Bhumi

I have been a part of the Make A Difference network of BHUMI for the past 2 months. This period has turned out to be one of the most memorable experiences of my life. The kids enjoy the English sessions as there is no orthodox 'blackboard-chalk' teaching. All the concepts are explained by means of fun filled, interactive ways like activities and games. It is immensely satisfying to play a small role in reaching out to underprivileged children and trying to provide what they deserve.

My association with Bhumi would have never happened if I had not seen the poster one day in my college. I applied for the very simple reason, “Complete social work certificate” demanded by my college. Very soon, I got a call from Bhumi. One-two-three-four..! Yes, after ignoring 4 calls, had I not received the call one fine day, I wouldn’t be doing today, what I have always been passionate about and wanted to do which was rediscovered by Bhumi.. And so started my association with Bhumi.. The joy that I get every weekend when I goto the orphanage and teach the kids is immense. And its even more happier when the kids gradually blossom into better learners every day. This transition is phenomenal. It is not an exaggeration but it truly is an emotional moment when a kid walks up to me and tells me something that I taught him few days back. It gives immense satisfaction that ‘Life isn’t all that a waste yet..!’ Bhumi has various projects, and each has its own criteria. The best part about all this is that, as a volunteer, I get to experiment in the rigidity set by the syllabus given for teaching. There is complete freedom to give something in the style of teaching that I’m comfortable with. Teaching has been something that I always wanted to since the childhood days when I played ‘Teacher-teacher’, but surprisingly, it is not this which makes me work with Bhumi. It is the way Bhumi functions and ideology that it has to serve the society. Once I found this attachment, I could not stop myself from doing the best. Every week when I prepare for the class, the only thing that runs in my mind is that, I am not doing this for myself or some person in Bhumi, it is just the cause that we all are working for. It is that kind of an inspiration Bhumi can give if one starts working with it. And.. something that is very exciting about this whole process is that, when I teach, I learn too!

First time left my parents and came to work about 1500 km away to a place completely new. I was an alien. People here looked different, spoke different language and ate different food. One month here, I kept secluded and reluctant and then one day one of my friends took me to Bhumi. Then I realised that love speaks one language. I instantly made friends with all of them and then there was no stopping us. I witnessed the journey from 8 people in Januray 2008 to 1439 today. This was one place where my creativity flourished. My dreams got life and I had people who stood by me and help me fulfill them. I got everything that I could have asked for...great opportunities, great people, lot of fun, and most importantly right to expression. I was heard here and my ideas valued. It gave me a kick in life and is a sustained source of happiness. This is what gives me my 'Quantum of Solace'. I have grown as a person and this change is irrevertible.

I always used to think how much I ve given back to the society, what I have really done as a citizen apart from cheering for Indian cricket team, what i ve done ?. The result will always be null. Then I found Bhumi. Actually I should thank my friend for introducing Bhumi to me. Though my association with Bhumi is still at the grass root level (3 months to be precise) its been a wonderful experience. When I first went for an ice breaker session with my friend, apart from the ice the one thing that surely broken was my perception about the life. I thought I have suffered a great deal, but looking at the kids and I have not even faced 10%. Though I am doing career counseling to them, it was me whoz learning many things from these kids. :) What started with 4 people is now grown like anything with 1000 members. I can proud to say that I am one of those. I am a Bhumian. Together, we can make a difference.

I have been associated with BHUMI for more than a year though I've been actively volunteering as a teacher in their teach-at-orphanages programs for just over a month. My experience with the organisation has been extremely enriching, eye-opening and satisfying on many levels. Enriching because it has contributed to a great growth at a personal level, eye-opening because I watch unfolding before my eyes a wave that's carrying young India forward. Satisfying because I am a part of this wave. BHUMI stands out as an NGO with remarkable vision, compassion, commitment and a tireless enthusiasm for the cause.

