For me, Shishu Bhavan is a small beautiful school nestled on the backroads of Goa surrounded with
lush green coconut trees holding tremendous love inside for its people.
Hi, My Name is Esha Jain and I volunteered for 2 plus years in this beautiful place called Shishu
Bhavan. Volunteering has always been something I do in my spare time, so when I moved to Goa I
started looking for a place to go and in one of my drives I found Shishu Bhavan, The plan was to
spend one-day volunteering in a week but I ended up giving 2 days to this beautiful place because of
the nurturing love and care they all hold for each other and inside these walls which pulls you to
them.
Let me start with the kids, no matter what diverse backgrounds or circumstances they all come from,
eventually, they all start flourishing. What stands out is that you will find happy and contended kids
and people here, which just rubs off on you. Volunteering here means you will end up feeling
that you are receiving so much more than what you can ever possibly give. Kids are well behaved
and eager to learn and love, full of energy and of course mischievous
Happy and contented Kids that’s what comes to your mind after the end of the day.
Now to the staff, they are most helpful, coordinated and eager to do the best for the kids, be it kitchen staff Asma and Manju; bus driver/maintenance men Sharif and Shrikant and teachers Yachana, Nagma or principal Rupa all are so attuned to what the kids need, that their coordination and discipline is something worth watching and most of all the joy you sense, while they are teaching, assures you that kids are in good hands.
Not to leave the Management of course, which is
again an amazing group of people open to suggestions and eager to improve and implement what is best for the kids. Always thinking and coming up with innovative ways to make life easier for the kids and not just while they are in school, as even when they leave the school, Management tries to help them in whichever way possible they can. They visit the children most afternoons to assist them all with their homework, and the homework can vary so much, as not only do they assist the little children of Shishu Bhavan, they help also the older Shishu Bhavan children who have moved on to main stream school.
Lastly the parents of these kids, and the management’s initiative to involve parents has certainly borne fruit. Parent/teacher’s meetings are proving to be an excellent forum for both the teachers and the parents, they love coming up and asking for ways to improve kid’s life which gives both teachers and
volunteers an idea about the kid’s background and to find ways to nurture them. Some of my more pleasant and rewarding days with Shishu Bhavan were my days spent while with the children and their parents while I introduced and spoke to them all of personal and intimate hygiene, the importance of same, and especially for the young girls who approaching puberty, and advising that this was one of the
most natural happenings in a young girl’s body and should be accepted with knowledge and understanding. I feel this was of great importance to not only the child, but also to both parents. Social interaction, respect and discipline along with good personal hygienic habits formed a huge part of my brief while there. I am pleased that my advice and help was by and large understood and accepted by so many, and that as their lives evolve and take different directions, they will remember me with fondness.
All in all, I would say it was the best time for me and would suggest everyone do so and be part of
this happy family whenever they possibly can. I wish from all my heart success, love, and peace to
this institute and its people.
Esha Jain (GOA)