Thursday 15 May 2014

CSR Meets Banyan

The day was set, the team arrived. Five Vans and a Jeep load of people from the corporate world to conduct a one-day program for the children at the Banyan on the 12th of May, 2014. Many of the children who had wanted to come earlier were caught-up with their suddenly arranged health check-up and another bunch too tired to wake up from the previous day's picnic at one of the orphanages they come from. Good that the children are happy; afterall, it is the best interest of the child that we care about. 

However, with a happy bunch of kids (almost 50) who had reached us, the day started; while the kids admirably waited patiently before the visiting corporate team got a quick round of presentation on 'Breaking the cycle of violence and injustice' and a tour around the school. Many of them realized why we have the clause, "Do not ask personal questions to children and Do not break down or cry infront of the children" when they had a chance to get a glimpse of one life projected to them. There are over 400 such stories at the backdrop of every smiling child one gets to see at present at The Banyan and not many can bear the details of their past. 

After that, the surprisingly blazing sun of Bangalore could not deter the team from conducting some sports events in the open ground in which the kids participated with joy. Back in the shades, after sitting down for lunch with the kids, the team conducted a painting competition and gave away prizes to the children they felt had performed well. At the end of the day, every child went back with some take-away token of love from the visitors.

Interestingly, amidst many clustered hiccups in arranging events in short notice, I was wondering how everything falls in place once we learn to complain less and begin to see the bigger picture and to see some children who are less privileged than most of us or our children who have someone to call as their parent, and to have some one to nurture them and shower them with love and care one day just like these kids in Banyan did... especially a day just after what the world celebrated as 'Mother's Day'.

Thank You ServiceMax. We really appreciate it...  

Friday 9 May 2014

When The Corporate Treadmill Stops

Recently, while with a group of young people at ServiceMax, a corporate office in Bangalore to discuss about the ways in which they can pitch in through their csr activities for the children at The Banyan Community School, I realized a shift of energy of the people in that "Meeting Room" as we started getting a little deeper into the presentation; from serious corporate strategies and logical lateral thoughts that they were used to, that would come straight from their head, they were sitting around smiling and thinking like children long lost in memories of their childhood as they drafted plan after plan to engage and entertain the children that seemed to flow straight from their heart. 

At times like these, I humbly bow to these wonderful souls who despite running a rigorous corporate treadmill find time to get in touch with the softer, calmer and sensitive side of their souls to ensure a lingering smile on the faces of children they hardly know.