  Mark White
In April 2009, I travelled to India along with 5 friends from University. We did what can only be described as a whirl wind tour of India, hitting all the big tourist spots along the way. But when I returned back to everyday life in the UK there was one experience that stuck out from my memories, more than all the others. This experience wasn't the Taj Mahal or the pink city of Jaipur but it was the week I spent volunteering at Children Walking Tall, so over the final year of my degree I saved up money so I could return and spend more time at the charity working with the kids.
I travelled out to Goa via Bombay at the end of April 2010. Arriving at the Mango house at lunchtime I expected to find the house full of kids, enjoying their school holidays. But instead the tree house was empty, the boys weren't playing football and there were no kids arguing about whose turn it is on the trampoline. I went into the office and was greeted by Rob and Savita, who made me feel welcome immediately. Rob explained the issues they had been having with the local council and that they were waiting for a new licence to be issued after the last one expired. At first I was worried about how I would deal with working in the slums on a daily basis and not having all the resources at the Mango House available to me. No more than thirty minutes after arriving at the Mango house, and still with nowhere to live I was on the back of a bike on my way down to one of the slums. As soon as I arrived at the 'ground' and spent a few minutes playing football with the boys all my worries were thrown out the window, and I was looking forward to spending the next ten weeks working with the kids.
That night thanks to Michelle one of the other volunteers , I was able to find somewhere to live... a nice one bedroom apartment including Tata Sky (so I didn't miss the world cup) , located only 2 minutes walk from the beach and a short scooter ride from the charity, it was perfect. With accommodation sorted a scooter quickly followed, then it was time to go out for something to eat and a few drinks. This gave me a chance to get to know some of the other volunteers and in true Goan style one drink turned into two and two turned into three. Even though I had just arrived the other volunteers made me feel right at home. I feel very lucky to have worked with some very special people in my time at Children Walking Tall, making some very good friends.
When I arrived most of the volunteers had been there for a few weeks and seemed to know exactly what they were doing, at first I found this quite overwhelming but as the first week past I found myself very quickly picking up the daily routine. Simple things started to fit into place, like remembering everyone's name, where everything is kept and what you need to take to the slums in the mornings and afternoons. One piece of advice I would always offer to new volunteers is to give yourself time to settle into life in Goa, it's not just the heat or the crazy driving you have to adjust too...
Every day I arrived at the mango house it didn't matter to me how hot it was or how heavy the rain was coming down, I just couldn't wait to get to the slums and see the children. Everyday was different from the last and you never knew what to expect. Like when Michelle and I took some of the kids to their swimming lesson and witnessed one of the funniest and cruel things I have ever seen.. Their swimming lesson consisted of them being thrown into the deep end of the pool and paddling to the side, while all the parents stood up on the balcony laughing... even when one poor little kids was crying and begging not to be thrown in the instructor picked him up and launched him in... It was cruel but we laughed our heads off..
It really surprised me how attached I had become to each and every one of the kids (even the naughty ones). As a volunteer you have to be willing to get stuck into activities even when they are outside of your comfort zone. For me this occurred when I found myself occasionally stepping into the role of nurse, I have no nursing experience at all and have to admit I'm pretty clueless when it comes to all things first aid. Often I would have children asking me to clean their cuts and scars. One thing I notices was that the children love plasters.
I think the main thing that had stuck in my memory from my visit to CWT in 2009 was that even though the children had very little; they always had a smile on their face and were very keen to learn. Having worked in schools here in the UK, I can tell you it was an absolute privilege to work with kids who actually want to learn. I mainly worked with the younger children in morning school, building on their ABC's. But I also worked in the afternoons with some of the older children, helping them with any homework they had been given at school. Obviously I left the Hindi homework to Sana, but I was able to help with English, Maths and Geography.
A few of my many amazing memories include:
* Taking the kids on a train journey; the night before we slept at the mango house and woke up at 6:30am, we picked the kids up from the slums and headed off to Thivim station. We boarded a train that arrived at the time our train was expected, we had just got all the kids sat down, when we realised we were on the wrong train (we had got onto the express to Mumbai, non-stop). So we quickly got all the kids off just before the train pulled off. Eventually our train arrive and we set off, I have never seen kids so excited and amazed by a short train journey. The kids were jumping around the carriage having the times of their lives, and so was I.
