Darshitha Goyal, is a social media volunteer at U&I. Her journey as a volunteer has been a learning experience that she fondly remembers-
“Serendipity is the simplest and best form of happiness”, they said. I didn’t understand what this statement truly meant until I started teaching the girls at the Good Shepherd Home. I would like to start from the beginning of my journey and share my experience as a volunteer at U&I. It was the summer after my tenth grade board exams that I decided that I wanted to help kids. I came across U&I and immediately decided that my passion for writing would aligned with the criteria for being a social media volunteer. After I started, the most magical thing happened and I realized how much more I gain than I give. It wasn’t just me molding their lives but they filled me with a constant sense of appreciation and self satisfaction. I remember the first academic class at Good Shepherd Home, two girls Babitha and Sarla from the advanced batch were assigned to me. The plan for the day was to sharpen their public speaking skills and their topics were ‘My country India’ and ‘Humans’.
I was supposed to help them with sentence framing and at the end of the class they were going to present their speech in front of everyone. They were both very nervous and scared, I reassured them that they would do well. Little did I know that at the end of her speech Babitha would thank me. It was a very proud moment for me. Everyone clapped for the two of them and what surprised me more, was that even I was appreciated for the speech they gave! That’s when I realized that I had grown as well. They taught me to appreciate the little things in life and to be content with what I have. My journey has been amazing so far and I’m sure it’s just going to get better with each class.”
Volunteers like Darshitha help make U&I an amazing place. U&I is a safe haven for volunteers, students and staff alike. With the year drawing to an end, U&I is grateful to have such passionate volunteers who tirelessly work with the students. Darsitha helps everyone realize that “Teaching is a duet of inspiration; they inspire you as much as you inspire them.”
