“Be the change you want to see in the world!” – said Mahatma Gandhi, and one of the ways of change is volunteering. More than 1,500 foreigners from different countries have already volunteered with the NGO GoGlobal. Maybe you will be next?

GoGlobal promotes foreign languages ​​in Ukraine. It also helps to integrate teachers and students through various projects in the international sphere.

GoCamp is one of the GoGlobal programs, which has a mission to educate a new generation of Ukrainians with skills required in the 21 century and democratic values. Earlier, foreign volunteers came and talked to the children on the spot. Due to coronavirus, and now the war, volunteers meet with students online to help them overcome stress and get distracted from what is going on around them.

One of our regular volunteers is Razouleu Caroline Sorunuo from India. Children always enjoy listening to her stories and learn a lot about the unique culture of the Indian people. GoCamp while appreciating her contribution to the development of the GoCamp program and encourage other volunteers to join the large family, which is scattered around the world but has a heart in Ukraine.

KRC Times spoke with Razouleu Caroline Sorunuo in Dimapur where she candidly stated that this war and her engagement with Ukrainian children have completely changed her from the inside. She says the least I can do as a teacher is to be with them. I am glad that  I volunteered and now that the war is on it has become more meaningful. Schools are now shut down, and around 200 plus schools were destroyed.

It has been been a life-changing experience for me to sit with them.  War is terrible. Very bad things happen. People can work things out. War can be waged in a more civil way. They are very lost, scared, things are very unpredictable. They are hoping and trying their best states Caroline sadly.

Caroline shared her interactions with a 16 years child who says ‘many of our dreams are shattered, we don’t know we have a future; when I sleep or think I don’t know when the bombs will explode, glass gets shattered and enter her skin….

A displaced woman told me that she misses her parents and her home. That they will not trade their home for anything….this creative camp is very emotional one informed Caroline; in the entire camp, they reminded us about the situations and what is happening. So many things were lost, monuments, schools, lives, it is scary!

While talking about the various emotional stories that the Ukrainian children are narrating Caroline says that she responds but they can’t show emotions as they are trained before the sessions and there are do’s & don’ts. ‘I try my best to be genuine and that they are not lied to and I don’t want to give false promises so that they hate me later in their life’, said Caroline. When it comes to the emotion you cannot show your tears to them, divert them through talks, be with them, keeping their emotions.

The children ask me about our culture and many things. India is very diverse and I ensure that the cultural diversity is sensitized as ‘every mile of India is a different experience’. There is no subject matter they don’t ask.

In order to divert the attention from the war, Caroline informed that there are various programmes and activities designed and she sticks to them but most importantly she works according to their moods. I check and see if they are ok in involving in the activities if they are ready. ‘We talk! We have a conversation. I think that’s the best to keep the communication on…

They have also asked me how India is portraying them and I told them India is praying for them… we are so many communities, so many churches praying. India is not portraying anything negative and the entire country is worried about you. As an Indian going there also makes me proud. I am so happy that Indians from various parts of the world are participating in this project and it makes me proud also, echoes Caroline.

‘Everybody is on a mission to see about Taj Mahal’. It is amazing to know that they are fond of Bollywood. They ask me about who are the popular stars, I tell them that in such a big country you can imagine how many popular people we might have but right now our PM Modi is very popular besides the film stars like Sharukh Khan, Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar…  

While expressing the emotion the Ukrainian children are going through, Caroline who is now regularly in touch with them, echoes, ‘they are in horror, pain and this can be seen through their eyes, how insecure they are…at the same time they are very kind and very forgiving, they are angry also. Of course, when you are in a war, it is obvious… but still they care about Russians, as the captured Russian soldiers are served food.  I think these people are very kind, very patient.

As a teacher I think this war is going to teach them a huge lesson, this war is bringing them closer. There are too many things and I am lost.. my takehome is their friendship and their trust in me.

When these children ask about India, I remind them that India is a diverse land. Every mile is a different experience, be it food, culture, music, or anything. When I highlighted Nagaland, they were shocked. But I did mention food like jellebies, Somasas, and biriyani as the kids were asking about our food.

The main motive of this programme is exposure to foreign languages. We have various batches and the timing is irregular. I have volunteered for the maximum number possible. Yesterday only the sessions were halted as they were experiencing air strikes and we had to shut the session… so I told the coordinator, anytime they need me I will be up for it,’ she stated. You have to keep yourself free as they are staying in bomb shelters.

This is the biggest camp in Ukraine and is supported by the UN, Caroline informs.

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