“Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in a Democracy. You vote in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote everyday about the kind of community you want to live in.”
There are currently many NGOs and various independent organizations that are running volunteer programs in India. One such organization is Lakshyam, an NGO covering PAN India that works for building a safe, habitable world for the unfortunate lot of our society. Since its inception in 2004 till today, Lakshyam has touched well over 18,000 lives in 11 states and directly benefitted them. With over 4 projects working towards child welfare, women empowerment as well as slum development; it steers infallible schemes that would holistically benefit the poor.
Lakshyam’s volunteer program provides diverse range of tasks for the volunteers and makes sure that their time and money, both are spent well.
Lakshyam is introducing a volunteering program where willing volunteers can work at Lakshyam’s centre spread across 5 locations across India. We offer you a wide variety of work that skilled or unskilled candidates can do. Lakshyam has informally adopted (Lakshyam NGO in Vasant Kunj)two ghettos in Delhi where remedial education as well as healthcare and living standards are taken care of. Additionally, Lakshyam actively operates in 5 different locations all over the country from which volunteers can chose to work at. Lakshyam’s unique selling price is the promise of a holistic experience through interaction with Tribal communities and scavengers; it involves living between them, living their sorrows and a deep insight into their lives.
To Volunteer with Lakshyam, an Individual has to be-
- Over 18 years of age.
- Must acquire knowledge about Indian culture; its diversity, and Indian social norms.
- Must build up a tolerance towards poor livings conditions and unhealthy slum surroundings.
- Learning a few words of Hindi (such as greetings and thank you) would be a step ahead.
- A background check on Indian’s Slum conditions and poverty will help create the right image.
A volunteer may choose any from the following tasks offered by Lakshyam for their volunteer program-
Media & Communications:
Create Posters, draft online content, Graphic Designing, Film Making, Creative and Content writing
Administrative Work & Business Development:
Assist in Book Keeping, Cash Management, and Donor Receipts and help strengthen the operations’ Department.
Academics:
Teach Languages like English and Hindi and assist them with homework and exams. Teach Spoken English and train them with computer operations.
Indoors and Outdoors Sports:
Teach children various games that you may know of.
Performing Arts:
Take workshops of music, Dance forms, Drama, Calligraphy etc.
Data Management and Research:
Data Management, Research, documentation and program assessment.
Social Entrepreneurship:
Lakshyam is extremely supportive of creative innovations that may lead to social benefit for all.
Building and Construction:
Help renovate old houses and make new habitable constructions for the poor The volunteer program will cost USD 500, 200 for accommodation, 200 for meals, 50 for expenditure for supervision.
Volunteer’s work at Lakshyam will involve a combination of all experiences. From fieldwork to trips around the country, Lakshyam will endeavour to make his/her experience as versatile as possible. Volunteer will be involved in a variety of activities; such as teaching children elementary level Math and English and other subjects of his/her choice, painting or decorating Lakshyam’s centres, organizing ice breakers and fun activities to indulge the children at Lakshyam with, interacting with the ladies at the communities, or even the official work at Lakshyam. Lakshyam endeavours to ensure that volunteers are positive to leave with an everlasting experience and abundant knowledge of the society in India.