* Another highlight was when two of the volunteers organised for us to take the children to the large cinema in Panjim, we were taking the children to see Shrek 4. It was my understanding that we choose this movie as the children had recently watched the first Shrek movie and loved it. We managed to get the 50 ish children into the right screen and settled down ready for the film. Now this was my first experience of going to the cinema in India and it started off on rather a strange foot, everyone stood up and started to sing the Indian national anthem, I didn't really know what to do, obviously im not Indian so I just stood there looking rather uncomfortable. It was quite a funny moment; those who have experienced this will know what I'm talking about. So we sat down and started to watch the movie, when Arjun the young boy who was sat with me said "su su, coming", luckily this phrase was in my extensive Hindi vocabulary and knew it to mean "I need a wee wee". So at this point I jumped up and walked him to the toilet, I didn't realise however that four other kids had followed me out of the cinema and into the toilet. After they had all been to the toilet, one of the young boys Keiren, started to wash his hands in the urinal as he had never seen one before, he thought it was a wash basin, so I grabbed him and took him to the actual wash basin.
These are just a couple of my highlights from my trip to Children Walking Tall, on Sunday 13th Feb 2011 I am heading back out to Goa and Children Walking Tall for 6 months.
 Katie Godman
We volunteered for 6 months in 2010. We arrived half way through Monsoon season and were helped in finding a place to stay (and a moped to ride!) by the volunteers already there. During the monsoon season there were less volunteers so we were thrown in at the deep end, which was great as we just had to get on with it! It was brilliant seeing Goa out of tourist season and then seeing how it changed in November/December when the tourists descended upon the place.
The absolute highlight of our experience at CWT was the time we spent with the children. Neither of us had expected to feel so involved with their lives and with them. They were always wonderfully affectionate greeting us with hugs and 'Hello this!'
We found ourselves getting involved in all aspects of the charity from helping teach the classes, to scrubbing mats. Chris helped build a classroom in Karaswada and Katie dealt with the medicine (with no medical training what so ever!) Every morning we would be racking our brains to think of arts and crafts activities and every night we would be singing the songs we taught the children!
The team of volunteers and the staff we worked with were all great and really added to the community feel of CWT. We had a fantastic time and would recommend it in a heartbeat.
 Michelle Long
Aaaaah Children Walking Tall…..it's been 6 months since I finished volunteering and yet I think about my experience, the children & the charity constantly. I will always be glad for my time there, and would love to return and do it all over again.
As a volunteer, it can be quite nerve-wracking at first, especially as you need a little time to adjust to the climate, sights and new surroundings; but the other volunteers and staff are very welcoming, and will help you find your accommodation and show you the ropes on how to get around. It's not long before you feel very settled.
At the charity, the best thing to do is get stuck in! The volunteers arrange all the activities, so any arts, crafts or games go down very well with the children. You soon find that really, these children just want to have fun. If you're ever unsure on what to do, just ask another volunteer.
I found that my teaching experience came in useful, as at the time of my visit there was no set teaching structure. After a volunteer meeting, I took on the role of running the morning school. Every morning, another volunteer and I would go down to the schoolroom in Karaswada Slum and teach the younger children and those that weren't enrolled in school. We would teach the ABC's, maths, a topic of the month (e.g. weather) and always have some fun activity or song to go with it. We once made water-catchers to measure the rainfall, with coloured ink in the bottom to make it more vibrant, and left them overnight hung outside the schoolroom. Seeing as it was monsoon season, we caught a LOT of rain, and the children were overjoyed to see their experiment work (even if some of the little ones did try and drink their catch). Watching the children progress with their English and Maths, and enjoying themselves with the crafts was extremely rewarding. These are clever little kids!
So if you are lucky enough to be able to volunteer with CWT, my advice would be to get stuck in, enjoy your time there and the beautiful children, and know that anything you've got to offer will be welcomed and useful – from an open heart, to arts and crafts, to teaching, nursing…. The most difficult part will be leaving.
