Fundraiser for Acorn Foundation (India)

Since last one year, I, Aditya Khant of Year 11 IBDP, have been working as a volunteer with Acorn Foundation (India). Once a week, I teach Maths to underprivileged children at Dharavi. My friend Aarushi Majumder (Year 8 IGCSE at DAIS) is a volunteer along with me.

Both of us held a fundraiser on Saturday 28th Feb 2015, to raise money to provide wholesome, nutritious food to these underprivileged children three times a week after finishing the classes. The fundraiser was very successful and together we managed to raise close to Rs. Four Lakh (Rs.4,00,000) which was well above our target.

During the event, we shared our experiences regarding our work and Mr. Vinod Shetty, Director of Acorn Foundation, gave insights on work done by the Foundation. There were splendid performances by Aarushi and her friends. The highlight of the evening was high octane performance by Dharavi Rocks, a percussion band of Dharavi kids, who use plastic drums from waste material to create rocking music.

 

Through this fundraiser I was able to spread awareness about passion these children have about education and need to provide them nutritious food. I was overwhelmed when people supported the cause wholeheartedly and donated generously.

 

As a volunteer at Acorn, I love teaching children and it gives me satisfaction to give back to society. It completes the cycle of gaining and giving knowledge. It also results in a synergy / symbiosis, where the child gains something more than what he learns at school, and I gain satisfaction for the same. They learn math in a more hands-on unconventional way than school, using innovative methods.

I have learnt many lessons from these classes. Patience is the most important virtue that I have gained. This experience has put me in my teachers' shoes and shown me their perspective to teaching. But moreover it has also given me the ability to understand people.

 

I am proud that not only am I following our school’s motto of ‘Dare to Dream …. Learn to Excel ’, but also helping others to follow it too.