Uplift Humanity India

This trip was the best 2 weeks of my life, and I am even continuing this year. Yes it is about $2-3k but every dollar is worth it. You even have the chance to get $2K back in scholarship form with the video contest and the application is easy and everyone has an equal chance! It opened up my eyes about the world. It is also so safe that for the people that don't like traveling to India, it is perfect for you. I wish I could go every year. Please go and change the a life.

The summer of 2016, I was given the opportunity to make a difference in a child's life. I did not even think twice and I accepted the opportunity I was given by Uplift Humanity. Uplift Humanity was by far the greatest experience I have ever had in my life. Everyone was treating us so well. When we were on our way to our hotel, I had assumed that it would be dirty and unsanitary. Guess what? I was completely wrong. The hotel was actually very clean. The rooms were nice and the bathroom was nice. As we all started to settle in, it was so fun being with the other kids, even the advisors! The joked around with us, they were open with us, and they were just so polite and kind. I felt as if I was home to be honest. All the other volunteers were so friendly and it was just a blast. Some of the days, we went out and had dinner together, we watched the movie SuItan together, and we even went bowling!

I made so many new friends in and out the facility. The kids at the Ashram were the nicest kids you would ever meet. They were so eager to see us and play with us. Many of the kids opened up to me immediately to me, but some did not. One of my kids who was named Bhavesh was one of the juveniles that did not talk at all the first week. He kept getting distracted and just looked so confused. When I tried to ask him something he just shrugs his shoulders or nodded his head. Eventually, I started understanding what he was into which was that he loved to draw. While teaching him the curriculum, I gave him a few breaks to let him draw whatever he wants. I learned that I had to be playful with him and just make him laugh. One of the days, Mona, the head director of Gujurat for UHI, read us the story, “Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon." Molly was funny looking with buck teeth. Bhavesh suddenly laughed because of Molly had buck teeth, so from then on whenever I saw him, I bit down on my lower lip to try to look like Molly. It brought a smile to Bhavesh’s face every single time. By the time we had to give the kids an exam, he was so open and started being so blunt about everything. Everything that came to his mind he just started spitting it out. I felt like tearing up because it is just such an unbelievable change. One day, he does not talk and the next day he is the most talkative kid. At that point, It hit me straight in the chest how a normal high school kid like me can change another kids life just like that. My story is one of many, if you attend this program you will never ever forget the experience you had. It is truly amazing.

My experience with Uplift Humanity truly shaped me into who I am today. In a matter of two and a half weeks, I learned new things about myself and about the world in which we all live in. Everyone knows that third-world countries, such as India, do not have the same amenities or necessities that the rest of us do. However, it is impossible to truly understand what that means until you immerse yourself into a community where food and water are limited and education is inadequate. By educating the orphans in Nadiad, Gujarat, we were able to instill values in them that they will hopefully remember for the rest of their lives. We taught simple yet important lessons dealing with anger management, peer pressure, expressing emotions, sharing, etc. that any of us in the United States would consider to be common sense, but for children living in poverty-stricken areas, these unfamiliar concepts are of the utmost importance.
On a personal note, I returned from this trip with memories that I will remember for a lifetime and best friends that I can count on. I was not expecting to connect with the other volunteers, but we all found a way to relate to one another and became a family within the first couple of days. I was reminded of who I am and what it means to be an Indian. Along with that, the children there taught me to be appreciative and grateful for anything and everything that I have because there are others in the world who yearn to have the same luxuries that we have in the United States. The orphans and juveniles taught me to be sincere and genuine, which made me rethink my priorities and what I value the most. Over all, I returned from India with a better understanding of myself and of the world around me. I definitely recommend volunteering in India with Uplift Humanity because it appeals to anyone looking for an opportunity to reconnect with their roots while contributing to a great cause.

I have no words to describe how thankful and fortunate I am to have been given the opportunity to travel to India with Uplift Humanity. I am indebted to this program. Not only has it changed my perspective on life, but I have truly observed a change in myself. I went on this trip a quiet, timid girl whose life revolved around school and sports so that I could get into a good college. I left it with so much more: with some of the best friends in this entire universe, gratitude, and determination to find whatever my passion is so that I can help others with it. The children I met made me realize how we often miss the fact that the lives of poverty and posh can be silent neighbors, and that we need to stop being so self-involved. These kids were absolutely amazing and it broke my heart that I could not do more to help them. They have nothing, literally nothing, and they could not be happier. I am not sure if we succeeded in educating the children as efficiently as we could have, but we were able to put a smile on their face, and that was more than enough for me. Taking a break from the bustling lifestyle and stress back home (in the US) and immersing myself in this culture that I forgot how much I loved really helped me reconnect with myself. The food, the staff, the living, the places of the Nadiad that we got to experience made this trip even more enjoyable. The other volunteers and I bonded into one family, who I hope to be in touch with for the rest of my life. Learning the stories of the orphans and juvenile inmates, their hopes, their worries makes you reconsider you priorities - it makes to hone in on what is really important. And, the only thing bigger than their smiles are their hearts. I am so glad I made the decision to attend this program, because I am some of the most hard work, driven, and kind people! I went their to make a difference in their lives, but I left with them having made a bigger one in mine.

Uplift Humanity has completely changed my life in so many ways. When I joined Uplift, I was not so knowledgable about the hardship that children in India go through. There are so many uneducated orphans in Gujarat alone, and we were able to make a difference and actually help them. It was amazing to see how these children can remain strong and kind, even when they life such hard lives. The best part was that we were able to see the difference we were making. We made these kids smile, laugh, and brought a little more happiness into their lives. I made a tangible bond with some of the kids that will never be broken or forgotten.

I am forever grateful to the Uplift Humanity India organization for allowing me the opportunity to go to India. I was able to learn more about my language and culture when I went to the Gujarat location to teach these kids. I made lifelong friendships with the other volunteers, who were Indian teenagers like me. Leaving these kids on the last day was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. However, watching smiles light up faces after each lesson made it all worth the tears. I came back to America with the knowledge that I actually did make a difference in a child's life, and I would heavily recommend volunteering in India or donating to the organization.