The Exposure to CSA’s Project Area on 07th July was a wonderful experience. It was not only a chance to meet and interact with the kids that we would be working with, but also an opportunity to get to know other volunteers of Activity Centre.
There were three buses that took volunteers to different project areas in Bangalore, and I got into the bus that went to LR Nagar. There was a HUGE turnout, with more than 65 volunteers in our bus alone!
When we reached the slum, we were briefed about CSA’s activities there. We were so many in number that we had to go and meet the children in batches of 20! The building that housed the sponsored children looked like a house, and I wondered how kids could be taught in such a small house. When I actually got to meet them, I was overwhelmed!
They welcomed each one of us with a loud and warm “HI!” and then sang songs for us. They then asked us to sing them a song, and it seemed that we were much more nervous than them, although they were just a bunch of six-eight year-olds. There they were- almost 20-25 of them- in a cramped room, without even a hint of resentment in their behavior or words! It was simply touching, and just the thought of teaching such beautiful, energetic, bubbly kids was exciting.
I interacted with a lot more kids from the area. The CSA senior volunteers are extremely helpful and friendly.
When we were about to leave, we were told that the people there had had a function that day and that there was an excess of chicken biriyani which they wanted to share with all of us. It was a very touching gesture, though being vegetarian, I couldn’t eat any! I was sad to leave the kids behind, and wanted to spend more time with them. Well, I’m looking forward to meeting them again, and I’m sure it will be fun!
-Alekha Acharya, II CEP
csablog.christuniversity.in 