an internship full of knowldege

7/29/2019 an internship full of knowldege

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An Internship Full Of Knowledge, Excitement And Bliss

SOS Childrens Village, Rourkela

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SOS, as it says Save Our Souls, had saved my soul by giving me such good interface with the

childrens and the society here. I do remember the very first day, when I approached the Village

Director, Mr. Hara Prasad Mahapatra. The way he welcomed me inside his office, the way he treated

me was worth seeing. His humbleness, down-to-earth attitude, calmness and discipline moved me and

at that point of time I made it final that SOS will be the destination where I will land up myself.

On the very first day, I was sent to Mr. Tripathys Cabin where I was to be briefed about the various

models and modes of the SOS Childrens Village. As mentioned, Tripathy Sir briefed me about the

FBS (Family Based Scheme) and FSP (Family Strengthening Programme). I was said about the

functioning of the families of the SOS Childrens Village. As much as I had deciphered, there were 8-9 childrens in a home under the supervision of a Mother. The Home is maintained and governed by

the Mother in whatsoever way she wants to. She had been given full freedom to go on with her

planning and daily chores. All the childrens were sent to various schools for their primary and

secondary education. As I progressed with the information, I got the basic idea that the homes inside

the SOS was maintained and governed just like any other normal home. It enlightened me on the

functioning and the funding which SOS gets every year. This was a kick start for my internship. I

read the annual magazine of SOS i.e. DISHA. It gave me a brief idea about the founder, General

Secretary and the other dignitaries. As the In charge of FSP and FBS was Mr.S.K.Ojha, I was asked

to report to him. But due to some work, he was not present at the very time in his office.

On the second day, as usual, I reported firstly to Mahapatra Sir. There only I met with my counterpart

Ms.Namrata Behera. She is a NLUO student currently enrolled in her 1st

semester. We were then

asked to report to Ojha sir. Ojha Sir briefed us about the FSP and FBS with all the details he could

give us to get some knowledge of it. He cleared away the cloud of doubts of our mind and we were

well thorough with the work which we had to do in the upcoming weeks. After briefing us, Ojha sir

took us to the nearest Balwadi Centre i.e. Bagbudi-C. That was my first field work where I saw the

real life meetings held with the SHG members and the local peoples. The main aim of the meeting

was to facilitate poor people with some accessories according to their choice which can add to their

income generation. Most of the womens were interested in cattle rearing, but Ojha sir enlightened

them with the problems which could arise due to cattle rearing. He advised them to take up stitchingand tailoring. To improve the skills of those womens, he even advised them to search for tailoring

coaching institutions nearby which can help them hone their skills. He gave the SHG leader the

address of the shop where the stitching machine was available at a wholesale rate. The way Ojha sir

treated these poor people with a sense of personal level moved me to a greater extent. This

organization helps them kick start their livelihood by granting them adequate funds and likewise if

they encounter that the person to whom the funds had been allocated does well with his business, then


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they provide him assistance every year till he gets himself into a desirable position. After the

completion of all these procedures, we came back to the village and Ojha sir briefed us about the

work done for the community development. We were given the manual of FSP which they call the

BIBLE OF FSP. We were given a case study of Mr.Bikas Parida who was selected for MBBS

course in a coveted college and how SOS helped him achieve success. From the very first day I had

respect for him, but on that very day after seeing his benevolence towards the poor peoples, the level

of respect went up to infinity.

I was directed to study the FSP reports of the adopted villages. There were many interesting reports

regarding the development and the upliftment of the peoples of rural areas. Some were given aid to

start their own Goat rearing practice; some were given initial aid to kick starting their local practice

like watering the plants through a modernized motor. Likewise, the reports included the particulars of

the person and the cause he/she was obtaining the facilities by SOS Village, the number of childrens

she had and what all facilities her childrens was obtaining from here. Likewise I was seated in the

training room and I studied the monthly expenditure reports and the FSP reports which gave me an

insight on the functioning of the SOS Village.

