Blog by Udgam Bhattarai
Today, here at the ShareSkill writing department, we’ve prepared something different for all our readers. To bring light to what it’s like being a volunteer at ShareSkill and a general overview of the impact that this experience has on the volunteers, I sat down with Tanchhoma Limbu, a beloved volunteer of ShareSkill, and conversed about a wide range of topics — from her love for volunteering to the difficulties of handling the responsibilities of a tutor and a part-time TikTok director at New Nepal Society Center. Jokes aside, do show her some love over at @tanchhoma.l on Instagram as we now dive into what Tanchhoma had to say about volunteering, ShareSkill, and her personal reflections on it.
- Could you please introduce yourself briefly.
Hi, I’m Tanchhoma Limbu and I’m from Kathmandu, Nepal. I completed my IB Diploma from Ullens and am currently on a gap year. I volunteered for ShareSkill for about 3 months and I’m really excited to share my experience through this interview.
- How did you come to know about ShareSkill? What was your motivation behind working as a volunteer for ShareSkill?
I was introduced to ShareSkill by a friend of mine, who’s currently volunteering at Paropakar themselves. And my motivation to work for ShareSkill mainly stemmed from the fact that I wanted to be somewhat productive during my gap year and utilize my time giving back to the community. It was also a wonderful opportunity to make an impact, or at least share my knowledge and skills with society. I thought it was a great opportunity to socialize with people from different backgrounds and gain a unique set of skills myself. Plus, I thought it would look wonderful on my resume.
- What exactly did you do at ShareSkill?
Initially, when I started volunteering, I was under the impression that I was just going to be tutoring a bunch of kids in a conventional classroom environment on a particular subject. But, the organization that I worked with; New Nepal Society Center, had a different approach towards this and I was delighted to work with them. We decided, the organization and I, to create a more flexible environment for both the students and me. So, we sort of created a community where the students and I could interact with each other with much flexibility and freedom. And throughout this, I helped them catch up on their coursework, complete their homework, and most importantly, teach them new skills that they wouldn’t normally tread upon.
- Something that really intrigued me about your work was the flexible environment you worked in. Do you think working in such an environment helped both you and the students learn and work better?
I personally think it helped a lot. Since a lot of the children went to school all day and I worked with them early in the morning at 8, I think a flexible approach was a necessity rather than a luxury for both them and me. But yeah, when there’s a more comfortable environment to share and learn, I think they had a lot more fun learning and studying in what felt so different from their school and I personally enjoyed a lot watching them do it.
- Would you say you were a good fit as a volunteer at ShareSkill?
I think I was a great fit as a volunteer because the main purpose of ShareSkill is to share and distribute one’s skills and knowledge to impact others’ lives. And even if initially, I wasn’t a good fit, I think the connections I built with the children there helped me fulfill my motive of tutoring much better and that’s probably what made me a better fit at ShareSkill too.
- What do you think was your most important contribution as a volunteer?
I think something that I’m very proud of is that I went above and beyond just tutoring the children. Since I got super connected to them, we had planned to have international fundraisers to fund the meals of the children there. And although many international donations were made without the fundraiser, I still tried my best to fundraise for them from my little circle, and it was just enough to get shiny new shoes for all the children. And even today, although my tenure has ended, I’m constantly in contact with them and planning fundraisers for them. So, I think my most important contribution was the initiative I took to go beyond my set responsibilities and I think it sets a great precedent for future volunteers to help these organizations and these children to their fullest.
- What was your favorite part about volunteering?
I think my favorite part of volunteering might come off as a bit funny. But I loved how much the kids were into TikTok and they would often make me record them or dance with them and I really enjoyed that part of the relationship that I had with the children.
- Do you think that your time as a volunteer has changed you in some ways? If yes, how?
Yes, definitely. First and foremost, it’s definitely made me more productive and energetic cause waking up at 7 in the morning, on a gap year takes an immense amount of willpower. I think all my answers show how this experience has transformed me to become more empathic and socially conscious, but it’s also made me a lot more proactive. The relationship I built with these children sort of drove me to plan fundraisers and programs for them and take initiation to do nice things for them.
- What aspects do you think you as a volunteer, and ShareSkill as an organization could work on to make this experience even more fruitful?
I honestly loved my time at ShareSkill but I think it would be nice to have a platform for volunteers just like myself to meet and greet each other and share our experiences. I think it helps a lot to build a circle of like minded people and also sets precedent for collaboration in meaningful projects for ShareSkill itself.
- If you could describe your experience as a volunteer at ShareSkill in about 3 words, what would they be and why?
I won’t use three different words, but a phrase of three words — Meaningful Personal Growth. Because this period was such a transformative period for me as a person and I could observe a lot of personal growth within myself. And I hope that through my time spent at New Nepal Society Center, the kids also grew and changed in some ways.
- How strongly would you recommend others to volunteer at ShareSkill and why?
I think volunteering is something that everyone has to experience once in their lives because it’s like being able to give back to the community that has given us so much. You know, we Nepalese are always so driven towards our own goals and agenda that we often forget about the community but taking a step back with volunteering, especially with an organization so devoted to the cause as ShareSkill, it feels good to share our privilege and our skills for the betterment of the society. I think it gives people a lot of spiritual satisfaction and personal joy — you’re not just helping others, but you’re helping yourself in a way too. So, I’d strongly recommend everyone to at least try volunteering at ShareSkill — it’s a wonderful platform and helps you build a wonderful community and at the end of the day, helps you sleep soundly knowing that you’ve done your part for the betterment of society.
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