DU’s pandemic volunteers continue to serve the society

Students of Delhi University, who were among the many volunteers working for those in need during the peak of Covid-19 in the Capital, share why they decided to continue their social welfare efforts. They now attempt to provide mental, monetary support and relief to those struggling with the affects of the pandemic.

The unsung heroes, volunteers, who displayed an exceptional valour in the face of the Covid-19, when the pandemic hit, comprised numerous youngsters. Many among those who came to the aid of the society were students of Delhi University, and their streak of optimism and selflessness that began almost two years back, continues to drive them even now. Donating their time to serve those in need, some pandemic volunteers have turned their efforts into a social movement of sorts, as they realise the need to contribute for the cause of helping humankind.

Parth Agarwal, a student of Hansraj College, opened up a small-scale school for the underprivileged children during the pandemic.

One among this army is Parth Agarwal, a student at Hansraj College, who also started volunteering during the time of first wave of Covid-19. “With my friends, I started an initiative called Beyond Meds Foundation, to spread mental health awareness. As time went by, we grew the organisation further, and opened up a small-scale school for the underprivileged children in Kanawani in Indirapuram. We conducted a sanitary pad distribution, and also arranged food distribution drives. From finding Covid resources during the second wave to continuing to educate more than 50 kids daily, we have kept ourselves motivated by the smiles we get in return.”

Some among these youngsters, who started volunteering during initial phases of Covid-19, have decided to pursue a career in the social sector. “My motivation is to make things better and safer for women in India,” says Anushka Singh, a student of Kamala Nehru College, adding, “My team at Girl Up Ikhtiyar went on ground for menstrual awareness and distribution of sanitary napkins to homeless women. We even provided them monetary and emotional support, and helped them acquire entrepreneurial skills for a better living. In addition, we’ve also aided financial independence for refugee women from Afghanistan, who are skilled artisans, by organising an exhibition for them.”

Volunteers continue to help the underprivileged through sanitary pads distribution drives, food drives, and by providing them financial and emotional support.

While volunteering gives a sense of satisfaction to most, it also helps them in their personal growth. One among those who agree with this sentiment is Suhani Mehra,who is pursuing English (Hons) from School of Open Learning. She says, “I started volunteering during the second wave with the idea of interacting with new people, networking and gaining some experience for my higher education. Every institute aims to know who we are beyond our academic qualifications; I feel volunteering helps in profile building and gaining experience for that purpose as well. In the past few months, I’ve helped my organisation, Pratisandhi, grow in different campaigns, such as the virtual clinic, and awareness and distribution drives. The kind of personal growth I’ve experienced is amazing.”

Witnessing loss of human life during the pandemic incited Sanskriti Bhatia, a student of Jesus and Mary College (JMC) to start an organisation with her best friend, Khushi Sekhani. “During the peak of second Covid wave, we volunteered to mobilise Covid resources. It resulted in the birth of Let’s Fight The Pandemic wherein we raised money for Covid relief, and LGBTQIA+ survivors of domestic violence. That’s how we found our purpose,” recalls Bhatia, adding, “Later on we renamed ourselves United We Fight and continued to support NGOs working for the differently abled, the underprivileged, women and children. Challenging ourselves to make the world a brighter place, we hope of better days to keep us going.”

Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter