Social Work Volunteer Opportunities

Jaago Re! is getting in touch with young change-makers to hear their stories and find out what inspired them to take that big step towards change. Last week, we talked with Ankit Nandwani, one of the 400+ youth who volunteered through Jaago Re!  This week, we’re posting excerpts from our conversation with Shweta Trivedi, who has volunteered for Rang De and Make A Wish Foundation in Bangalore. – Jaago Re!

Shweta Trivedi, one of our Jaago Re! volunteers from Hyderabad, told us about her neighbor who had two dogs. For some reason, the neighbor would always kick one of the two dogs causing it to wail endlessly in pain. Why would any sane person harass a poor dog day in and day out? Shweta decided to do something to save the poor creature.

One day, when her neighbor was kicking the dog again, she took his pictures and posted copies of them in her neighborhood. The pictures caught eyes of PETA India members who later came to visit the neighbor. After this incident, the neighbour changed his tune completely and the dog was also never heard wailing again. It was a real victory for her!

 “I want to become the voice of animals,” says Shweta, who is now a member of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) India.  “I am a die-hard animal lover.”

“There are already way too many NGOs working for people. We need more animal rights groups like PETA to wake up people,” she says.

And it’s not just PETA that she’s associated with. Shweta has also volunteered with Rang De! and Make A Wish Foundation through Jaago Re!

Rang De! is a web-based micro-credit service launched with an aim to eliminate poverty. It provides an excellent opportunity to participate in the process of knocking out poverty from the hinterlands of Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharastra, Orissa and West Bengal. People living in these parts of rural India need low-cost loans to buy cattle or a sewing machine, or setting up a tea stall or a grocery, etc.
Shweta, who worked as a profile writer for Rang De!, says, “As these people couldn’t read or write, we had to take care of it. We would get brief information about what they were doing and their requirements, and then post their stories on Rang De!”
More than 3700 people have already benefited from Rang De! And people can become social investors with as little as a hundred rupees.  Please check out the website.

‘Very fulfilling experience’

Make A Wish Foundation was looking for volunteers, preferably homemakers, over 30, willing to spare 6-8 hours per week for children fighting with life-threatening illnesses. Shweta fit the bill perfectly.

The foundation tries to bring some laugher and hope in the lives of these children, by helping them identify and fulfil their wishes.

“We used to visit these children at the hospitals,” she says.  “It was truly very fulfilling experience.”

Make A Wish believes that ‘the fulfilment of the most cherished wish of a child can give back what a sickness takes away – strength, hope and joy and actually have a therapeutic effect. A wish fulfilment makes a sick child believe that anything is possible – even the future.’

Initially, Shweta was a little worried as she didn’t know the local language.  “But the people at Make A Wish Foundation were an extremely helpful lot,” she says. “The local language wasn’t a hindrance.”

Shweta, who found volunteering opportunities on Jaago Re!, says that even her father wanted to join us! “One day my father asked me, ‘Why don’t you get me registered on Jaago Re?’ ” she says. “Jaago Re! is a very nice initiative.”

Guys, you can also become a part of our initiative—if you’re willing to find a way to make a difference.  Jaago Re!