Our volunteers' feelings on 6th anniversary of Sankalp

It has been wonderful time since I have joined Sankalp. Working in Sankalp has helped me lot in improving myself. It is very nice feeling I get in helping people which can't be explained in words. I want to do my work still better.

" SANKALP IS AWESOME..IT ROCKS"

Keep Walking is the first thing that comes to my mind, summarizing my journey in Sankalp. There are times when you can't ask for direction, when walking itself is the triumph. You can't connect the dots forward it can be connected only backward.

Keep Walking...

Although I had attended many blood requests with other experienced volunteers, I had not got a blood request that I was supposed to attend, until that day...

It was a great experience. Donor was called and he was more than happy to donate. Later the smile on the patient's son holding the blood bag said it all.

That night while recollecting the event, I realized that I could have conducted the blood search in tens of other better ways. Since then I've learned no matter what you do, there is always a better way to do it. If not, then something is terribly wrong; you are inhibiting your growth.

I feel myself very happy and blessed today, after joining Sankalp India Foundation. Even a rat can find food and shelter for himself; so what great is a man if he manages basic needs of life, because he is also living for his own self. After joining SIF, I realized what is the actual meaning of life and happiness. It does not lie in living for ownself but it is doing something for our fellow brothers and to be very honest I’m part of the organization because I find my happiness in doing something for my society, my nation.

The level of happiness and joy I get after solving any blood request is beyond explanation. Each time I get a blood request, it accelerates my energy level and keeps my mind in an excited state and motivates me to keep doing my tasks. I have no idea how much I contribute towards my society or my nation, but all I can say is I’m very happy being a part of the organization which is serving the nation in its own unique and a dynamic manner.

Working in Sankalp has always been a learning experience.

The visit to KMWA school was a experience that i can never forget.It was a small crowd. I thought it wont be interactive, not even to the extent that we had in other schools. But there were 2 boys here who asked some really good questions, some for which we dint know the exact answers.I came back that day and searched for the answers and I got to learn lot more things.

As usual not easy....tough job...many learnings....many mistakes....went through some really exciting experience....it's a feeling which really is a pack of mixed emotions.The helping hand and guidance of senior has really helped me a lot.My everlasting experience was when I was visiting one of the Districts in KWBS (Karnataka Wide Blood Search).It was one of the senior volunteers who really showed me the path ahead. It was due to that Senior volunteer that I realized they bigger picture of Sankalp, bigger and better scenario of BDO.After being three years in Sankalp, now I really feel that I have started to see the picture, the dream which they(seniors) saw, the dream which they really wanted us to show....Sirs, Mams I love each and every one of you.....

Though younger to me yet brilliant working force..the Juniors...I have really loved working with them...juniors rockzzz...They many time have been a source of motivation for me. All the volunteers of Sankalp have become a new family to me.

This was during the phase 2 of Rakta Kranthi schools. During this phase,usually the program was usually conducted in 2 schools each day on an avarage. But, on 16th april,for the first time we had the program conducted in 4 schools, all covered before 3:30(the third school on this day was instantly added into our schedule though ;) ).At the end of the day, not only did we return back with a nice satisfying feeling of having spread the message about blood donation among many students but also amazed by the intellect of few of them, which left most of us google more info about blood the same night.It was a day, where we not only shared the knowledge we knew but learnt a lot too. No doubt it was a hectic, but its one of the days ill remember for a really long time. "

It is beginning of new chapter of my life as a Sankalp volunteer, enjoying work with the members of Sankalp, and gaining lots of knowledge through work in Sankalp.

My experience from past one year was great. From one and half years I have been taking cases independently and every case gave me new experiences. This sem I got one Bombay blood group case which was the biggest of all cases and had a great experience. Being a sankalp volunteer I learnt many things not only blood related one but other than that. Frankly speaking after joining sankalp I learnt to face a crowd in the sense I can go and speak in a class and many more things I learn't. Got very good support from senior volunteers. I learn't to spend time for proper reasons. I got good support for my studies also. It has been a great year for me being a sankalp volunteer.

