I joined Miracle Foundation India as a volunteer. Between the pandemic and online schooling, I wanted to invest my time and learn more about how non profit organizations for children worked to help under-privileged children my age. Being in class 11th and feeling the pressure to write college applications, my keen interest was on how education was made accessible to children that need help. I wondered how these children were dealing with the impact of the pandemic and if there was anything I could do to make their journey a little better.
Miracle Foundation India presented me with the opportunity to organize a crowdfunding campaign for kids by kids and I immediately took it up. I connected with my six other friends and got all of us a meeting with their team. The team briefed us that the objective was to raise funds to support children with internet enabled devices so that they could access classes everyday. These children belong to vulnerable families while a few others live in childcare institutions (orphanages). There is an urgent need to provide them with devices to bridge the gap between.
In addition to the devices, Miracle Foundation India would provide them with remote coaching support, counselling and other services. They would mentor and monitor the progress of each child. While we would be able support with fundraising for the kids, the team would impart to us skills of content writing, communication, fundraising and marketing in return.
We set a goal for ourselves to be able to raise enough funds to support 15 children. As the campaign gained momentum and we reached out to our networks, we crossed our goal in no time. We ended up supporting an additional 12 children. We were excited and felt accomplished. I repeat Nelson Mandela’s words, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”. True to every word, it is that right which every child should be able to realise without any difficulties or obstacles.
My team and I are so thankful for this learning opportunity and happy that we were able to do our bit for these children. In our capacity, we ensured none of these 27 children drop out of school, continue their education and have bright futures like any of us.
Miracle Foundation India is proud to launch our Kids for Kids volunteer program in this new year. We work with these children to empower them to support other children from disadvantaged communities. We teach them skills that will help them as they apply to colleges and internships along their academic journey. To know more about our program, please write to us at neelofar@miraclefoundation.org
Blog post by Arhana Sethi, Class 11th, DCM Sriram School