Volunteer of the Month - October 2009

Jeeno has been interning with us for over 3-months. Coming from a background in PR and having worked with The PRactice, Jeeno was keen to explore opportunities in the social sector. From the very first day Jeeno has been a tremendous source of inspiration to us at Dream A Dream. As an intern, he has jumped into planning and organizing two of our biggest events with ease. Be it putting up with the high-energy at the office or managing the workload, Jeeno has, in his own quiet way, brought an air of excitement by helping us launch the Joy of Realizing Dreams campaign and helping out with making the play public.

Starting with a few unsure steps, Jeeno has quickly moulded into an inspiring changemaker. In his own words, “I actually stumbled upon Dream a Dream. My former boss had referred me to Dream A Dream when I was looking to work or intern with an NGO and so I joined Dream A Dream as an intern with the communications and fundraising team. I wasn’t quite sure if I was at the right place and couldn’t connect with the dots for the first few days, till I attended a few sessions of creative arts and sports programs. I now see how every piece of an NGO can lead up to the larger picture for change in the lives of these children. So yes, I’m glad I was a part of that effort.”

Jeeno’s energy and drive comes from - The people, the silliness and the simple humour of everyday at work. Knowing that the small things he does, could in a small way contribute to helping a child realize his or her potential.

The experience has also been tremendously introspective for Jeeno as he reflects, “I guess it did reclaim a certain amount of awareness of ordinary things in life I may have taken for granted in the rush to move ahead in my career, some things you lose track of in the everyday of corporate life. I think it may have helped me introspect a little more about things I do and what I could possibly do to change things around me or help someone in need.”

Dream A Dream has become richer with the contributions of Jeeno and thanks him immensely for this time, skills and energy. We wish him all the very best and hope that he continues to impact and enrich lives with his volunteering efforts. You can congratulate him on jeeno.philip.jacob@gmail.com