Had a dream and wanted an opportunity.

Got an opportunity here, and hopefully the dreams are coming true.

Thanks to God for me being here.

I feel blessed to be Sankalp, so I’m in Sankalp.

As a new joinee in Sankalp, I wanted to make myself familiar with the blood banks. So, one fine Thursday morning, I got up, got ready, and took a bus for NIMHANS hospital to visit its blood bank. After reaching there, I was walking down my way to the hospital, when a person sitting inside an auto asked me for Neurology Department.

He looked like an outsider, a bit tired and troubled. And then I saw walking crutches and realized that he has some trouble with walking. I asked him to wait there till I get the address. After walking a few yards, I saw a security person who told me the way to department. I came back and escorted him to the department. While walking to the department, he asked if I can escort him to the doctor since he didn’t understand the local language and the doctor may not be aware of Hindi. I felt there was enough time to visit the blood bank, and it would be nice if I can stay with him till he is done. I myself somehow wanted to stay with him. We went to the registration counter, paid his fee and found the token number to be 127.

The current count was in 30’s. To spend the time and to know each other, we started interacting. And, thus I came to know that he has come from West Bengal. He came from a poor family, where his dad was no more. He had an elder brother who was married and staying away with his wife and kids. He had an old mother of whom he was taking care till this condition occurred 6 months back. He had an attack of paralysis on his whole body and had spent some 4 months completely on bed where his mother had done both cleaning and feeding for him.

He was a young man in his early 30’s, and his relatives were looking for a match for him to get married, when this attack happened. He was shattered, still trying to understand why God did this to him! A person who never did anything wrong to anyone in his life, a plain simple labour, the sole support for his mother! I had no answers for his questions except asking him not to lose faith in God and hold on.

Thus talking and waiting for nearly 45 minutes, we realized that the count has only come to 40, then from 30. He looked at me a bit worried and asked if I will be able to escort him since the numbers were moving really slow and it might not be before evening when he might get his chance to visit the doctor.

I asked him not to worry, since by this time I had decided to stay with him, till he is done. Since there was a lot of time to his number, we went outside, had something for our lunch, and spent some more time sitting outside knowing each other.

In the evening, we got to meet the doctor, who asked him to show in another ward next day morning. He was kind enough to give him an accommodation in the hospital longue at a rent of Rs. 10 per night.

Once we were done, I asked doctor if his disease was curable and if it is affordable. He told me that there are very low chances of improvement and on top of it, it is very costly. This was a truth which could not be told to him and at the same time could not be hidden since the person was getting even the food grains from the village panchayat!

We settled his accommodation in longue, came out and had tea. I asked him if he has enough money to sustain his stay in Bangalore. He said he had a Rs. 1000/- and that should be sufficient for him.

It was evening and now I had to come back. Before coming, I asked him if possible, to work in an ashram and do seva. That was the only thing I could think of at that moment, which I felt could help him reestablish his faith in God.

Giving him small cash and 1062 number, I asked him to call in case of any blood requirement and parted. By this time the blood bank was already closed.

While leaving, there was a strange feeling of satisfaction and I knew, on this first day of work with Sankalp, a life has touched another LIFE!

Being a part of RK schools, I encountered a phase wherein, we used to cover maximum schools possible in that phase, covering one school a day. After every school, we had few negative points which had to be improved…Something which never gave us satisfaction, something which told me I need to improve a lot.

But this day was different. Because of lack of planning, we had to cover 4 schools in a single day. We had a fear that it will be very hectic and will surely mess up. But it turned out to be the best day as compared to all the school visits…The preparation we did so that we don’t mess up that day…Just played a small role. The enthusiasm shown by the students enhanced our enthusiasm. These interacting sessions with the students made us learn a lot about the subject, include fun in learning and most important of all have fun and enjoy what you yourself are doing and do in better ways to communicate the information to the students.