A Fun Day with Corporate Volunteers from Deutsche Bank

“Hope for children in need, Hope for a better society!”
“Amazing way of taking care of children - feel really blessed to have come here” were some of the remarks the corporate volunteers from Deutsche Bank wrote in the visitor’s book at the end of the Saturday afternoon they spent with the young girls at HOPE’s Kasba Protection Home.
Our girls greeted the Volunteer Group – Shubhro-Kanti, Assistant Vice-President and Area Head of Kolkata and his team Anirupa, Joyita, Nirmalya and Shubhro’s little daughter Shresha with lively dances with Bengali folk songs, followed by a welcome note in impeccable English. The Uncles and Aunties were completely taken with the children and interaction flowed freely thereafter. Alokeparna, the RD Manager at The Hope Foundation, introduced the team to HOPE’s work with street and slum children of Kolkata and the ongoing projects that HOPE runs in partnership with 13 grassroot NGOs. The volunteers were taken around the Kasba facility and they were pleasantly surprised at the high standard of care that is provided to the children.

The Deutsche Bank volunteers had planned a drawing competition as part of the day’s activity. The children were divided into three groups age-wise. They were supplied drawing sheets, new pencil boxes with pencils and eraser, and crayons. They could draw anything they liked but timeline was 30 minutes. Most finished in less than 30 minutes and came up with excellent and colourful drawings depicting kite flying, Durga Puja, Flowers and scenaries.

The volunteers treated the children and the staff to a fish curry lunch which was ordered at HOPE Restaurant. There were sweet ending too with gulab jamuns. Shresha, Shubhro’s daughter who was about 5, happily mingled with the children, took part in the drawing competition and shared lunch with them. The volunteers too had lunch and enjoyed the food thoroughly. They looked forward to visiting HOPE Café and Restaurant soon to taste more of the delicious cooking.

Post-lunch, it was time for gifts and prizes. All girls received nice and colorful tiffin boxes, chocolates, candies and wafers. There were 8 special prizes too which were exciting board games, and the girls who received them for their beautiful drawings were happy to share with their respective groups. Shubhro and his team were very appreciative of the staff who managed the day’s programme very efficiently. Each staff member was presented with a Deutsche Bank coffee Mug as a token of appreciation. Shubhro, Anirupa, Joyita and Nirmalya were gifted with handmade flowers and cards by the children. The team said goodbye but promised to be back soon!