 Anne Fortis
I've been back in the UK now for 2 weeks since volunteering for CWT and I just can't get those beautiful children out of my head. I am 62 years old and have always wanted to do some volunteering work abroad but never had the opportunity until this year and it has so been worth waitng for as I absolutely loved it, Yes it is hard work and it is very hot, and i did sweat like never before, and the bus journey was long (i don't have the nerves to hire a scooter like most other volunteers), but i loved the bus journey travelling through the rich lush countryside and i loved the amazing portuguese houses and villages i passed through every day listening to bollywood music, and the cows and stray dogs do wander all over the roads and life is hectic and crowded, and when i arrived it was also monsoon and very muddy, but even so i found myself getting up in the mornings with a smile on my face and really looking forward to going to work at mango house.To be with those children is magic, every day is a treat not just for them but it was for me too.
I was very fortunate to work with a great team of volunteers and with Rob and the staff in the house it was always fun to be there, we worked very hard keeping things in order and organising activities and outings for the children. It was such a pleasure to help the children with their reading and writing and singing songs and playing games and to see how much fun they got out of it, without CWT and Rob what would they be doing, I did have a bit of an insight into their lives in the slum and felt it is just so necessary to give any little help you can as it is all appreciated, they really would have absolutely nothing otherwise, and to be greeted with great big smiles when they see us turn up is so rewarding. I actually feel very humbled to have played a small part in their lives.
It truly is great to be able to give them a childhood worth
remembering.
If anyone wanted to do some volunteering i would highly recommend CWT, but be prepared for hard work!
Thank you Rob for giving me an opportunity of a life time, it is a privilege to know you and all at Mango House.
I miss you all.
Anne
 Justine Walsh
I heard about Children Walking Tall and The Mango House several years ago, finally the time came this year when I able to go and volunteer for three months... it didn't hit me until the morning I was leaving that I was going alone and had no idea what was in store for me – I was SO nervous! But as soon as I arrived and was greeted by Rob, all the staff and volunteers the nerves disappeared. Everyone was so friendly and made me feel at home and part of the family straight away.
Sadly the children are unable to spend their days at The Mango House at the moment which meant that we would go down to the slums daily and work with the children and their families there instead – having the opportunity to do so really highlighted the cause that Children Walking Tall works towards. At first I found it really difficult, the poverty and lifestyles the children lead broke my heart, but seeing how excited they were to see the volunteers everyday and how much they enjoyed our time with them, made it clear to me that bringing them the happiness, fun and the attention that they deserve was what mattered. It astonished me that despite how little these children have they never stop smiling and their smiles are so contagious! The children are amazing, they made my experience at the charity so incredible – it is hard to describe until you have been a part of it yourself.
Children Walking Tall improves their lifestyles through medical attention, food, education and fun – something these children would not have if the charity was not in place. Rob and all the staff at the charity are such special and caring people, I feel privileged that I was able to work with them and with the amazing children that they help. The irony of my nervousness before arriving in Goa was that after only a few weeks of working with the children I didn't want to leave! Memories of volunteering for Children Walking Tall is an experience that will stay with me forever.
 Fay and Sabie
When I left for India in August it was to be my first time volunteering away from home. I didn’t have many expectations, because I didn’t know what would be waiting for me when I reached Goa. I had never been to India before. I had never travelled to any part of Asia before everything was new and exciting. I was working with another voluntary organisation and would get up early to travel to my project in Chimbel slums, teach for three hours and then finish at mid day.
I had travelled with a friend from England and we both felt that we
wanted to make better use of our afternoons.
We had read about “the Mango House” weeks before we came to India and both shared a lot of interest in the charity and had decided that in our 5 week stay in Goa we would most definitely pay them a visit. So on our first Friday after we had finished our morning projects we headed down to the Mango House where we were welcomed by friendly staff and a real sense of home, within minutes of being there we were taken down to meet the children and volunteers. I had never seen so many happy little faces staring back at me, the children wasted no time at all and immediately introduced themselves. For the whole afternoon we sat and chatted with the children, got to know them and helped them with their homework. It was obvious between the both of us that neither of us wanted to leave.
When we arrived back at the Mango House we expressed our love and admiration for the project and asked if we could return in the afternoons to help out in any way that was possible. We spent three magical weeks at the Mango House and with the children, by the end of our stay we had realised that we weren’t working for an organisation or a project at all, this time we were working with family. I will never forget my time spent at the mango house and take with me only the fondest memories.
