Kiel Moses Interning with Samarthanam...

I was lucky enough to volunteer with Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled from October 1^st through November 14^th, 2013 in a variety of capacities including teaching theater/martial arts/English to students, working on the Samarthanam expansion to the US, as well as the recorder for books for the blind/visually impaired. 

I started out at the primary school that Samarthanam trust operates for children with and without disabilities.  I taught the younger kids theater skills through the use of the various animals they knew.  I had them rolling on the ground sounding and acting like their favorite animals.  I taught the older students English and grammar skills.  This work at the primary school felt gratifying.  However, because I didn't speak their native language, the success that I had was limited.

As a result, I got linked up with the overseas coordinator at Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled who wanted me to help her with various aspects of expanding Samarthanam in the US.  I read over many parts of the website that had been created and came up with ideas that the new branch in the US could potentially pursue.  This felt very gratifying to be a part of.  This experience in assisting in the expansion of Samarthanam to the US felt great.

I also visited various parts of the trust (such as the call center/BPO) that gave me a deeper understanding of the trust and potential businesses that people with and without disabilities could be a part of.  These field trips proved fruitful for me to experience because it reiterated that people with disabilities can be successful in various sectors of the trust. 

I appreciated the interactions with the staff and other beneficiaries that I talked with during my internship.  I met members of the blind dance troupe as well as others who I felt a great connection to/with.  These various conversations left a powerful and positive imprint on me.  Every staff member and beneficiary that I interacted with treated me as if I were an essential part of the Samarthanam team/family.  This type of treatment felt great to me while I was interning at Samarthanam Trust. 

I also taught self defense/martial arts skills to older adults.  I had two regular students who attended my classes.  In a three week period I had them being able to punch, block, and kick.  I even taught a young man who was blind these same techniques with great success.  I felt really great about this being that the two adults had no prior experience in self defense or martial arts before meeting me.

Overall I had a great experience volunteering in Samarthanam and feel that I made a difference on many different levels on both a personal and professional level.  I will never forget this experience because of the life lessons and pragmatic skills that it taught me for my professional career that I will have.

Interns' Experience sharing Note...

Here is a small experience sharing note shared by our interns from ITM Business School, Bangalore. A group of 10 students interned with us for a period of 30 days. They were exposed to several activities in the organization guided by volunteer coordinator through out their stay at Samarthanam.

Few students have shared their experiences interning at Samarthanam. 

"Because of Samarthanam I have learnt how to tackle people and how to help the society.  I got to know now that how many problems are there in the society.  I like this Samarthanam trust very much."

-Sudipta  Roy

"Because of the Samarthanam I learn how the physically disabled students are taking education in the society. I love to work here.  I had a great experienced in the Samarthanam trust for disabled."

-Mohit Goel

"I had a fabulous experience in the Samarthanam I learn how social work helps the society in different  ways."

-Surav Chatterjee

"This was my great phase of my life that I have work for this Samarthanam trust for disabled and learn how social work plays an important role in society. I learn many things from this NGO."

-Sonika Sharma

"Here I learn many things like speaking in public and promoting activity which is held on this NGO I like to work here."

-Sagar K Gadbail

"I had very good experience working with Samarthanam trust and its people. I got to learn many things. This Samarthanam trust is doing a great work towards the underprivileged people of the society. I was truly honored to work with this group."

-Satish Kumar Balla

"I am very  lucky that I got a chance to work in a NGO named as Samarthanam. I feel very proud to say that they are doing exceptional job by bringing up the differently abled people in the society and helping them in fulfilling their needs.I joined them as a part of our project and I helped them a lot. I also raised funds for the upcoming event."

-Anuj  Misra

Samarthanam !! Ah!! This is a place where i learnt a lot, i came to know how blessed i am . We though having everything still creep about every other thing but these kids though having nothing are very happy and the way support each other is just amazing and speaking about the staffs, these people are just down to earth, the way they treat people and kids is again a lesson to every human on earth. Personally i learnt to be polite, patient and have started loving my life to the fullest.

Thank you Samarthanam !!!!

-Sudamsu