Volunteering At Vatsalya

Vatsalya is a non-profit organization that provides an array of services to the people of India who are in need.  They administer a residential care program for children, an economic empowerment program for women, a skills training program that assists unskilled young people enter the workforce and an outreach program that provides basic personal care as well as medical care to the poorest citizens of India.  

Vatsalya Udayan is a home for orphaned and abandoned children.  The campus contains several buildings that serve as living quarters for the children as well as a school and recreational facilities.  The children range in age from approximately 5 years old to 16 years of age.  Some of the staff members lived at Udayan as children and have returned there to work.  

We arrived at Udayan on Monday January 20th to begin 4 days of volunteer work.  The first two nights we stayed on the campus so that we could spend more time getting to know the children and understanding the program. The last two nights we commuted to a hotel in Jaipur.  We enjoyed many meals with the children. 

Our work at Udayan included teaching children of all ages both conversational English and math skills. We were welcomed into the classrooms by both the teachers and students.  

Below, Roman and Mabret teach a lesson in conversational English.  They made us proud.

After school we organized games for the children.  Some activities were outdoor recreational games including soccer but the children also enjoyed using flash cards and board games.  

Below, Katie is teaching the children a new game.

Below, Roman jogs to mid field after scoring a goal off a pass from Mabret.

One of the highlights for the children was receiving the many video games that were donated by Mabret and Roman's teammates back home.  Prior to leaving on our journey, we put out a call for old handheld games and many families responded with donations.  It did not take long for them to catch on and become experts. By the time we left, all the games, cartridges and chargers were organized and the children had a system in place to care for their new toys.  Thanks to our friends back home for making this possible. 

We were fortunate to see a rehearsal by some of the young ladies who will be performing in an India Independence Day celebration later in January.  

The most notable thing about the children is their attitude and outlook.  Without exception, every child is happy and wants to be living at Udayan.  The children look out for one another and they are motivated to learn and grow together.   The teachers and staff work to identify appropriate fields of training for the children as they enter their teen years directing each child toward educational and vocational endeavors which fit their personalities and skill sets. 

Hats off to the staff and children of Udayan.  Thanks for making us feel welcome.