  Chris and Erika
Having been traveling as a couple for a couple of months throughout South East Asia we yearned to dedicate some time to an orphanage or somewhere where we could feel as though we were a help to those in need, preferably with children. Arriving in Goa absorbing the nightlife party scene we befriended a volunteer of CWT; numbers, emails, drinks and good times were exchanged.
Acquiring accommodation a stone’s throw away from the beach and a motorbike for transportation, we later found out could fit three people snuggly, we whizzed up the coast passing vehicles and livestock alike to the mirage-like Mango House appropriately named as it rests amongst a tropical rainforest.
Daily we prepped and enjoyed the amazingly tasty food the lovely kitchen staff prepared before venturing to the slums greeted by the best group of excited children. Even if you are not a particularly touchy person, these kids bring it out of you. The powerful healing nature of reciprocal contact, be it from the many paddy cake games to piggy back rides to full contact soccer matches, seriously filled our hearts and souls every day. A truly hands-on experience; dirt floored slums leaves fingernails with a nice browned French manicure and the mud from the pitch stays like henna. Being in the medical field back home I personally enjoyed tending to the children’s boo-boos, even when they would just make them up to get some TLC.
Extremely memorable relationships will stay with us forever, between fellow volunteers, the awesome staff, and the smiling reasons for the entire charity – the kids.
  Anna
“I sit and watch the photos I took during my time as a volunteer at Children Walking Tall. I have a big smile on my face and all I can think of is how lucky I am to have had the opportunity to work for three months for this wonderful charity.
I remember my first day, feeling a bit lost and watching all the other volunteers who seemed so confident and comfortable in their work. My first thought was – what on earth can I contribute with, apart from being me? Soon I realized that I did have something to give and that the beauty was that we all had, regardless of age, knowledge or background – together we were a fantastic team! I have to admit, sometimes planning the days ahead or working with the kids was a challenge for us volunteers, but with the support and love from the staff and Robert, it was never a problem. And I should not forget to mention, we had fun!
A strong memory is some of the kids who welcomed me with a smile and open arms on the very first day without even knowing me. There was an instant bond that grew stronger, sometimes even without a common language. It is an absolute fantastic experience when words are not essential and there is an understanding through signs, smiles, body language etc.
I cannot in words express how fortunate the kids at Children Walking Tall are, who are under the staff and Robert’s guarding, caring, and loving wings. I was even more fortunate to have had the opportunity to take a small, small part for a short, short time. It has given me self confidence, made me humble and given me the best of memories.
Love you all and miss you tremendously!
Anna, Sweden”
  Mareike Kruse
The first thought that comes to my mind when thinking about volunteering for CWT is : ’I loved it.’
The children are amazing; each of them has their own little character. During my time I learned much more than just their names (what is, by the way, not as easy as it sounds!). I learnt about them, their families and their backgrounds, the children also taught me so much.
It’s not always easy to deal with the situation and the circumstances you get to work in at the slums. Seeing drunken and abusive parents hitting their children or not caring about their belongings really can make you sad and feeling helpless.
Watching the development in some families without being able to do something can be really hard (even if you try hard), especially seeing how hard the kids suffer at times.
But the moment there are little hands grabbing mine, arms reached out to be picked up or spun around, the hug of a child around your neck, huge smiles and a ‘Myka, Myka’ welcoming me in the slums… Laughter, Giggling and Joking. This children have probably given me more than I could ever give them in just teaching me to be happy, whatever the circumstances you may live in, how hard life might me at the moment… to give love, the only thing they have got is the biggest present to be given!
How bad I might feel, suffering from the heat, sickness or being homesick the children always cheered me up and showed me that life is what you make of it… And sooner than I ever thought I would be smiling again without even noticing it..
Education, medical treatment, food, that is all important but much more than that it is love and a smile that matters most for the children. In being a loving and caring person in their lives you may change their lives much more than cleaning their wounds…
Showing each of them what a worthy and wonderful person he or she is! As I have said, working for CWT wasn’t always easy, staying in India isn’t and might be, from time to time, harder than you might have thought it would be, but it is worth it!