I visited the homes made for the childrens inside the SOS campus. I met with one of the mothers of a

house named Ananya where 9 childrens was housed in. We came to know that these womens who

had been assigned as the mothers for a home were well experienced in this field. One of them had an

experience of 15 Years and before she joined in SOS Childrens Village, she had worked in a Dalit

Orphanage in Balasore. After that she joined in the regional office of SOS Chil drens Village in

Bhubaneswar, Odisha. We had a conversation with her which gave us a brief idea about the

functioning of the homes, the structure of the family, and authority of the mother. The system adopted

by the SOS was as similar as that of a normal family. The SOS Homes were built in a spacious area

with adequate number of rooms, sanitary space, kitchen and a common room. The house was equally

maintained by the mother and the elder childrens. There were Youth Homes for boys who had

completed 14 Years of age. They were shifted to these hostels as they gain sexual maturity and

knowledge and that was the preferred time to let them stay in a youth hostel with those students of

their age. Each House had 3 spacious rooms with 2 Bathrooms, 1 kitchen, 1 room for the Mother and

all the necessary accessories a mother needs to nurture her children. SOS had never implied their

directions on these families and that led to a peaceful and harmonious living for the childrens.

All the childrens were facilitated with all the necessary belongings a child would ever need. Starting

from stationary items like pens and pencils to accessories like shoes and slippers were provided to

each and every child here and to all those people of the community villages which was adopted by

SOS. All the childrens under FBS were provided education in different schools and educational

institutions within the purview of the city. Starting from English medium schools like Deepika E.M.

School to Oriya medium schools like Saraswati Sisu mandir, all the childrens were facilitated with

education to the fullest extent. There was a separate department sorted out for Education which was


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headed by Mr.K.K.Tripathy and assisted by Ms. Avneet Kaur. Education plays a pivotal role in

shaping up a childs future and SOS here was a ray of hope for these childrens who had an

eagerness to learn. During the interaction with the childrens inside the SOS Childrens Village, I

saw the smile of those little faces when I asked about their school. They felt proud to tell about their

class and the school in which they were studying. When I asked a child about the one whom she liked

the most in this village, she said with shyness on her face, The new DIDI who had joined SOS. She

plays with us, talks with us in Hindi and gives us chocolate. At that point of time, I recalled my

childhood days when I always used to become very happy after getting a chocolate from the one

which I liked the most. To mention the New Didi, she was none other than Ms.Avneet Kaur who had

joined SOS as a co-worker in the Education Department.

The very next day, another intern joined us in our group. Sradha Chandel, a student of KIIT Law

School arrived at Ojha sirs cabin and introduced herself. Ojha sir briefed her about the FSP and FB S

related things and in the meantime directed Namrata and me to go and study the FSP reports in the

Training Room. We were given a sample form of FSP to study and fill it up resembling ourselves as a

poor family filling up the form describing his/her family members, household income, occupation etc.

It was very fascinating for us to know about the questions being asked in the form and entering

random names and information was real fun for us. We got to learn a lot from this form about the

need based things needed to get enrolled in FSP. As FSP denotes Family Strengthening Programme,

it does what its name says. Family is strengthened when proper care is taken by the family

members. And FSP was a helping hand to those poor strata of peoples who had the ability to

take care of their families but find it hard to meet the day-to-day requirements of the family.

Love was needed to nurture a family, and SOS was the best example to describe how LOVE canbe spread in all sphere of the society.

We 3 interns got an opportunity to visit the nearest Village i.e. Luakera Village. It was nearby SOS

and it had been adopted by SOS. There was a SHG functioning in that village which looks for the

betterment of the poor and the needy womens. We were accompanied by Ms. Prabhati Pasayat who

was the Animator/Leader of the SHG. She briefed us about the village, the number of peoples living

there and the number of poor families being adopted by SOS. All total of 27 families were adopted by

SOS in Luakera Village. They were provided assistance all round the year to have a sustainable

living. We visited 2 womens who were benefited by SOS. They had set up a shop each selling small

grocery items to the villagers. The way they treated us was really commendable. We were merestudents who had gone there to visit their village, but the way they treated us we can never ever forget

that. They welcomed us in a grandeur style giving us a bottle of Coke to quench our thirst. When we

asked for the bill, they didnt takeany sort of money from us saying that Guests are never charged

for anything. This welcoming nature of these peoples moved me to a greater extent and I extended

my heartiest thanks to them and promised them to visit their village next time. Ms. Prabhati took us to

a nearby place where one of the villagers had cultivated a variety of vegetables and had also


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maintained a Poultry Farm. This shown how the villagers had multiple ideas of income, and such a

step taken by them gives everyone a step up force to do something for their own livelihood also. The

quality of living of the villagers was very good and SOS had set an example by giving these peoples a

good living condition in the society. We were then taken to a kindergarten which was run by some of

the educated villagers and the kids of the villagers were sent there for basic education which enabled

them to become respected individuals in the society. We interacted with the childrens and it was very

fruitful for us to know about the way they saw their surrounding and the peoples around them. We

played with them and this part of our internship took us closer to them. Ms. Prabhati helped us know

the nearby village in a better way with a purview of better understanding and knowledge. It was a

very unique and one of the best experiences in my life. Ms. Prabhati had got all the potential to lead

the villagers to sustain a better life in this society. We returned to the office with some sweet and

imprinted memories which turned out to be very beautiful and interesting.