Joining such a great organization gave me an immense satisfaction. Really, to work for poor children who can't afford education,who can't have few moments of happiness & affection, those who never knew how birthdays are being celebrated,what is the taste of exorbitant pizza & what is that amazing thing called as " video"game.Those ,who could have spend their life fetching rags from the slum of pudupet(Chennai's biggest slum)or running behind the cars just in the meager hope of getting few bucks for bread... If a group of people are working to bring smile on faces of these people whose rolling tears are even dried on their cheek, for me it's great to be part of them. whether its about educating these children , organizing an annual inter-orphanage cultural fest (which is in NOV.09) or adopting public parks for development "BHUMI", YOU ARE ALWAYS THERE to make the difference to evaporate the discrimination from the society. JAI BHUMI, JAI BHARAT.

I love the way they have devised the Teach India Program where the kids are getting educated. Its one of the best. Apart from this Bhumi is simply great because they are not narrow minded, thinking only about serious issues for the students, but also bringing laughter to their lives by organizing events like the Siragugal, where we do sports days and annual days for the kids.

Bhumi is a bunch of extremely motivated individuals working for a common cause. I was impressed as well as ashamed by seeing them do their job with a kind of commitment that is rarely observed. One that does not deter with time. I purchased a few of their cloth bags and spread the news to friends of mine in other cities. I can proudly say that because of bhumi, there are atleast a hundred people who do not use plastic like they used to. I wish them the very best.

My experience with Bhumi cant be expressed with words at all. I first joined Bhumi through TOI, and my first day with Bhumi was on Diwali celebrations in one Orphanage. I still cant forget the happiness these kids had when we celebrated Diwali. I was also involved in Career counselling of the kids and also in the sports and Cultural event Siragugal.

In Chennai this is one of the best organizations that helps in establish such a close relationship with kids very frequently. The organization does a lot of work but never boasts. The organization and its volunteers deserve a proper recognition as most of BHUMI volunteers give importance to BHUMI and kids equivalent to their career.

I have worked as a volunteer, multiple times with different organisations for brief periods..But the joy and satisfaction I get from working with Bhumi is multi-fold. My role with Bhumi is as a volunteer, teaching English to 5th Std students. I have never till today experienced so much joy in goin to school! The sheer pleasure and satisfaction recieved from being with the children is an unforgettable experience. What makes me proud is when I see the students showing so much interest in what we teach and are so happy to attend these classes. This to me is the biggest achievement for Bhumi. At Bhumi we emphasize more on teaching with a fun approach and make sure that all our volunteers are of a young age. Beacuse of these two points, I think we connect with the students on a much higher level, as they can relate to us in a better way. Through Bhumi, Ive made so many good friends, that we make it a point to atleast meet once in a week! All in all, this is a fabulous Ngo, doing amazing work, making a huge difference to so many lives and Im glad to be part of it.

Our earth(bhumi) should be proud to have this BHUMI within it. I am really happy tat I am one of the volunteer of this.It has the young and enthusiastic volunteers with it. Really we can find how young people contribute for our nation through this. In this fast moving world the people mainly from corporate world spending their time for social activities is something really great and appreciable. As our ex-president Dr.Kalam sir said India's future is really in the hands of young people like here.If you once join bhumi never you will like to get out of this. I think bhumi is like my another house where I spend my weekends. Exactly I am not teaching rather I learn alot here. I can find my school days back here in BHUMI. Really I am proud to be in BHUMI. Proud to be a BHUMIAN. I wish BHUMI should be expanded all over India soon.

An excellent example of how much can be achieved by bringing together like minded youth to work towards the welfare of the society. Was able to meet a lot of people from diff walks of life all trying to do their part to help the people in need... Am excited on being a part of this organisation.

