Konrad Zimare, a long-term volunteer from Germany has been volunteering at Baby Sarah’s Home in Pondicherry since September 2013. Baby Sarah’s Home is a home for diversely abled children. Following is a testimonial from Konrad about his experiences as a volunteer. 

         “Is it an honour or a pleasure, a challenge or maybe a lucky coincidence to have the chance to work as a volunteer in Baby Sarah’s Home? I do not know. But after having spent eight months with the children and the staff of the institution in question, I tend to see it from all the perspectives mentioned above. Anyway, the fact of which I am sure is that it is undoubtedly no pity to give at least my little contribution to the positive development of a NGO which is indeed worth being supported. I do not only feel comfortable with the ambitious aims of the director. Furthermore, I am deeply impressed with the power those children have. So, in the end I am happy to be part of the little stories of success but failure as well.

      In order to give the most valuable service I can, I decided to get busy in different fields of the home. Well, I started to teach eight diversely abled children of the Secondary class, which includes lessons for activities for daily living skills, functional academics, like reading, writing and counting as well as lessons according to money and time concept. In addition to this I provided a kind of Yoga class, or more precisely some sports exercises. That guaranteed a good balance of movement of the brain and of the body.

      I want to skip daily stories, which talk about serving food for the children, teaching them how to eat, bathe and dress. Those long-term processes begin in the bathroom in the morning and end in the dining hall in the evening. Even if it is hard to see a direct impact or a sudden improvement, it is a well-known fact that especially the little steps lead to great breakthroughs.

     

   

       Moreover, I tried to fill gaps wherever I noticed them. And it was not only temporary help that I gave. It was, and is sustainable support. As an example: I took some children with cerebral palsy for physiotherapy to increase their amount of muscles and correct wrong positions of the knees, arms, and so on. But who takes care about those children if I am gone one day? The level which they reached would fall to the ground again and all my endeavours would have been unbelievably senseless. Because of those worries, it is very important to keep in touch with the leader of the institution. A pleasant work environment together with Karthik and Stephen made me feel needed, accepted and well appreciated. In consequence, there was the promise of bringing new volunteers before my departure, who can continue the exercises that I wrote down for them. Once, the office raises funds and has the financial means to afford it, it is even planned to get more staff for all the additional needs of the children.

        In addition to this, I am also often occupied with some small projects in the meanwhile. That is not only important for the sustainable outcome of my work here. It is a proof of my will to create something helpful for the home, not only immediately but also after some time. For example, I spent one and a half weeks for listing all the materials that were not arranged and treated neatly until now. I am very happy about the successful progress of the initiative and I always enjoy opening the two new cupboards of clean structured games, puzzles, and every object that is helpful for lessons for the diversely abled children. Because we are all working for them, above all. All together in Baby Sarah’s Home to encourage children with a hard destiny. They deserve a life in dignity and respect with perspectives for a free future.”