So all I can say, telling you about my experiences with CWT is : ‘I loved it!’ and I can’t wait to see the children again in April!
For all further volunteers some tips in advance:
i) Give yourself some time to get used to the work at children walking tall! Don’t expect it to be brilliant from the first day on, it might take some time to get used to everything and the circumstances you will work in.
ii) Learning names can be much easier if you sit down together with the children and writing down their names.
iii) Never hesitate to ask! Ali, the staff or Rob are always willing to help!
Mareike
 Tanya Brinklow
I decided that I wanted to do something worth while with my life and take some time out of my normal day to day life. So I searched the Internet and came across Children Walking Tall , I did my research and decided this was the charity for me.
I packed my bags left my loved ones and came to India for 4 months.
I worked at Children Walking Tall for 3 months and had the most wonderful time and met some really fantastic people, The staff there are a remarkable group of people and do a wonderful job. My experience there was working in the slums due to licensing delays but I felt in a strange way I was very privileged to be there, I loved working with the children and their families who, without the support of the charity, I'm sure there lives would be very different.
I got so much from my time here and discovered skills I never knew I had. I would like to say a big thank you to Rob, his team and of course the children for letting me have the opportunity to be part of Children Walking Tall and I would urge everyone to take sometime out of there lives and do something worth while !
Thanks again Rob and take care of yourself
Tanya x
 Annette Grace
I first fell in love with Goa when I was on a 2 week package holiday in 2007. I spent my time lying round the pool, doing the tourist trips and lazing on the beach. However, I was quite disturbed to see young children working on the beach, selling newspapers, fruit and jewellery to the tourists and begging on the high street. I spoke with some other tourists and a couple of them invited me to going along with them to visit a children’s day centre run by a UK based charity. As soon as I met the children I decided that one day I would like to be a volunteer. When I got back to the UK, I did some research on the internet, but I started to have mixed feelings, as there seemed to be a lot of emphasis on religion and I could not understand why I was being asked to pay to be a volunteer! I almost gave up on the idea of volunteering in Goa but I did some more research and it was then that I came across the impressive web site of Children Walking Tall.
Another holiday in November 2008 and I made my first visit to the Mango House. Oh yes, it was not just their website that was impressive, it was everything about them! Now I started to think more seriously about volunteering, but cautious as ever and not wanting to make the wrong choice I asked Rob if I could spend a day with the children. Rob agreed and during my holiday I spent a few hours with staff and volunteers teaching morning school in one of the slums. I loved it and felt immediately at ease with the children. I have lots of experience with children, both as a parent and grandparent and professionally, having spent seven years working with socially excluded and vulnerable teenagers. However, I have never experienced children like the one’s I met through Children Walking Tall. What a joy they are, always smiling, always so polite and showing respect and so enthusiastic to learn. I now feel so humbled and honoured to have spent time with them, but meeting the children that first time and spending a few hours in the slum was the deciding factor to volunteer. I still had six months to go before retirement but now I really had something to look forward to!
Rob suggested that a useful time to volunteer would be during the monsoon season. I have friends who live in Goa and they had often told me how beautiful Goa is during monsoon. They assured me that it doesn’t rain all the time and told me that there are lots of benefits e.g. lower prices, cheap accommodation etc. I was a bit nervous, as I have always been frightened of thunderstorms and was worried about silly things like what should I wear on my feet! I booked my flights and accommodation and arrived in Goa at the beginning of June 2008. I wasn’t worried about meeting the children as I already knew how wonderful they are. No my biggest worry was how to get from Mapusa to the Mango House. Would I be able to find the right bus? I did and I spent the next four months travelling to and from the Mango House on buses – and that was a wonderful experience in itself. I just loved listening to the Bollywood music!
My first three weeks were spent in the Mango House and I found it quite daunting being the new volunteer. Everybody else seemed to know what they were doing but staff and volunteers were very supportive and I soon felt at ease. A number of volunteers left before the start of the monsoon and soon we were down to three. At that time I was the only female volunteer and I seemed to spend most of the day supervising showers and getting very very wet. I couldn’t believe how such small children enjoyed spending so much time in the shower. Sometimes it was a real trial to get them to come out! I think back to my own children and grandchildren and it was usually a trial to get them in!
