Selfless Community Service: Women Leaders Bringing a Positive Change Across the Globe
by Snehalata Kadam
ISW-WEW organized this event on Sunday March 19th 2023 at from 3:00 to 5:00 PM.
The chair of the program, Prof. Snehalata Kadam, welcomed the guests with a brief introduction about Women Empowering Women program’s mission and vision. The event then started off with a solo Sitar performance from one of the panelists, Mrs. Usha Verma, who played the popular bhajan, Vaishanava janato. Many felt nostalgic, remembering their childhood memories growing up with that composition.
Neha Kaushal, the event moderator, then engaged the panelists enquiring about their motivation for their community service. The panelists all commented that any community help starts at home with what we learn from our parents and the environment where one grows up. All agreed that we watch and learn, and many times emulate our parents’ humanitarian work.
A key aspect of community service is, if you are supporting the community, help comes pouring in. The strength behind community work was the enormous support of volunteers who work and give their time and efforts as best as they can. Supporters who cannot help with time and energy usually come forward with donations. There has been huge support by community volunteers especially during the pandemic.
One of the audience questions was how one can manage time, especially with familial and professional responsibilities. The answer was we make time because that kind of volunteer work brings happiness and peace to ourselves along with the satisfaction of helping others and it doesn’t feel like work. Many a times, it feels like being selfish, we are doing community service for our own happiness. In response to an audience question, it was said that family definitely comes first and so one needs to prioritize what’s important and how to manage it all. The event concluded with a beautiful performance titled “Jhansi ki Rani” by Shivangi DebRoy, a student of Mrs. Kalaimangal Anbalangan’s AmudhaSri Dance School.