We got 2 days off as the Zonal Director had come to SOS Childrens Village, Rourkela to purview

the projects undertaken by the organization was done properly. As all the officials were on toe to

facilitate information to the superior, we were asked to report after the Zonal Director leaves the city.

But, SOS had become an integral part of my life. I was so acquainted with the calm and serene

environment of this place, which even one day off termed to be an impossible thing for me. The very

next day I went to SOSCV just to wish everyone a Good Morning. That was a lame excuse from my

side!! But after going inside SOS, I felt like my day took its start with a good go. This place appeals

to every person; whosoever from my friends circle had ever been to this place had always praised

accolades about this organization. Life had been taking its shape inside it since two decades and the

way all the peoples were giving their part in shaping up the lives of these innocent and hungry-for-love childrens, it was worth appreciable and what I learnt here was to respect everyone here without

and personal greed. Starting from the Director to the Gate-Keeper, everyone was humble and down-

to-earth in their behavior. Everyone did their part for the childrens and the society. And, we the

students had got a chance to learn something from these peoples.

The very next day, Mohanty Sir had planned a trip to a village near Panposh. But due to some

problem, I was late in reaching SOS. As there was a meeting scheduled with the local peoples and the

Mahila Mandals in Panposh, mohanty Sir had planned a trip with us so that we can gain some

practical knowledge about the work done by SOS for the community development. But as the time

was tickling, Mohanty Sir had to leave and we missed the opportunity of joining him for this noblecause. But hats off to him, he even called Vijay Sir to enquire about us and he gave the address of that

village to Vijay Sir and had asked him to reciprocate the message to us. Vijay Sir did as directed by

Mohanty Sir, but as I was unaware of the location exactly, I had to cancel the trip. I communicated

with Mohanty Sir about the inconvenience. He didnt get furious over it and asked us to work on the

FSP Reports. But, Vijay Sir had something different for us. Actually, that very day a consignment of

Leather Items had arrived in SOSCV to be distributed to the Balwadi centers and the inhabitants of


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the SOSCV. The respective group leaders of those communities had been to the office to get the

accessories for their peoples. Vijay Sir asked all the group leaders to get assembled in the Training

Room and asked us to interact with them. Firstly, we were feeling a bit awkward to ask anything to

them, but gradually they became very comfortable with us. We, the interns, asked them about their

work, the total population of their community, the help they get from SOS and why they were

connected with SOS. The best answer, according to me, was from Ms.Sunita Hembram who was

hailing from Jalda B Block. She said that, SOS had been a life saver for me. I was struggling to get

funds from the government for the childrens of that area. But, when I came in contact with SOS, I

got a chance to help those needy childrens in each and every aspect. I asked if SOS had ever

restricted the funds for her community, she said No, SOS had never restricted the flow of funds for

our community; rather they had supported us every time. Not only the childrens, SOS had helped

rebuilding the lives of many manual labourers who didnt had any means of living by granting them

various accessories and training in the area of their interest.

After the interaction, I was feeling content and wonderful. It was not because I interned with an

international organization, but for the work and the dedication these peoples of SOSCV had for their

work. They never refrained from their ground work and the way they treated everyone was

commendable. Earlier, before going for this internship I had enquired about this organization. And I

am saying this; each and everyone had positive comments for SOS. My friend who is a Law Student

in KIIT Law School had said, Internship had never been so much of fun in any NGO. The way they

teach you, and the way you will learn everything is rather a momentous one. And yes, whatever she

had said was exactly right. My First Internship resulted in a very good note. For me, learning was

never so much of fun, but SOS proved me wrong. The love, affection and care I got from this heartyorganization were something I had never dreamt of. These 15 days of Internship had been engraved in

my heart with some unforgettable and diligent memories. I met with many ignited minds and great

peoples. They had shown me how to treat the mankind without any greed.

Mr. HP MahapatraA well known personality in and around the city. He is the director of SOSCV

an internship full of knowldege

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