I have been associated with SOSVA for the last one year. I admire their sincere efforts towards the betterment of underprivileged children. They put in their best efforts for their education, daily need articles, food, and overall development.

It has given me great pleasure to be associated with SOSVA. I was happy to have shared the art of Origami with the children.It is always very satisfying ro see joy on their faces when they realise what they can do with paper.Team SOSVA puts in lots of effort for the betterment of the underprivileged children and their all-round development and also ensure smoot functioning of the sessions conducted.Regular feedbacks from the children and volunteers are taken and that really helps to improve and get better.

I was always interested to work for the needy people but could not get through it somehow. Then I got to know about SOSVA from my classmate Shrihari who is also a part of SOSVA. I got myself registered where I was assisted to be a reader for the blind. I am volunteering as a reader for the blind girls studying in the class of FYBA, SYBA at Smt. Kumudben Dwarkadas Vora Industrial Home for Blind Women in Andheri. I read their books to them. I go to the blind home once a week for 2 hours. Being an engineering student makes it difficult but when you have to do something you will do it anyhow.

I am completely in awe with their sheer determination to work and study also. I read the chapter only once and they try to grasp it as much as possible. I myself being a student could never achieve this while studying which motivates me further to go and read for them. The most memorable incident that happened with me was that when I went there for the first time and was asked to write an application for scholarship by two girls. When I gave them the letters they felt my handwriting and did compliment me for my good handwriting. Being blind they could only feel my handwriting and knew what I wrote was good. I felt on top of the world.

My advice to people is that we all can take out some time in our daily life to go and help some of the people who don’t get all the facilities like we all get. By the means of volunteering we all can come forward to help the society in some or the other way. The people who want to take up volunteer should know that the experience after their work will be really good and try to bring more people into volunteering.

SOSVA came to my life at a time when I was searching for something peaceful in life. Being in the Armed Forces does make you professionally delivering a service to the nations. I tried to prepare an interesting topic, make it enthralling and deliver it in an engaging, exciting manner. It is just a small bit of my addition to SOSVA. The best part is after the completion of presentation, where I ask the beneficiaries about “Who all would like to go to space or be an astronaut?”, and I hear an overwhelming response. Keep up the good work and achieve greater heights SOSVA.

I started my journey as a volunteer with celebrating Diwali with children at orphanages and bursting crackers and enjoying sweets with them. Over a period I was also able to initiate other friends and colleagues to participate. I had a larger exposure to volunteering and as a part of SOSVA team I was involved in promoting volunteerism and also preparing proposals. Over a period of time I realized the dearth of well educated professionals interested in working with the under-privileged.

The largest of this segment resides in Rural India, which is not even accessed by regular corporate and city volunteers. In this I saw a great latent opportunity and decided to find innovative business solutions to raise sustainable income levels in Rural India. Currently as the Promoter, MD & CEO of Sahaj Group of Companies, I have decided to explore the “seemingly” less glamorous Rural India Opportunity, when most of my peer group is building careers in the international corporate arena.