My place of employment, which is a big MNC / BPO, has this program where they contribute to the community is various ways. It can be getting items for an orphanage, an old age home or conducting sessions for institutes which help out young people from lesser income families, those who have some disabilities etc. I have always had some problem with going for these events and I felt that I would feel uncomfortable and not do a good job.

There were skills enhancement sessions for some young folks who had were speech and hearing impaired and I wasn’t sure how I would be able to contribute to conducting a learning session for them. They required some help to get regular jobs with decent salaries and they mostly studied in poorer areas of the state. I do not know sign language and would ofcourse be reliant on the translator who would be coming from the institute. I was quite nervous but as the day came closer I was hoping that I would do well. This was setup for yesterday. Well, instead of the hearing & speech impaired folks it was about 20 individuals, mostly young, who had various motor impairments and 3 who were visually impaired.

Nervous as I was, I was unprepared to meet these wonderful people who just want a chance to earn a decent pay check and get a good job. They were eager to learn and very respectful and earnest. I felt humbled and I also felt like a fraud. Who was I to not want to help them? These people brightened my life just by their presence. It’s because they were brave souls who went on with the harsh conditions that life chance upon them and weren’t complaining. I need to do more. I hope to find various ways to do just that.