“Well..a day full of happiness! The children at  Deen Bandhu School were very enthusiastic and fun loving. They were full of energy. I loved watching the kids dance and loved painting and kite making with them. I was distributing painting sheets to children when suddenly a girl of class four held my hands tightly and asked for my mobile. I gave her the mobile.. she took out some stickers from her pocket and pasted one of them at the back of my mobile. The sticker picturised, two hearts joined together! I was so touched by this wonderful and unexpected greeting from a small kid, I will remember this moment and cherish it always.”

 These words from a young volunteer Sunil Gupta sum up Udaan 2011, a magical connect between the youth and children, organised by AIESEC Delhi University this July. The Delhi chapter of  the world’s largest student-run organisation has been discovering first hand what a rewarding experience it is to extend hope, energy, opportunity and warmth to children who have been been denied most of these blessings.

 Like another volunteer Kazuma Khurana put it, “The first event was about the long lost childhood within ourselves and helping these kids realize that they have the liberty to dream and open themselves to the world that just pushes them below the horizon. Today, we found the brightest stars shining on and I am glad we all had a chance today to explore the unexplored, see the unseen. I guess our goal is not to just establish ourselves but also to establish the ecosystem, in short; discover, develop, diversify and then only we may be able to create the world that we only see in our dreams.”

 

For Udaan 2011, AIESEC Delhi University has been working closely with NGOs and volunteers to create a bouquet of activities for underprivileged kids but what really emerges from this initiative is not just that the neglected children of this populous, chaotic country if given a chance, can fly towards potential greatness but that the young educated Indian is not a self-absorbed, heedlessly ambitious person. It is very reassuring that the young would like to consistently make a difference, somewhere, somehow.  

 Like volunteer Asmita Singh shares, “I was  absolutely stunned when I witnessed the absolutely incredible kind of talent in the children. In particular, an image of this one adorable little kid who was doing this crazy pop-n-lock dance move amongst other jaw dropping moves, is stuck in my head. Then we encouraged him to do the same moves on a stage… and the smile and laughter on his face was priceless. It left me thinking about the numerous kids like him all over our country, let alone in Delhi, who never even get a chance to discover their abilities and talent.” 

She adds, “What we are doing is still not enough but then, it can’t be. But we are getting somewhere, atleast. And that makes me feel pretty good.”

 Nehaarika Talwar shares, “It feels so great when you know you are the reason for somebody’s smile. You feel blessed that you have the power and the opportunity to make somebody smile..to be a reason for that spark in somebody’s eyes! It is amazing how our little efforts can mean the world for these kids! All thanks to AIESEC DU and Udaan’11!”

The young volunteers realise that what they are doing is far reaching. They are validating children and giving them the fuel to build their lives and not just teaching them about their rights and their sense of self through various fun activities and skill building activities. They know they are building a bridge of communication between a voiceless generation and the rest of us, including international interns who have interacted with these kids. Udaan 2011, says the team behind it, “also a networking opportunity for NGOs, corporates and educational institutions” to synergise and work together. 

 All the Udaan events will culminate in Balakalakaar,  a mega event on July 30. It will begin with a Walkathon which will lead to skits by college groups across Delhi, cultural performances by renowned artists and an art competition for the children. In just a few days since the Udaan 2011 initiative began, over 1300 young lives have been impacted and as the team says, “Making a difference is just one decision away. He who gives when he is asked has waited too long. There’s no right time to make a difference. The time is now. ”

Join AIESEC Delhi University on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/aiesecdelhiuniversity?ref=ts  and volunteer or blog or offer support. Who knows, you may change a life or many. 

Reema Moudgil is the author of  Perfect Eight (http://www.flipkart.com/b/books/perfect-eight-reema-moudgil-book-9380032870?affid=unboxedwri )