ACTIVE CITIZENS - Making a Difference to Society, Mrs Rajagopalan's way
Mrs
Rohini Rajagopalan has never allowed looking after a family as well as a full time
job at Ngee Ann Polytechnic hinder her from helping others speak and write English.
She started with the WISH programme, under a programme by the Singapore Reading and
Literary Society, to teach English to non-English speaking women.
How did Rohini manage to find the time? Her response was simple - just prioritize
and allocate time for all the activities she was interested in. How did she get
involved in WISH? She was inspired by her friend, Mrs Hedwig Anuar, who was
conducting the WISH programme. Once she was roped in, Rohini has never regretted it.
It was while teaching at the Clementi Community Centre that Rohini noticed that no
Indian women were attending her class, although she believed they needed some
knowledge of the language. She then approached the Singapore Indian Development
Association (SINDA) to offer her services. SINDA agreed and gave her the classrooms
in their STEP centres. Here, mothers of children undergoing tuition were approached
and the programme took off very successfully.
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"...it's simply about giving something back to society from which
we have received so bountifully." |
There are about four to five such classes going on each year. The SINDA/WISH programme
is now eight years old. Rohini does not teach the classes any more but coordinates the
entire programme for SINDA. This includes filling in when a volunteer is unable to
teach on a particular night, recruiting and training volunteers.
When Mrs Rajagopalan hears of anyone who has expressed interest in volunteer work, she
would try to find them a suitable position the very next day, before they changed their
minds. What was the driving force behind this service? To Mrs Rajagopalan, it's simply
about giving something back to society from which we have received so bountifully.
Once into it, she found it so fulfilling that making adjustments in her family and
social life for the weekly classes was easy. Monday nights are WISH nights and nothing
can keep her away - not even family events.
Of course, Mrs Rajagopalan has her frustrations too. At times, less than half of those
who had signed up would attend, making her wonder about the investment in time and
effort in setting up a class. Nevertheless, it has been thoroughly worth it. She
believes that she cannot do everything, but she can do something and will continue
to do that something.
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"...she cannot do everything, but she can do something, and will
continue to do that something." |
With a proud glow in her eyes, she said that when some students on the programme told
her that for the first time in their lives, they had found jobs and have become
independent, she knew that 'that something' she has done for her fellow women, had
been achieved.
Mrs Rohini Rajagopalan is Principal Lecturer at NGEE ANN POLYTECHNIC. She received
the Certificate of Appreciation for her volunteerism in community services at the MOU
signing ceremony between Ngee Ann and the National Volunteer Centre on Wednesday 20
September 2000. Mrs Rajagopalan has always believed that Every Singaporean Matters.
There are opportunities for all - as receivers as well givers. She strongly encourages
others to take up the challenge of volunteerism.
Article courtesy of Ngee
Ann Polytechnic.
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