Sunrise
VOL. 10, NO. 2, MARCH - APRIL 2016

IT GURU: DEEPAK

It’s a pleasure to see someone take the initiative to help others, someone who goes above and beyond to bring out excellence not only in himself, but also in others. This is Deepak. A student of Graphic and Print Design in our West Vinod IT Centre, he has taken it upon himself to help his classmates. A quick learner and a gentle teacher, all find him an approachable instructor, happy to seek his help. Never will he find a question he will not take on. If he doesn’t know the answer, he turns to Google and YouTube tutorials, always eager to expand his own knowledge…and share this knowledge with others! Moreover, in the absence of the trainer, he has even managed class on his own! He is a true mentor and a gem of a student.

BECAUSE WE ARE SISTERS

Trust is earned, not a right of age. This was the mantra of 13-year-old Rakhi, one of our Ghar children, when she set out to be a mentor for her younger sister. This 8-yearold would not listen to anyone, especially her elder sisters. But she listened to Rakhi. Because Rakhi focused on their bond, not on who was older, who was younger. She was just one sister helping another sister. So her sister let Rakhi help her, in all from hygiene to homework. Over 6 months, Rakhi was able to guide her sister to grow. Now, because of Rakhi’s wise treatment of the role of mentor, her sister is even listening to others, finding it in her heart to be more patient with her other siblings.

MENTOR DIDI AND BEYOND: SAPNA MITTAL

Being an Udayan Shalini Fellow (Shalini for short) is about more than being educated—it is about becoming a caring citizen who gives back. One way to give back is by becoming a mentor didi for other younger Shalinis. This is what Sapna Mittal decided to do after her graduation, inspired by her own mentors and witnessing firsthand the good mentors can do. As she explained, "Hailing from an economically weak family, my parents couldn’t provide me enough of guidance which I got from my mentors. So, when I passed out from the fellowship I decided to enlighten my sisters' [junior Shalinis] lives, the way mine has been enlightened by my mentors. So I decided to become mentor didi."

Moreover, in addition to being a mentor didi for Delhi Shalinis, she has also been active in the Gurgaon USF chapter, recruiting volunteers, leading a workshop in April, and, this year, successfully securing corporate mentors from her company, Amriprise Finance, for the entire 4th batch of Gurgaon Shalinis. She has truly gone over and beyond the call of duty.

Mentoring has given Sapna numerous boons: the ability to actively listen, the desire to introspect, and the joy of seeing her mentees bloom under her guidance. "Innumerable positive changes I have observed in my mentees," she told us. "When I first met them, they were afraid to travel alone and were shy even to introduce themselves. But through constant dialogue, I am happy to see I have helped them now have high self esteem, assertiveness and confidence."

She has truly been a blessing to her mentees. As one mentee said, "I am the luckiest girl and feel blessed that I got Sapna di as my mentor. She is the best thing to have happened to me in Udayan Care."

 
 
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