Due to licence delays, we started to visit the slums on a daily basis. We distributed around 80 meals each day and we set up school in one of the slum houses. NO PROBLEM! It was a bit hot and when the rains came the roof leaked but the staff at Children Walking Tall are never to be defeated and a few minor repairs to the roof and a ceiling fan soon fixed the problem. We would spend the first hour helping the children with their homework and then we would do a craft or sports activity. Before leaving we would give out fruit and administer first aid to a variety of injuries. I found this a little scary at first, as even though I had done first aid courses in the UK, these don’t prepare you for the type of wounds and infections that you come across in the slums. However, Ali or Rob were always on hand for advice and thankfully more serious injuries and infections are in the minority.
When more volunteers arrived, we started a morning school for the younger children and what a great time we had. I was lucky enough to be there at the same time as Barney, a primary school teacher who brought his wonderful teaching skills and excellent ideas to the schoolroom. I soon found myself happily settling into the role of classroom assistant. Other volunteers came from different walks of life and each of them brought something of their own interests and skills to the project. At the end of the day it was back to Mango House and the washing up. Now I cannot claim to have enjoyed that daily chore but now I’m back home washing up a few dinner plates seems to take no time at all!
One of the highlights of my time at the Mango House was being invited back to the slum in the evening time to share in the families’ Diwali celebrations. They have so little but they welcomed us into their homes and offered us a meal. Other highlights of my time there were the trips we did to the beach, the Water Park and Mayem Lake. The children really love these outings and you get a lot of satisfaction from seeing them running around, laughing and enjoying their childhood. Something which many children in India never get the chance to do.
I’ve always done things late in life as I did not have the opportunity to take a gap year or travel when I was younger. I was 51 when I went to university and completed a degree and 61 when I volunteered for Children Walking Tall. So you are never too old to follow your dream. In fact it doesn’t matter what age you are, whether you are taking a gap year, a career break or in retirement, all you need to volunteer is a love of children, lots of energy and enthusiasm and a reasonable level of fitness.
The Mango House is a truly amazing place and works because of the dedication and hard work of Robert and his staff. They have made such a difference to the lives of children in the slums of Mapusa; not only to the children but their families too, who really appreciate the help they receive from Children Walking Tall. But of course the other reason it works is because of the volunteers. If you are looking for a charity to support then please chose Children Walking Tall and do consider coming out in Monsoon time, I really enjoyed it. Children Walking Tall certainly do everything they claim and much much more. I really miss the children and staff at the Mango House and every lunch time I miss that fantastic meal. Saroja you are the best cook ever!
 Barnaby Brown
On my first morning at Children Walking Tall, after being settled into my lovely beach side apartment by Rob, I was set to the task of pencil case filling. “What are these for?” I ask the CWT teacher. “The school children.” she says. “We give them out in June at the beginning of the school year.” It was August! Well lesson number one was they like to be prepared.
In the afternoon we headed down to the slum to give out the food and take care of any medical needs. I was greeted by smiling faces and raised arms. Not for cuddles or a welcome hand shake but to be spun. Round and round and round. Lesson two these children love to be spun around, a lot!
From day one volunteering at CWT involved a lot of learning. Something, as a teacher, I love. No matter what your age, experience or background I don't think there is anyone who wouldn't come away from CWT having learnt something that will stay with them forever as well as great sense of achievement.
Aside from the learning there is also lots of fun to be had. The beach trips are something magical. Holding a child's hand as they run into the sea for the first time and stop and stare mesmerised by the waves or succeeding in building a tunnel after the fourth attempt. Best of all, of course, watching Rob being burred in the sand by a team of 8 children.
Thinking up engaging activities for the children was also fun. Helping the slum school kids make a kite or a car out of cardboard and the watching their smiling faces as they marvel at their achievements.
On top of all the fun with the children there is also the social side. I made some great friends while volunteering. Together we got to see some of the beautiful and amazing sites of India.
I have really enjoyed volunteering. It will be an experience that will inspire me both in my career and life. I would definitely recommend it.
 More Volunteers Experiences From 2009...
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