Until they know how much you care

They do not care about how much you know, until they know how much you care

I have been volunteering with eVidyaloka for nearly 8 years now and have not wished to stop this noble act of imparting knowledge to the rural community anytime soon. As I have always emphasised, I just love the task of meeting innocent souls, and each meeting brings a new experience to this day. The greatest power behind this spirit, the fact that I am contributing to a worthy cause, and the impact it has on the younger generation, keeps me going. The pleasant surprises, appreciation from the young souls, and support from the eVidyaloka team give me the relentless energy to continue.

I have found that I have gained much more than I have given, in terms of empathy and fulfilment. We have come a long way, with the institution gaining its roots deeper into the rural community and imparting knowledge, with hundreds of volunteers added to the list and more schools being roped in to contribute to the improved education of the nation. Again, I am glad that I stayed with eVidyaloka.

Having had no teaching experience at all and coming from the cut-throat corporate world as a day job, volunteering for the rural community has taught me how a little conversation, combined with the power of a smile, a kind word, and a listening ear, can have the potential to turn lives around. You may call it a drama, but for me, this experience has shown that good teaching is just 25% preparation and 75% theatrics. That's how I approach the young kids at the school.

I have had a couple of 'special needs' kids during the years I have been teaching in Marewad, Dharwad, but this has not deterred me from approaching them. Just as the kids are wary of someone on the screen guiding them, these special kids are even more cautious and often retreat into a shell. My target has always been to bring them out and appeal to them. I give them special time, one day a week, talk to them in the way they want to be approached—that is, with patience—and then listen to their activities during the day. This has taught me that these kids 'do not care about how much you know, until they know how much you care.' And this remains my motto to this day.

Even now, my senior students, some of whom have moved on to higher classes, come over and talk to me, sharing their experiences and seeking advice about anything and everything. These golden moments prove that I have gained more in life, emotionally and practically, than what I have been able to impart to them as class lessons. Life lessons learned here, with 55 minutes of work and 5 minutes of laughter, are invaluable.

This year, my story involves a 9-10 year old, a child with a speech disability who makes it a point to attend class every day without fail. Through her sign language to her classmates—who are amazing in helping her—she conveys her thoughts. She may not be able to write or fully understand the regular tempo of the class, but she always comes to me after each session with her friend and takes special instructions.

This loving gesture has inspired me to start learning sign language.

I have even held sessions with parents each year, encouraging them to educate themselves alongside their children. I tell them that my offer to train them is always open.

Once again, my sincere thanks to eVidyaloka for making this possible—this selfless effort to bring cheer to children in the rural community, while in turn creating a happier and more fulfilling life for ourselves.