Internship at Milaap
About the Author: This is an anonymously published story; the author chose not to reveal her identity. The author takes us through her journey of being a fellow at Milaap, an organization that provides passionate students and young professionals a full-time position in rural, semi-urban, and urban regions, to serve as the eyes and ears of our community.
“Learning is experience. Everything else is just information.” – Albert Einstien
Like a free bird just out of the cage, I stepped into the real world. I didn’t want to follow the conventional cycle of graduating, finding a job, and then getting promotions like most of other fresh graduates. Having done my graduation in a field quite in demand these days due to the emergence of smart cities, i.e. town planning, I could have landed some really good jobs. But instead of sitting in an AC office all day, working on reports, I preferred going out on the field and seeing how things actually work. Being innately curious, I always wanted to explore different fields and their mechanics. I always like to keep my options open, as a rule, and hence started browsing through some internships posted on Internshala after I graduated. Even though I have been using Internshala for a long time, this time I was serious about finding something. Because what else could be a better option to keep exploring than short-term internships? Finally, I decided to apply for a few internships according to my interests and landed up getting selected for Milaap’s Fellowship programme at a very unprecedented time.
The shortlisting news came a little late, and by that time I had already joined an office. After clearing the assigned tasks, testing my basic grammar and written skills, followed by a Skype interview, which lasted for about an hour – I was finally selected for the fellowship. I was excited and content beyond measure! While Milaap was the ultimate getaway from the mundane stuff, my current office offered an exposure like no other for a fresh graduate like me. I spent a week in sheer dilemma, arguing my way out, which left me emotionally drained before I finally put a lid on the case and put down my papers.
I was already excited to be a fellow at Milaap; my happiness knew no bounds when I met their enthusiastic and responsive team at their Bangalore office. The training week was full of surprises, including working on things I had never done before. That very moment, I knew that the next six months were going to change my life forever. One of the best parts of this internship was being able to discover the writer hidden inside me. While most of the other fellows were from a journalistic background, instead of feeling alienated, I felt special. The way ahead of me offered an amazing opportunity, everything I loved doing. I have always described myself as a passionate traveller, and a curious individual, keen to learn more about the lives and cultures of various individuals by closely engaging myself with their gripping stories. My work allowed me to travel to remote areas and interact with these borrowers. Getting insights and a handful of experience in the micro-financing sector while also being able to make a difference in the society, was something diverse and wonderful. I had stepped into the world of creating a social change and as they say, ‘with great power come great responsibilities’.
I was posted in Gujarat with an NGO named Prayas. This was my first time out of home; the office staff ensured that I didn’t feel homesick. The next thing I was doing was scheduling my visits for the month and absorbing the procedures. All my visits were special in some or the other way. Though I had to travel alone to the field offices, I always had the respective staff to welcome and accompany me to the borrower’s location; hence safety was never an issue. The independency, freedom, and relaxed ether I was surrounded with, in spite of the obligations was one of a kind.
A job isn’t a burden when you love your work. I believe in living in the moment and the internship proved its worth. Moreover, I also got plenty of time to pursue my passion for photography. During the course of my internship, meeting these simple people taught me some important life lessons as well. It taught me patience, peace of mind, and helped me develop an understanding about life and its unmaterialistic joys. I think I have gained much more worth than the 15k of my stipend. I am still left with four more months of my internship period but all I want is for time to freeze! I am for surely going to cherish these days of my life forever. All thanks to Internshala for connecting me to this amazing opportunity.
Milaap is a great step towards making women independent and I am grateful to be a part of it. I believe that even a small contribution towards the society can make a huge difference in the larger picture. I would recommend everyone out there to explore their possibilities through the wide range of opportunities offered by Internshala, and I am sure you will also find something which suits you.
Editor’s Note – Be selfless and do your bit for the society; apply to these NGO internships.
