Social Outreach: An Inspirational Talk on SOS Children’s Village Visit

This essay recounts a visit to the SOS Children’s Village in Ottawa as part of a Carleton University social outreach program. The author reflects on the experience of interacting with orphaned and underprivileged children, acknowledging their resilience and the dedication of the orphanage staff. The essay highlights conversations with teachers who volunteer their time to support these children, emphasizing the importance of providing care and guidance to prevent negative outcomes such as drug abuse and gang involvement. The author describes the cultural exchange with the children, including songs, poems, and the distribution of gifts, noting the joy and gratitude expressed by the children. The visit left a profound impact, reinforcing the author's appreciation for the children's strength and the value of social outreach initiatives. Desklib offers a range of past papers and solved assignments for students seeking academic support.

Running head: INSPIRATIONAL TALK
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

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A Trip to Remember:
There exists a significant part of the population who is not able to afford the basic
necessities of life. It is the result of their abject penury, which debars them from availing
some of the most basic necessities of life. It is painful to know that almost 387 million
children across the world live under extreme poverty, which roughly accounts for 19.5% of
the total population of the children. It is a pity that the ones, who are going to lead us to the
future, are living in extreme poverty. Some of these children are lucky enough to receive
shelter from various NGOs and orphanage. All these children receive basic food and shelter
in these orphanages, many of them being actual orphans, some have been forsaken by their
parents, who could not cover the expenses of raising them up. They suffer from various
problems ranging from abuse, shyness, lack of parental affection and care, feelings of shyness
and guilt and various other problems and traumas.
Against the whole world, they put a brave front and welcome each day in their lives, with a
renewed hope and vigour. To acknowledge these young souls and their bravery, we as part of
our college social outreach program of the Carleton University, had decided to visit one of
the oldest children orphanages the SOS Children village in Ottawa. This organisation works
closely with the Ministry of Children and Family Development, for the purpose of creating
different programs and services for the under privileged children. The organisation works for
the benefit of the children from the different atrocities of life. SOS Children’s villages
provide works with the primary aim of serving the orphans and secure their place of stay and
shelter. The organisation provides abandoned, orphaned and vulnerable children with a
caring, loving and safe family atmosphere.
In order to have a close look at these children and to provide them some sought of respite and
love and joy, we the students of the social outreach wing of the Carleton University had

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organised a visit to the orphanage. The visit was intended for the purpose of spending some
quality time with these children and providing them some sought of help in the form of some
cultural programs for breaking the monotony of the daily life.
When we reached there, we were received by the management team of the institute. They
introduced us to the kids and the people working over there. We had a lengthy discussion
with the team, which consisted of various teachers. These teachers spend most of the time
with these kids, teaching them and checking their overall progress. All these teachers had
come here on a voluntary basis and work with the sole purpose of helping these children. I
was fortunate enough to speak with some of these teachers. I made some specific queries
about their job, motivation to join such institutes and what role do these organisational
centre’s play on the development of these orphan and parentless children. One of the teachers
Mr John Wilkins, who is a physics teacher in a nearby high school had said , “I feel very
bad , when I see children become parentless at a very tender age, when they need us more
than ever, they need somebody to be around them, in order to assure them , that the world
hasn’t ended’. He further adds, “To help these children in their formative years, by looking
after their needs both as a teacher as well as a parent, is a gift, which I am privileged to have,
I enjoy my work here and I am grateful for this opportunity”. Mr Wilkins says that the he
works here as a part timer and works 3 days a week, and the rest of the days he teaches at the
nearby high school. He also said that a significant percentage of children without the support
of their parents, end up in the vicious circle of drug abuse, gang life and violence. This is a
grave concern for not only the parents, orphanage authorities but also for the government
authorities too.
Despite of all these problems, all the teachers and workers like Mr Wilkins are selflessly
devote their time for ensuring the welfare of these orphans. After having small talk session
with the various faculties and workers of the institute, our focus had shifted to the lovely

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children who are based there. These children had resplendent and expressive set of eyes. All I
could gauge from their faces, that they were very excited to have us, in their sweet home.
Their happiness upon seeing us, was pretty evident from the way they were roaming around
us and playing with some of my friends. We made them seated along with the help of the
faculties, in the main hall room and started our small cultural show. We introduced ourselves
to the children and started our cultural program with some songs. They were seriously
enjoying our company. After the songs, we asked some of these innocent souls to come up on
stage, and recite some favourite poems and songs. After their beautiful songs and poems, we
distributed the different gifts such as books, stationeries and clothes. The joy which they
received from this small gesture of appreciation, was evident on their cute little faces. It was a
joy to behold their beautiful faces, which has seen the scars of the atrocious nature of life. I
asked one of the boys, about their lives in the orphanage, he said, “I lost my parents in a road
accident, was homeless as my relatives had disowned me too, this place gave me hope and
love and you people have doubled our joy by visiting us and giving us these wonderful gifts, I
am very happy today, all of my friends are too”. Hearing these words from that child, was
enough to make me felt bitter sweet. I was sad for their struggles and happy for their
triumphant character at such a young age. All these children learn and grow together, despite
all their difficulties and pain. I had felt genuine joy of helping them in whatever small way,
we could. This social outreach visit to SOS Children’s Village, left a deep impact upon me.
The moving tale of these child, who have not given up on their lives, is an inspiration in
itself.

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