It is a divine opportunity for me to join Bhumi. As swami Vivekananda said 'My faith is in younger generation, out of them will become my workers, they will work out the whole problem. & We want that education by which character is formed, strength of mind is increaded, the intellect is expanded and by which one can stand on one's own feet'. One can find both these realities of these saying in Bhumi. I think only in Bhumi.

i love children! i love playing, spending time, making different kinds of faces, combing thier hair, etc etc. i could really go on. when i was about 14-15 years old,once i was walking in a street where i saw a slum dwelling, lots of children playing on the footpath,i looked at them and thought why are they deprived of a proper home, education and all that we got without asking, why are they roaming about on streets, i blamed their parents. i reached home and the same thought kept hitting me, then i realised it was the lack of education that had brought them to that state, same if they were educated they would earn and live a respectful life, havin all the basic amenities that they were rightful of. ITS THEN that i thought me as a human being should do something for my fellow beings, even little that i could. i then discussed this issue with my friends. and 1 sudden day a friend called and said come over to this orphanage, where we could spend quality time with small children.we went regularly for atleast 2 months but then that orphanage shifted elsewhere. after a long gap(where i was totally involved in studies and personal stuff) i came to know of this ngo called BHUMI through times of India. AND MY JOURNEY STARTED WITH THESE WONDERFUL PEOPLE SINCE THEN. i started teaching english to these orphan children. oh my God! great experience the first day itself! all the children gathered around me and i started asking their names. everybody would shout out their names, and after i was done, each one would personally come and ask me"akka do u remember my name? i am ...." that was so sweet. and thats not all, nobody could get to pronounce my name, so they decided to give me a name,and i got many names like, sneha, rose, leen.. these are few i can remember. i loved it!, as i was getting familiar, week after week, i found the kids to be so helpless not knowing the english language,hence not following what i wanted to teach, here was the major role played by the bhumians. they literally trained me! they took all the efforts, special time and care to make me understand how i should teach the kids, in the manner they would follow me the best. they gave me all the tips so that the kids could benefit the best out of me. and i tried it , the very next class, and it was very soothing to see the kids understand me better. ther's a lot of personal care given by each end every member of this organisation, bhumi, if you cant give in your heart mind and soul in those few hours spent with the children, then you cannot be a part of bhumi. they see to it everyone is doing that. they take updates from you themselves, give you tips themselves, and what not. i thought building up NGOs had become a good way to make money for many people, but i was wrong not all belong to that category! BHUMI works towards only one goal and thats EDUCATING INDIA!Which directly effects the growth and success of each and every single citizen of India! HAIL BHUMI, HAIL INDIA!

i am attached with organisation for last 3 years and i realizd the real meaning of life.the inner strength which desired for making world better place for living i foung in everyone..so i feel that the work for the real change is done by the bhumi.

I can be proud to say that I have been a member of Bhumi since the times when it was merely a group of 5-6 youngsters in their final years in college, wanting to do something for the society. There were so few of us and there were even fewer resources. We would meet on weekends in Gandhi Mandapam in Guindy, Chennai and discuss on how to start working. It was in those meetings and some more in a garage that the idea of starting computer education for underprivileged children came, and thus was born Kanini- the first project and later the flagship of Bhumi. We contacted a few orphanages and some of them agreed to let us teach computers to their children. I was a volunteer at one such center along with Vaishnavi. I was very apprehensive as being a shy geek, I had never done any sort of teaching, except some seminars and my unfamiliarity with the local language was another issue. It was Vaishnavi, then new to the organization who took the reigns, never failing to amaze with her dedication and skills, and we managed to hold the classes for 30 girl students with the help of two outdated computers and a laptop. The situation was not very comfortable as the classes were often noisy and hot, but it was the affection of the children and their eagerness to learn which made us put an extra effort into whatever we did. Needless to say we managed to finish the whole course successfully. Although due to my personal commitments I couldn't resume teaching in the Bhumi projects, I remained an active member. Today when I look back, I realize how much Bhumi has grown- from 5-6 in 2006 to more than 1000 volunteers we have really come of age. In my journey with Bhumi, I have come across some extraordinary young men and women who has made a permanent impression on me by their hard work and commitment to Bhumi and society. Bhumi's biggest asset is its huge pool of young volunteers who are willing to work for the society. Together we have shown that given a chance to work, the youth of India can really make a difference..

Committed bunch of people for a noble cause. It is great to work with people who are so enthusiastic about working with slum kids and helping them out with any possible manner. Very Proud to be a Bhumian Elan