Suhana RH - Primary Short-listed Nominee - Social Volunteer Awards 2021

I am Suhana R H is a young promising social worker from Kerala and my aim is to bring social change through children. I completed my masters in social work from Central University of Kerala. My parents are Govt servants and I have one younger brother, he is doing his degree. I was passionate in doing social volunteering. Now I am working as a volunteer member in voluntary organization called Fireflies situated in Kasaragod. I love to work for children, especially vulnerable children, and my dream is to start an organization for the welfare of vulnerable children. I need to bring a change in the world through the eyes of young mind like me and the very young children who can contribute a lot. I hope to see a better world without any injustice towards children and a better tomorrow with sustainable environment. I enjoyed in initiating programs for sustainable development through children to bring a notable change in the society through the young generation. Collaborating with Harithakerala mission, I'm done my project called "ENTE KARIMADOM SUNDHARA KARIMADOM" and done interventions to children to make them aware about the problems of improper waste management and also the current waste management system and activities adopt by Trivandrum municipal corporation. Make sessions through prepared module. Make cleaning activity through different games. Through children, make door to door awareness to community members. Karimadom is a place where people are not able to access easily. It was so difficult for me to coordinate children because due to corona almost the children are getting up at12.00pm. The space for sitting with children or a hall is also a big difficulty for me to coordinate them. After that I focused to build rapport with some of the children who can act as peer mentors through them, I'm done all the other activities. later I tried different methods to take the children to me through games talks sessions, different kinds of interventions etc.

VOLUNTEERING FOR ME

Volunteering is an activity which we can do for our society without expecting anything. For me it is a kind of satisfaction and it gives a peace of mind which promotes me to do again and again for the betterment of society. Volunteering means to serve our ability for the improvement of someone else to come forward in the society. Volunteering is an art were one individual spare his/her time for others, most importantly focusing towards the betterment and development of the community.

VOLUNTEERING JOURNEY

I have been working as a volunteer from 2014 as NSS volunteer in my school. I am into this field because I have a motive and passion in engaging into social activities and do something for my society and ambition from my 5th standard to do something for the welfare of children in special need and to become a professional social worker. My inspiration to do volunteering activities is an incident which happened in my 5th standard. When I was attending a camp called CHANGATHI KOOTTAM headed by Sri Brahmna Nayakam Mahadevan from that camp I got much inspiration and from that I take a decision that I need to do something for my society and to do for people who are in need. My major inspiration to come forward for volunteering and to do something for the society is Mr Brahma Nayakam Mahadevan sir, who inspires me and also after my 12th standard he gives opportunity to volunteer in several programs like, to be part of volunteer organization called Care Others Too and also to initiate programs in his school Sahajeevan which is a special school , and also he is giving so much inputs to improve and polish my volunteer career. He is the stepping stone and major turning point of my Volunteering journey. Why I am continuing my volunteering journey because it gives me immense pleasure and happiness and also it is a major source to heal my sorrows. Volunteering helps me to connect with so many people who are dedicated in doing something for the society and it gives so many opportunity to work with people who are likeminded and also connect with so many organization which provides volunteering activities to youth. Volunteering helps me to improve my life skills which are communication, leadership quality, acceptance, non-judgmental attitude , decision making , to take up several initiatives, to organize activities etc. so volunteering helps me to improve my volunteering career and also my personal life , volunteering career helps me to poster my better version to the community And it also helps to improve my Professional career as Social Worker.

VOLUNTEERING STORY

When I was studying in 5th standard I was attended a camp which was headed by Mr. Brahma Nayakam Mahadevan called Changathikoottam from that I got an eye opener to do something for our society or need to do something which reflects in my life. During my 11th standard when I was studying in stmarys HSS School and I joined in National Service Scheme, from that my ambition is to become professional social worker. I was actively participated in all the activities conducted by NSS and also I selected for Pre-RD camp from school but unfortunately I didn’t select because of my health condition. Mainly in my school period I was involved in waste management activities under Trivandrum Corporation and also Thanal (environment organization) from those days I have an interested to understand and work more on waste management activities. During my NSS period me with other NSS volunteer done fund raising to construct a house for our friend. We collected old news papers from different residents associations in Trivandrum and we collected almost 5lakh rupees. After completing my 12th I joined for BSW because I need to become a professional social worker , but unfortunately my college didn’t have much exposure which I was expected later while interacting with my mentor I came to know about an organization called Care Others Too. Which is an initiative by youth studying in different colleges across Trivandrum? October 2nd 2016 I stated