TribesForGOOd: Working with an NGO for spread of education

 

TribesForGOOD is a global community of changemakers, dreamers, and doers on a mission to make the world a better place. They provided me and my peers with a great experience and I was happy to spend my holidays giving back to the community. I support and admire the work they have done in various fields from health, education, finance, LGBTQIA+ and even mental health. They help people everyday and have formed a safe space for many individuals. They unite people with similar goals and have truly come a far way with the work they have done.

The month long program that I, along with several other changemakers took part in was truly very memorable and exciting. I finally had a place to express my passion towards a good cause and I must admit, it was such an exhilarating experience. Looking back, the only feeling I remember is the sheer joy I felt after teaching something new to a few students. The happiness I got from participating in the social cause always warms my heart.

I want to first start with something I learnt in the program itself...."The Big WHY?" The big why, it entails the reasoning behind why I decided to do this. The problem I identified from a very young age is the lack of women in STEM related careers. Women in my family felt unwelcomed in workspaces and colleges due to the difference in number of women in STEM compared to men. I chose the topic of education because I want to encourage girls and young children to build an interest in STEM subjects and pursue a career of their choice without barriers like gender, race, status, caste, etc. 

The program started with our mentors teaching us a few basic skills we should know. I loved to see my peers just as excited as I was, wanting to teach, learn and give back to the community. Further, as the program went along we taught a group of 5 students various things. My peers and I were divided into groups, each of us teaching different topics like Astronomy, Canva, and the group which I belonged to- Basics of coding. 

As the name of my group suggests, our goal was to teach a few basics to our students. We covered basics of python and learnt how to code a game. The students were very fun to talk to. They made the class interactive, interesting, and their motivation towards learning a new skill was truly admirable. Ironically, the students were a year or two older than us, but that only made the interaction easier. We were able to talk and communicate with them easily and it was an incredible experience teaching someone. We taught students from Chaitanya Kul and Donate an Hour. 

We also had to do a community project. This was an individual assignment which comprised of us choosing our own topics and conducting a workshop to achieve our aims. My project topic was "Navigating the SEO of information" wherein I gathered a small crowd of people in class and shed light on the importance of internet safety. I shared statistics and created awareness about the risk of fake information during a pandemic, explained the difference between misinformation and disinformation, created awareness through art and social media content. I encouraged my audience to share the knowledge and stop the spread of fake news on social media and other platforms of mass media communication.

By participating in such organizations, individuals contribute to the empowerment of marginalized communities, the cultivation of knowledge, and the fostering of sustainable development. Each effort, no matter how small, amplifies the ripple effect of positive change, paving the way for a more equitable and enlightened society. As we collectively strive to address the challenges of education inequality, let us remember that our involvement in NGOs not only transforms lives but also shapes a brighter tomorrow for generations to come.