Gen Y is more than just achievers because they fulfill their social duties and responsibilities too. They have realised that life is not about just having fun and earning the bucks it's about caring for the needy and the helpful too and they do take out time to do this as well and they do it whole heartedly.
Reaching out
Some are reaching out to the needy through campus initiatives or on weekends while others have taken up social work as a profession. Priyanka Singh, who has a formal degree from TISS in social service, has worked for the Ministry of Family Welfare and now works for an organisation on project Swagti of the Melinda Gates Foundation that helps prevent HIV in same sex partners.
What's interesting is that Priyanka left her M.B.A. Finance midway and took up social service. “I had 17 years of Convent education and that has, somewhere instilled in me deep, the great sense of social responsibility. Hence I made it my profession as it satisfies my soul and helps me earn money too.”
Ankita who is doing her fourth year B.E from O.U.C.E works for an NGO. “I heard about this NGO and volunteered. What we do is to fill the gap between the job seekers like workshop mechanics and machine mechanics from rural and remote areas and job providers. We conducted a job fair recently and the response was good. It was a new experience for me as my life is totally different from the people who come from villages and are economically poor and backward. I am more grateful for what I have.”
Nitesh Kumar, a 24-year-old physiotherapist by profession, is a volunteer at Aadhar. “My heart goes out to these orphans. My friends and I go out to various colleges to collect funds for their education and needs. We have till now collected more than Rs. 70,000 and for the rest we shell out from our pockets.”
These days there are organisations that invite youngsters to volunteer to help victims of natural calamities, accidents and epidemics. So look around you and see what you can do to help.
NTR Memorial Trust, Road No.2, Banjara Hills Hyderabad is one such organisation where you can send your CV to join their outreach projects.