For genuine development of our society, one has to be selfless enough. In this materialistic environment, people who get satisfied by helping others are minimal and we got an opportunity to meet a savvy who has the will to balance his routine and the society.
How cool is to meet someone who continues to be a helping hand for more than 10 years.
Santosh Kumar started to visit orphanges when he finished his college in 2009 and continues his charity by someway or the other till now. More than pleasure, its a grace that I could talk to people like him.
So here goes his experience in charity.
From working in a corporate office to volunteering, how this transition happen ?
I finished my engineering in Sastha in 2009 and joined an IT firm.
My friends and I often hang out. Instead of going to movies or hotels, we started visiting orphanges to get together.
After a while, it became regular and we formed “Sastha Helping Hands” team. Often we join together and conduct fun activities for children and gift them with prizes. Soon it became a hobby for us.
Now I’m also a member of “Pasumai Peruga Sutham Sei” volunteering team formed by pallavaram youngsters . Every weekend this team weekend engage themselves in keeping the locality clean and green. During my weekends, I spend my time along with those good hearted people as it gives me happiness.
Is there any incident that made you and your friends to start an ngo ?
It gives a good positive vibration after helping children or any social work to say.
Actually these NGO volunteering helps us in strengthening our friendship, though many of our college friends went abroad, they still support our team.
What exactly Sastha Helping Hands do?
We have a WhatsApp group of 130 members. Earlier we used to visit orphanages for children and old people. We used to conduct fun activities, competition and distribute prizes to somehow fulfill their basic needs.
Now, mostly we do offline support like paying college fees for poor students, medical emergency for any needy.
I created a admin group for this team. Myself and 9 more friends will validate any request and will help society in our possible ways.
What’s the name of the first orphanage you visited?
Sai baba gurukulam.
Have you had any vision when you started this WhatsApp group?
Earlier this group was formed with 15- 20 members. After a while, friends of friends joined and they are helping us.
We have no particular vision for now, we just wanted to spend our leisure time by helping others. From our monthly salary, we wanted to contribute for a good cause.
How many orphanages you would have visited/ helped so far?
Till now it would be between10 to 15.
You have done something that many of us couldn’t do. There are people out who just gives up after a few try. What do you want to say to them?
Be yourself! Believe yourself!
Life is love. Spread love & Care
Have you been through discouragement or failures when you try to do something good?
One or two had made fun, later they too contributed and supported team activity. In this society often one or two may try to push negativity. I always believe in karma and ignore negativity. If we do good , good things will happen to us. If we do bad, that will definitely come back to us in some other way.
What would you like to say to people who gives up soon?
Doing as a team with good people will definitely make us to do more. During our tough times or busy schedule even if we pause, our good friends will take us forward.
Men’s day is underrated at times. But there are men who help for the betterment of others lives. Tell us about your view on men’s day.
Both Men and women have the strength to help their family and others. Both has more responsibilities. So, if men’s day is not celebrated atleast it should be remembered ?
Join him in improving our environment and his facebook profile is
https://www.facebook.com/santhoshkumar.sadhanandam
