Tamil Nadu and Chennai
There are complex global issues and
challenges facing our world today. Taking part in the International Citizen
Service and working with Restless Development will enable me to use my
knowledge and experience to consider my own perspective of the word. This
trip will be a life time transformation; it will impact my future role in
taking action on issues I feel passionate about. I have always enjoyed working
with different charities, helping others and attempting to change the world. My
journey started with Somali Relief Development Forum charity, I started
volunteering for this charity when I was 17 years old. (SRDF) charity is an umbrella organisation supporting Somali-led charities
registered in the UK. SRDF charity is working extremely hard to help people in
East Africa; I wanted to be part of this amazing work and volunteer. I usually fundraise
and host events; this enables me to network with young people in London/UK.
So far, this experience has been stunningly
unforgettable. I am now in Tamil Nadu, which is the Homeland of one of the
humanity’s living classical civilisations, a people whose culture has grown,
but in many ways not fundamentally changed, since the Greeks sacrificed goats
to Zeus. Here you can reach the ends of India, where three oceans mingle. Flying
from Heathrow London airport, Chennai airport was my point of entry into Tamil
Nadu. I stayed in Mumbai city for 5 hours before making my way to Chennai city.
Mumbai (Bombay) is a beautiful mess, full of dreamers and hard labourers,
actors and gangsters. This city is also shaped by flavours from all over India
and the world. Clearly, it’s impossible to explore Mumbai city, hopefully I
will comeback in the future to see the Taj Mahal Palace.
I was in a group with 27 other volunteers,
they were as excited as I was, and all age 18 to 25. We landed in Chennai city
around 5pm and waited outside of the airport terminal for about an hour for
someone from Restless Development to pick us up. Chennai city does not always
make a good first Impression. The streets are clogged with traffic; the weather
is oppressively hot, the air is heavy with smog and sights of any great
interest are thin on the ground .We eventually made it to the hostel/Office to
start training the next morning. I am currently enjoying my time Chennai city, yet
I am only here for one week to train with the other volunteers before travelling
to ‘Thiruvallur’ with six other volunteers to do Livelihood and Health work in surrounding
communities. We started training with the national volunteers and our team
leaders. We have done some team building and interesting activities to
prepare us for a placement in the villages. I must say, during training we enjoyed
having long tea breaks and the fun activities.
Follow me on Twitter @Lathaney
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