Reflection

As part of my project, I am interviewing certain karyakartas across UK about individual experiences that have inspired them and can inspire others in future. I have set up a template of questions to ask and decided to answer them myself...

1.     Describe an experience that has moved you:

In my gap year I spent three months in India and part of the journey was visiting a project called Surajya jointly created by Sewa International and Seva Sahayog. It focuses on uplifting the slum areas in Pune and making them self-sustainable.

On one evening I met a young Shikshak that was from the slum area itself, around my age, taking a study class of about 20 children from 8^th standard to 10^th standard. When speaking to him, he told me that he has a huge passion for Bharatnatyam dance and teaches the children every so often too, but the sad thing was that a few years ago he had to stop learning himself simply because he couldn’t afford the expenses and it was too far from his home. Instead he focused more on teaching these younger children and dancing with them to keep his spirits high. He showed me a video of him and his students dancing at their annual celebration at the Surajya office.

Right there I though to myself, we both have a huge passion for dancing and we both love to inspire young children, yet we live such different lives. I can still continue to learn dance and access further knowledge within dance, whereas he just simply can’t. Despite this however, he has not given up hope. I felt that something needs to be done to change this.

2.     How did Sangh influence that experience?

A few days earlier, I had visited a couple both involved in Sangh and Samiti, and both of the working classes. They had explained the reason why Seva Sahayog was started. The charity organization picks up specific projects in Pune that can be facilitated by Swayamsevaks and Sevikas whose time is mostly taken up with their careers. I found it inspiring that they have invested so much time into their careers and family lives, yet because of the great morals they have gained through Sangh and Samiti, they still have the will to give back and to do something. Like they say: ‘If there is a will, then there is a way’ and these were the people who introduced me to such a project that inspired me greatly.

3.     As a Sevika what did you learn from this experience?

As a Sevika, going to see this project and physically seeing the difference it makes rather than hearing ‘we have so many Sewa projects in Bharat, which are helping so many citizens’ really made me proud to say I am a Sevika of Samiti. Yes, I may not be making a huge difference directly, but by supporting this Sew work, whether by giving time towards it or by being part of an organization that has resulted in such people doing this work, I feel I can proudly call myself a Sevika.

We may not be able to eradicate all poverty and there will always be challenges to face in society, however should that stop us from making a difference in small steps? The biggest lesson I have learnt through Samiti is that nothing is achieved in one go. There are always steps to be taken leading up to the accomplishment. This project is one of the million steps to be taken for the betterment of society.

From this I learnt that both Samiti and this project work like the butterfly effect. Karyakartas are developed to become inspiring figures in society. They inspire others to take action or do something in society. The whole point of this project is to make the slum areas in Pune self-sustainable, and that those who inspire will develop others to be the next inspiring figures in their community.

4.     What is your message to the younger Swayamsevaks and Sevikas?

I myself am a young Sevika, therefore I shall address this question to my fellow Swayamsevaks and Sevikas. From the experience I have so far, I can say two things:

1.     Take a gap year.

It is the best thing I have ever done and having known I will always take a gap year before university made me even more confident that these small decisions I am making today are the right ones.

2.     Take some time out to reflect.

This whole programme has mainly been reflecting on ourselves, what actions we take in each situation, the impact it has on us all and what we should be doing. Even by asking these questions to myself I have really understood how having this experience has impacted me. In the same way you should try it yourself.