Archive for the ‘Volunteers’ Category

Happy Move – Intercultural Activities


2010
08.10

Besides social development, the other objective of the Happy Move Camp is to facilitate Inter-cultural Learning between Korean youth and the local community. On the first day volunteers are given a traditional Indian welcome with bindi, jasmine flower garlands and they get to eat dinner on a banana leaf. The Korean volunteers have an opportunity to visit the houses and spend time with the local community and learn about their culture. To facilitate interaction between the volunteers and the villagers, certain renovation activities were planned with the involvement of the local community. Fruit bearing trees were planted in individual households with the help of volunteers and villagers. Individual toilets were built for those families which belong to backward communities. The toilets were built with the involvement of the families in the physical work.

Other inter cultural activities include a visit to temples in Kancheepuram; screening of a Bollywood movie; a visit to Chennai city; Indian traditional music and dance performance; Team building and intercultural activities between local university students and volunteers.



Happy Move Camp – Medical and Health and Hygiene Team


2010
08.10

The Medical and Health and Hygiene Team for the 1st Batch has about 50 Koran volunteers and 10 Korean doctors and medical specialists who will be responsible for conducting Medical camps in some of the selected schools, villages, Primary Healthcare Centers and Sub Centers of Sriperumbudur and Kanchipuram. A 50 member health and hygiene awareness team is responsible for promoting healthy community living habits and awareness on communicable diseases to the school children of the surrounding areas of the hospitals. Approximately 2500 to 3500 villagers benefit through the Medical Camps conducted.

Some of the topics covered in the Hygiene awareness sessions that are conducted in the schools through creative learning methods include: First Aid; Tuberculosis / Typhoid and Cholera awareness; the importance of brushing teeth / washing hands and drinking boiled water; smoking hazards; menstrual hygiene; Physical exercise; water borne diseases; environmental education.

Health & Hygiene Team Report – 1st Batch
Village Males Females Total
Thiruverkadu 392 387 779
Vanakaram 248 210 458
Nazarathpet 446 317 763
Velappanchavadi 180 166 346
Sri Perumbudur 43 44 87
Kunnam 108 115 223
Sirumangadu 32 36 68
Pappankuzhi 10 15 25
Santhavelur 46 30 76
Senthamanagalam 20 18 38
Katchipattu 40 53 93
Echur 120 107 227
Padappai 186 88 274
TOTAL 1871 1586 3457

Happy Move Camp – Education and Renovation Team


2010
08.09

The Education and Renovation Team for the 1st batch has about 75 Korean volunteers who will stay for a duration of 2 weeks. The visiting volunteers will take up education and renovation works in the Government schools and villages.

The Education team is responsible for conducting teaching sessions for the school children related to basic English and Mathematics, Environmental awareness, Health and Hygiene awareness. Creative learning methods are used to conduct the sessions, through art, drawing, games, music, dance, flash cards and charts etc.

This year we decided to include some of the renovation activities from our “Model Village Project” in Chennai. Examples are, building toilets for backward communities ; promoting Kitchen gardens in schools ; planting fruit bearing tress in houses.

The Renovation activities that are carried out include:

Constructing Play courts, Building and Repairing Toilets, Kitchens, Water Storage, Water Connections, Planting Trees, Building School Compound wall, Building Book shelves, Kitchen Gardens, Libraries in schools, Floor tiles in classrooms, Painting, Constructing Children’s Park, Promoting Rain Water Harvesting, Clean Kitchen program etc. In addition, the volunteers also provided school materials such as school uniforms, notebooks, sports kit, pencils, crayons, drawing material, mats etc.

5th Happy Move Global Youth Volunteers Camp in Chennai


2010
08.09

The “5th Happy Move Camp” started on the 16th of July in Chennai. A total of 250 Korean volunteers will arrive in 2 batches of 125 volunteers each, along with a group of 20 Korean doctors. Each batch stays for a period of 2 weeks.

1 st Batch – 16 th July to 28 th July – 125 volunteers and 10 doctors

2 nd Batch – 30 th July to 11 th August – 125 volunteers and 10 doctors

The “Happy Move Global Youth Volunteers” Camp is a CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) initiative sponsored by HMC Korea (Hyundai Motor Company) and supported by FSL-India (Field Services and Intercultural Learning), IWO Korea (International Workcamp Organization) and HMI (Hyundai Motors India). The 1st Happy Move Camp was conducted in July 2008 and is held every six months.

Under the “Happy Move Global Youth Volunteers” programme, HMC Korea selects a total of 250 college student volunteers who will participate in organising medical camps and health awareness campaigns, as well as education and renovation work in schools and villages. The programme is held over 30 days in areas of Kanchipuram District, Chennai.

