Everyone of us can HELP and make a difference !!

Can you make a difference in someone's life ? 

If you think 'No' or having slightest of the doubts, clear them right away and believe that YOU CAN make a difference in someone's life. You don't have to have the highest degree, deepest knowledge, highest power with you, all you need is the Belief and Willingness to make the difference. 

This is not yet another 'gyaan' article, am just expressing my experience and wanted to share my story with you all. 

A few years ago, I was looking for a resource to do some very manual work like separating some stickers and scanning them using a scanner. This did'nt require any special skill and anyone who could just operate a scanner and some basic computer skill could have managed it. 

So I never bothered to mention the qualification for this job and all I had requested this basic skill. 

After a few days, a resource was sent to me for this job and I welcomed her and showed her what was the job and she was quick to have got trained on it. She and another person were working together on this. 

One day the local office boy was on leave and I did'nt know about this and I had a visitor in office and we were talking about a business deal and as courtesy I offered them some hot beverage. 

As i could'nt find the Office boy who was to serve the beverage to the visitor, I asked this girl to look for the Office boy and ask him to send 4 cups of coffee to the meeting room. 

While we got on with the discussion, there She came in with the 4 cups of coffee and she served to the visitors. 

I felt a bit embarrassed for she was doing the job. 

After the meeting was over, I quickly walked to her and apologized that had to serve and also asked what happened to the other office boy. 

She answered, he was on leave and since no one else was around she volunteered to serve by herself. 

I again felt embarrassed and apologized. 

That is when out of no context i asked her " What is your qualification ?" 

"BCom Sir" she quickly replied. 

"What ?" I asked her to repeat as I thought i heard it wrong. 

She repeated "BCom Sir. Kannada Medium" 

I was now embarrassed to further continue the conversation and the rest of day I kept thinking of her and what kind of work she was doing today. 

I imagined she would have sat through those classes of Accounts, Tax, Banking etc.... to end up in a job serving coffee or even doing the manual job which I believed even a 10th failed could do. 

I had to make the difference and I could not let this injustice to continue. I could not let a graduate do such jobs and I would never do or under qualify myself. Then why allow them to do. 

They were all from some rural parts of Karnataka traveled to Bangalore to earn some extra money and they had no problem doing such jobs. 

After observing them for next few days, I analyzed it was with their confidence level and their local language medium made some insecurity amongst themselves. 

I had to let them become more confident. 

" What do I do ? " I thought and the first thought that came is that I teach them English which I felt for them staying in Bangalore was good to have and build their confidence. 

So i called all the both the boys & girl and told them that from next day I would be teaching them English for 20 mins from 8AM in morning. 

                                                                    (They are taking a test)

They were reaching office from 8:30AM and now for this classes they said they would come a bit early. 

The next day both 3 of them were present exactly at sharp 8AM and i started basic English classes. 

It was not a simple task and I had to break their inhibitions to speak and the fear of going wrong. 

Tasks were given to them daily to do some home exercise and come back next day with these homeworks done.

Like any sincere student they did it and this kept repeating and I saw this girl was very prompt in her homeworks and did not leave even a single day. 

She was the most sincere amongst the 2. 

A small effort of spending 15-20 mins daily with them to improve their English, speaking, writing skills boosted their confidence levels. I would check the status of task in English only. I think they thought i was a bit strict, but I was very Happy to see their eagerness to learn and progress. Within a short time I was happy to have made the difference and the classes kept repeating, but at same time my project for which these resource were required was also getting over. 

I had to announce to them that they would no longer be needed as the project is over and with heavy heart they had to leave. 

After many many months on 5th Sept, I got a call 

"Happy Teachers Day Sir" it was girls voice 

I was surprised as i never held any teacher's post and I thought it was wrong number. 

"Sir it is me. You remember ? I worked on this task" 

It then struck me and for me teaching her English, she was wishing me on Teacher's Day. 

I thanked her and asked "So what are you doing ?" 

"Sir after we were sent back, I learnt some basic skills of computer and now I am a Team Leader in an Insurance company" 

There are moments you want to reassure that you have heard right, and this was one more for me. 

She repeated and yes I had heard right. She was working as a Team Leader in an Insurance company. 

"Sir I am ever grateful. Thank you so much for teaching us English and also boosting confidence in us during those days" she thanked again. 

I was very happy and I just said "No problem. Am so glad you are working as team leader now" 

I was patting myself on back for having thought that day to make the difference and yes it had indeed changed ones life and she was now a team leader.  

I keep telling this example to everyone that one really doesn't have to posses complex technical skill to teach someone. All one needs is Belief to make the difference , Willingness to make the difference and the Passion to make difference. 

True Story !! 

Connect with me on Linkedin : www.linkedin.com/in/snprasad1