Workshops and workaholics...
Been wondering if my motivation at work is diluted by money. The prospect of a payhike is a never-ending carrot-and-stick game for a neutral observer, but I still couldn't care less. After all, the world (especially the corporate) speaks the language of greenbacks and I understand the machinations that go with it to a decent extent.
But I had been to a workshop today on "Fund-raising by NGOs" and for some time, talk hovered around what motivates people in rural areas to work for a pittance. Even nothing occasionally. It was difficult for a novice volunteer working in a giant like SAP Labs to understand the levels of passion that reside in people who don't mind living in villages where, in order to get a matchbox, you need to travel about 3km for the nearest provisions store. Which is often closed. So, effectively, the day begins and ends with sunrise and sunset respectively. Funny? Well, for most people (read party animals and/or call center employees), its the reverse. The village community is close-knit and to initiate even a simple thing like health awareness for women will take atleast 2-3 years. The time taken to receive and verify results is more.
Towards the end of the workshop, there came a man called John Devaraj. A celebrity sculptor, theatreperson, movie art director, and children's rights activist rolled into one. He takes in children who are forced into labour and tries to give them opportunities that enable them (in his own words) "articulate their dreams and aspirations, thereby giving themselves an insight into the gifts they have". He mentioned an Asia-wide congregation of art this December and invited us to a play that he is putting up with good number of street boys and girls.
On a lighter note, before the workshop started, a guy walked in when my friend and I were talking to Anna, the coordinator of the workshop. This guy is the same fresh volunteer I spoke about earlier and was asked by Anna where his friend was after the intros were over. He replied saying his friend was down with a backache. Anna, concerned, asked what happened. He said it was because of some marathon his friend ran. My friend and I exchanged thoroughly wide-eyed glances. Because, we are planning to run in the Bangalore marathon this September and given our recently diminished physical agility, I was curious enough to ask the guy how many kms his friend ran. He said "10km". I was now panic-stricken. Because, I was planning to run 14km!
But I had been to a workshop today on "Fund-raising by NGOs" and for some time, talk hovered around what motivates people in rural areas to work for a pittance. Even nothing occasionally. It was difficult for a novice volunteer working in a giant like SAP Labs to understand the levels of passion that reside in people who don't mind living in villages where, in order to get a matchbox, you need to travel about 3km for the nearest provisions store. Which is often closed. So, effectively, the day begins and ends with sunrise and sunset respectively. Funny? Well, for most people (read party animals and/or call center employees), its the reverse. The village community is close-knit and to initiate even a simple thing like health awareness for women will take atleast 2-3 years. The time taken to receive and verify results is more.
Towards the end of the workshop, there came a man called John Devaraj. A celebrity sculptor, theatreperson, movie art director, and children's rights activist rolled into one. He takes in children who are forced into labour and tries to give them opportunities that enable them (in his own words) "articulate their dreams and aspirations, thereby giving themselves an insight into the gifts they have". He mentioned an Asia-wide congregation of art this December and invited us to a play that he is putting up with good number of street boys and girls.
On a lighter note, before the workshop started, a guy walked in when my friend and I were talking to Anna, the coordinator of the workshop. This guy is the same fresh volunteer I spoke about earlier and was asked by Anna where his friend was after the intros were over. He replied saying his friend was down with a backache. Anna, concerned, asked what happened. He said it was because of some marathon his friend ran. My friend and I exchanged thoroughly wide-eyed glances. Because, we are planning to run in the Bangalore marathon this September and given our recently diminished physical agility, I was curious enough to ask the guy how many kms his friend ran. He said "10km". I was now panic-stricken. Because, I was planning to run 14km!
posted by Mohan at 9:01 PM
5 Comments:
I have also wondered what motivates these extra ordinary people to be so compassionate and what fires them up to go through some discomforts to make a difference to the life of someone in the margins of society. I guess they are just more of humans than the rest of us selfish creatures.
Hey 14 km, you can...just tell yourself that and keep yourself fit for it. start training now. All the best!
Not just compassion but loads n loads of guts and gumption. The normal things that u enjoy with a salaried job disappear but for ppl like these, they are tiny sacrifices to make in doing what they really love.
As for the marathon, I think I hav to start jogging...:)
Keep up the great work guys.
Wow - 14 km, huh? Good luck!
Thanks maga..will keep u posted on how much we actually ran..;)...its on Sep 17th...
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