach out to the underprivileged, as citizens, we too must shoulder some responsibility. Whether you are a student or housewife, professional or retiree, there is always some way to contribute. Making monetary donations to institutions working for social welfare is just one of the many ways. Today, one of the biggest challenges that such institutions face is that of volunteers – individuals who are willing to spend time and effort to further a cause; and it is here that ordinary citizens like you and me can step in. The thought of doing social work may seem daunting at first, even overwhelming, but it is probably one of the most enriching experiences that you can go through. You can make an impact even by spending a few weekends towards a cause, sometimes even while working from home! There are several organisations which are working at the grassroots level with children from vulnerable backgrounds. Usually these are orphans or children of slum-dwellers, migrant labourers and rural areas, often rescued from the bondage of child labour. Once they come to these institutions, the slow process of rehabilitation and rebuilding their lives starts, through counselling and focussed literacy programs. Often, vocational training in areas like tailoring and automobile servicing is imparted to older children, which can provide a source of income to them. Of late, organisations also conduct workshops in spoken English, computers and Internet, so as open up more career opportunities for them. There is always a constant need for volunteers who can participate in these educational programs. Often workshops are structured so that even working professionals, who can participate only during weekends, can take part. Moreover, you could even help conduct courses on art or sport, which are fields that these children have little or no access to. Even if you cannot volunteer regularly, you could think of one-off mentoring sessions. You could design activities that inspire and motivate children to achieve their goals, conduct sessions on general awareness or with specific educational goals, or simply a fun workshop! You will find that even if interaction is limited, with a little creativity, you can bring about a positive change in children. Conducting awareness campaigns is another area where you can lend a helping hand. Spreading awareness on topics such as child labour, illiteracy, the plight of HIV infected children, physically or mentally challenged children by means of workshops, street-shows and other popular media will assist in making the society more sensitive to these issues, and hence garner more support in efforts to tackle them. With the advent of Information Technology, it has become essential for even non-profit organizations to be “technology-enabled”. This translates to having computers to maintain documents and other organisational records, using emails and preferably a website that showcases their efforts to enlist more support. If you have the requisite technical skills, then you could help such institutions build and maintain their IT infrastructure during your spare time. Look around your vicinity, and you will find several institutions working for social welfare, and in need of volunteers. The Internet too is a mine of information on various efforts being made and how you can participate. However, to avoid any unpleasant experience, it is always advisable to ascertain an institution’s credibility before joining it. If you thought social work was all about giving, you couldn’t be farther from the truth. As Anuradha, an IT professional, puts it, “I’ve been volunteering for an NGO that works with spastic children for the past year or so now. It has given me a whole new perspective to life! My own problems seem so trivial when compared with the challenges these kids are trying to overcome at such a young age.” Vijay, who participates in weekend computer programs for children, adds, “Just to see a child smile at the end of a workshop makes my day, and the week after that! It is also a great way to meet people who share similar interests, and work with them towards a common goal. My experience here has taught me a lot more about patience, perseverance and teamwork than anywhere else.” So if you are a housewife who has a flair for painting, conduct a workshop on art! If you are a software-professional, you could think in terms of a course on computers or designing a website for an NGO. If you are a retiree, maybe you could help a few children with their homework. Every tiny effort goes a long way in realizing a larger dream of a nation where every child has a chance to realise his or her dreams. The following quote by Robert Browning probably sums it up best. If you can sit at set of sun And count the deeds that you have done And counting find one self-denying act One word that eased the heart of him that heard One glance most kind Which fell like sunshine where he went Then you may count that day well