By Ms Pearl Fernandes for BISMumbai

On 22 July 2023, some staff and students of Don Bosco Junior College, Yerwada, Pune, in association with the NGO Being Volunteer, took part in the ‘Feed the Needy and Education for All’ Drive. The main reason behind organising this activity was to make students aware of the harsh realities of life and encourage them to do their small part to lessen social inequalities.

Being Volunteer aims to create a nation where the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’ of society work together to build a beautiful world. It also aims to foster a culture of volunteerism in which individual volunteers serve as positive change agents.

19 students talented in culinary art gathered at the Being Volunteer office to work together on this significant project with the help of Mr Leo D'Souza, Ms Pearl Fernandes, and three other volunteers. 

The staff and members of the Being Volunteer team divided the students into four groups. Each group was given a specific task to complete. One group canvassed nearby communities to gather 116 kg of old newspapers and magazines. They then sorted and sold them to raise money, which was used to purchase school supplies for homeless children. 

The second group of students set up the kitchen, cleaned the utensils, sorted the grains, vegetables, and spices, and prepared the ingredients for a nutritious lunch. 

The third group of students showed off their culinary skills as they cooked a wholesome and delicious khichdi under the guidance of teachers and volunteers. By noon, the food had been prepared, tasted, and examined to determine its quality. The food was organised and packed into 115 food boxes for distribution. Along with volunteers and staff, the last group distributed food packets to residents and children in nearby slums and construction sites in Baner, Pune.

A student, Ms Saroj Bagdi, made the following observation: “When we went around the apartments, collecting used newspapers and magazines, some people were generous, while a few looked at us with contempt and were unwilling to lend a helping hand.” 

Ms Riddhi Dalvi shared: “I felt shy at first to distribute the food packets, but looking at small innocent faces and senior citizens, I realised my responsibility towards them, and I pledge to carry out these small acts of kindness in the future.”

Through this activity, the faculty and students had a great time and were inspired to do small acts of kindness in the community on a regular basis as part of their daily lives. The staff and students thanked Being Volunteer for giving them the opportunity to provide limited but loving assistance to the less fortunate.