Hello, my name is Harish Jaisankar and I am a proud member of the VT Seva Detroit Youth Board. In 2014, my sister and I raised money through a bottle drive and donated my birthday money to pay for a small library for the students of an underserved school for the deaf and dumb in India. When we visited that school during my trip to India, I saw that they did not have the proper conditions to learn. As a student, I felt bad that they lacked some of the most basic school supplies and I felt that I needed to help them out in any way possible. My sister and I still continue to support those students and their school during every trip to India. This was my first large experience with volunteering and I fell in love with it immediately. The happiness that I gained from helping people in need was unmatchable. Knowing that I was using my time to help the less fortunate encouraged me to continue volunteering and give back to my community. As a young child, I wasn�t completely aware of what volunteering really was. All I saw were people in need and I felt an inherent desire to help them. Later, I came to learn that this is what volunteering and compassion really are. I saw the number of people that need help all around the world and I wanted to help in any way I could. I am so grateful for being introduced to VT Seva. This organization has given me so many opportunities to give back to my community. From packing food at food banks to spreading awareness about Nethra Vidyalaya, VT Seva allowed me to volunteer in multiple ways when those opportunities did not exist elsewhere.
My favorite kind of volunteering is face-to-face. I enjoy being able to see those affected by my work and truly understand the impact of what I am doing. I would like to thank my parents for always supporting me and keeping me engaged in the world of volunteering. They introduced me to this world of volunteering and I owe it all to them. I also would like to thank our VT Seva Detroit Director, Mr. Sudheer Koppu, for leading tons of these events and giving so many children and adults a chance to do some good.