Sruthy S - Primary Short-listed Nominee - Social Volunteer Awards 2021
Myself, Sruthy S, just completed my Masters in Social Work with Rural and Urban Community Development Specialisation from Thrissur, Kerala. Awarded Best Social Work Student 2021 by Kerala Association of Professional Social Workers. Leading a community called "BUTTERFLIES" through which creating a platform where the talents of children with special needs are shared and made known to the society. A platform to motivate and promote the skills of Persons with Disabilities. Other than this, leading a community ""Velicham"" for Women with Visual Impairment and Co-founder of another community ""AIM-Awareness In Mental Health"" for promoting Mental Health Awareness among Common people. Currently Volunteering in the Covid-19 awareness campaign ""I_AcTT"" led by Engender Health and the YP Foundation and supported by WHO & MoHFW. I was an Intern at Prajaahita Foundation, Kozhikode, Youthology International Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi, Attappadi Aadivasi Development Initiative. Also Volunteering with KITES Foundation, The Gulmohar Foundation, WINGS Kerala.
VOLUNTEERING FOR ME
Volunteering helps to figure out my strength and weakness. Through volunteering, I am trying hard to be the change that I wish to see in this World. The feeling, the experience, the learning that I gain each time is the inspiration to do more and more. Each time I could see a very small degree of growth or change in my personality or in my perspectives towards myself, towards others and towards life, all these inspire me to volunteer further.
VOLUNTEERING JOURNEY
Since 2014 onwards, I am doing all those things that I could do for the surrounding people, who are left behind by their loved ones. The feeling, the experience, the learning that I gain each time is the inspiration to do more and more. Each time I could see a very small degree of growth or change in my personality or in my perspectives towards myself, towards others and towards life, all these inspire me to volunteer further.
VOLUNTEERING STORY
When I was in 10th standard, I received "Best Social" Award for raising the highest fund in my school by Ashraya Charitable Society, Kollam. Actually I even don't know whether it was fund-raising, but I did as I came to know that it is for their charity works. But that unexpected appreciation from them, from my school, shown me the hidden social service mind within me. Later on when I joined for higher secondary, I came to know about an old age home near to my school. Everything begins from there. I started to visit there whenever I wish, I started to celebrate all my special days with them. Then later on as I completed my higher secondary education I started to do many more things by planning more seriously and started to find more old age homes and visiting there too. During 2018 Kerala Flood I raised a huge amount through my social media networks and collected more than 1000 educational tools for children and handed over to the flood relief material collection point of a Charitable Trust called "Our Ijk" which is workings based on irinjalakuda, Thrissur, Kerala. They have given me a huge appreciation, and it was shared in social media platforms. Then I received more appreciations and support from many strangers from thrissur and outsiders too. Then I joined "Our Ijk" Charitable Trust as a volunteer. Same year I was chosen as their Road Safety Campaign Student Ambassador and distributed around 1000 awareness books at different schools within Thrissur District, Kerala and also given awareness on road safety for the school students. As part of it, organised an awareness programme at my own school in the rememberance of my best friend whom I lost by an accident. Next year I raised fund and distributed toys for the kids in "Anganwadis" Near to Irinjalakuda Municipality through "our ijk " Charitable Trust. Another year raised fund and distributed educational tools and toys for the kids in Malappuram who lost their schools by the hill slide last year. Distributed to around 50 kids. In 2019,honoured by "Snehadhara Charitable Trust" for my excellence in social Service and taken me as their student member too. During 2020 May lock downtime initiated a group name "BUTTERFLIES" for the children with special needs in Kerala mainly for promoting their talents and skills through social media platforms and create an awareness and to up bring them. Also started a group with two other friends called "AIM-Awareness In Mental Health for promoting mental health awareness among common people. Got shortlisted and received special mention for Social Volunteer Awards by Institute of Social Volunteering and The Gulmohar Foundation. Later this year, started a group for women with visual impairment. Recently received award for BUTTERFLIES initiative as Best Social Work Student 2021
PROJECT BUTTERFLIES🦋-let them fly high