Our best wishes are with the FSL-India Chennai Staff in making the 5th Happy Move Camp a bigger success.

Final Impression


2010
07.31

Volunteer’s final impressions about the overall experience….

Looking back to your expectations and goals, would you like to comment on your overall experience here?

  • Overall it was a good experience, with all its good and bad days. I learned a lot and saw that I actually had an impact on some of the children.
  • The only thing I’ve learnt here was on Indian culture (dress, way of thinking, food, lifestyle…) that’s all

  • All with all, I expected worse circumstances and experiences than it eventually was. In fact, I’m quite positive about my stay. I made it!

  • Now I cant say anything. I experienced bad things as well as good things. But everything is important to me,and I couldn’t forget.

  • Of-course I got some knowledge and experiences from this program. But I also got something else.

  • I don know what should I say this, maybe it involved life,human,nature,religion…

  • I did all my work well and was good organized so I would like to do it in the same another time.
  • At the beginning the time seemed endlessly, but now I have so many things I want to do and see, but no time any more.
  • I have learned a lot about myself and about India. I love it and hate it at the same time, it has brought me to the verge of my patience, tolerance, good mood, but it also made me laugh until I cried.

Volunteer’s Voice – Martha Pinsker, Chaithanya special school


2010
07.21

Namaste!

My name is Martha Pinsker and I work in Chaitanya Special School. It provides mental and physical handicapped children with education, recreational activities and medical care. There are about 30 students at the age of 5-25 attending school.

I work at Chaitanya for 11 month now and I really like the work here. The children are lovely and they make me smile every day.

My stay in India is almost over as I will leave in two weeks. I really enjoyed my time here and won’t ever forget the experiences that influenced me and my life, the very good ones and even the bad ones.

As it’s said, India is incredible there won’t pass one day by without letting you be surprised.

Volunteer in media


2010
07.09

An article published in Kannada(State language) news paper about “German girl’s Kannada learning”. The summary of the article is here…

In Lions special school Surathkal, Gwenda has became child with children. She is also student and teacher too. She can say one, two until ten in Kannada. Surathkal’s Lions club, Lions seva trust has been holding school for mentally challenged children. Here Gwenda is teaching English to the children. Including this she is learning Kannada which is special here….

Out Now! Kundapur on a postcard!


2010
07.03

The latest photographs of Kundapur and surroundings, showing its cultural diversity. Full of colour, full of life!

You can purchase these postcards from the Eco-Tourism team in the Eco-office (418-8 Veeramma Shedthi Compound near Departmental Store, B.H.M Road, Kundapur – 576 201) for Rs 10 only. All the money goes to the Eco-Tourism fund which is used to finance our projects and build a farmer’s committee on Kannada Kudru.

Volunteer’s Voice – Ravi Goyal, Hosadu School


2010
06.12

Hello Guys,

My name is Ravi Goyal. Let me tell you something quick about my work in the project and living in India.

My Project: Teaching English and Music at the Hosadu Higher Primary School

Teaching here is a challenging, interesting, sometimes slightly boring yet mutually rewarding task. After struggling in the first month it has been quite an experience. Interacting with the children from age 7 to 14 puts me always into unexpected situations which make every day different. I am teaching for 10 months right now and I love it.

Living in India: What is true for teaching applies also for living in India. Awesome opportunities for long travels across the Subcontinent is next to interacting with the locals, what is truly unique about this place. Be prepared to get confused and stop searching to have a rational and logical explanation for everything. Learn to ignore the obvious and India will unfold its beauty. Oh, and be patient. Open Sesame.

Final Impressions


2010
06.05

Volunteer’s final impressions about the overall experience….

Looking back to your expectations and goals, would you like to comment on your overall experience here?

  • I did not come with too many expectations….essentially, the success of your time here depends almost only on you- you can make the best or the worst out of any situation.
  • Had much higher expectations and goals as well as fears before I came to India. Here I experienced a much more relaxed and easier way to deal with the role as a volunteer. We do not really have a real job and also can change only small things. But since I was motivated enough, I always had something to do. In total I am very grateful to have stayed such a long time in India although it was not always easy.

  • Actually, I couldn’t remember the feelings, expectations, fears I had before going to India, but when I got the letter I had to write to myself during my orientation seminar in Germany, I could see that every single expectation (more concerning my personal development) was achieved so far. I learned a lot about myself, about our German or European society, I started to think more about if this is actually the right thing “we Europeans” do instead of taking it like this. Concerning my personal development, I can say that I really learned to relax, to not take everything (including myself) so serious and to see every failed plan as a chance to try something new.