Inclusive society is what we all desire to have in our lives. I have always been a person who loves to stand up for what is right, however, it is very difficult to do that when you are alone. This CAS project gave me an opportunity to volunteer in a NGO called the UniTree. UniTree helps this community become an inclusive society by involving kids with down syndrome and making them feel normal. Every weekend there used to be an event where we volunteers had to go and interact with these special kids. I genuinely felt very grateful when I looked at those kids, I felt very happy just looking at them smile with such pure intentions. 

In the beginning of my volunteering sessions, I was a little hesitant while working with these kids because before that I had never interacted with such kids and I always used to get scared that they might get violent and hurt me. As I went in and tried interacting with them, they literally changed my perception, they were the sweetest souls I had ever seen, they made my day. Sometimes, it got difficult working with these kids because some of them were either very scared to open up with me or they were very stubborn and didn’t want to let their  guard down. 

The learner profiles I developed through this project were caring, open-minded and communicator. While I was indulging in this activity, I convinced my friends to also volunteer in this which made them aware about kids with special needs. For me personally, the highlight of this activity was when one of the kids with down syndrome names Ayush told everybody that I am his best friend, that is the moment I felt like I have met one of the purest souls and he came and hugged me. The way I felt around these kids was so peaceful, I felt very grateful and thankful to god for making me the way I am. One thing that I learned from this was that you should always be grateful for what you have, people around you have so many problems and yet they carry a smile that could light up your mood.