CHENNAI : In December 2015, amid the unprecedented downpour, as the city was marooned with citizens reeling in flooded homes with lack of supplies, volunteers rose to the occasion. From ferrying relief goods, being the first responders to coordinating rescue missions, these good Samaritans kept Chennai afloat. “The finest hour of Chennai was when volunteers worked their hearts out during the 2015 floods. and we are indebted to the city and its culture of volunteers,” says Vikram Kapur, additional chief secretary, at the Catalysts of Change 2024.
Organised by Chennai Volunteers (CV), the second edition of the event celebrated young volunteers who have gone beyond the call of duty and made a difference in sectors like education and health. The atmosphere at Sacred Heart Tamil Medium School auditorium was filled with cheers and hoots as youngsters collected their trophies. Enthusiastic students from 12 colleges (Loyola College, Justice Basheer Ahmed Sayeed College for Women, Stella Maris College and Shri Shankarlal Sundarbai Shasun Jain College for Women, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Shri Krishnaswamy College for Women, Women Christian College, Madras School of Social Work, Anna Adarsh College for Women, SA College of Arts & Science, Madras Christian College, MOP Vaishnav College) bagged awards, and categories included exceptional volunteers team coordinators, eco warriors, animal welfare, and cyclone relief among others.
As Rinku Mecheri, founder of CV, says this set of awards aims to recognise, encourage and thank the students. After the COVID-19 pandemic, as the social initiative was getting back into the field, they worked closely with college students. “Individuals had been through enough trauma but we had all the college volunteers so we worked very closely with them, and everything about removing fear from NGO partners, communities, education, and upliftment was done by them.”
On the importance of the act of volunteering, Vikram says, “Volunteering teaches us values of selflessness and humility because you work with your bare hands and you work with the downtrodden. When you work together as a team, it teaches you fraternity, wonderful skills of leadership, and to be a good citizen of the country, and respect and cherish your country.” According to Robin Singh, Indian cricket player, volunteering helps people gain knowledge. “It also puts you in a situation when you understand yourself and challenge yourself. You can’t be afraid of being challenged. It’s important for volunteers to challenge themselves and look at things from a positive perspective.”
Volunteering has had a long tradition in Germany, as Michaela Kuchler, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Republic of India, for Chennai, points out. “Organised volunteering work may have started as early as 1841 when the first volunteering fire brigade started in a town known for its world-famous porcelain. Until today, volunteering firemen there are responsible fight fires and are first responders.” Michaela draws from her personal experience of sharing a meal and conducting community service with the homeless in Germany, during Christmas Day, for the past 20 years.“What is powerful about these acts of volunteering is not just the impact but the growth in a person, we gain new perspectives, empathy and compassion, and future skill,” she signs off.