Robin’s humanitarian trip to India

Robin Pillay joined Jenrick in 2005 becoming a core, and popular, member of the team over the last two years.

During the early part of 2007, for a period of two weeks, Robin and 150 others volunteers from a Hindu Religious Organisation in South London, embarked on a trip to rural India to provide much-needed help and assistance to a number of remote villages.

This was not the first trip Robin and his Group had made. In 2004 a similarly sized party departed with a very similar objective and as a result of their combined efforts, all were awarded the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award (Contribution to the Community section).

The trip this year had a very similar focus. The team, mostly made up of 16 – 35 year olds, contained a vast array of skills including doctors, pharmacists, optometrists and nutritionists.

Each morning Robin and his fellow colleagues would awake at 5am and begin by participating a several Hindu practices such as meditation. They would then gather all the supplies and make a trip to a village or outlying community.

When they arrived they were greeted by literally hundreds of children and adults all seeking assistance of some form or another. The team would then divide itself into specific tasks and provide health checks, vaccinations and food to all that required it.

The team would finish late in the afternoon, before making the trip back to their camp before repeating the whole process the following day.

When asked to summarise the experience, Robin replied “When you stand at Heathrow surrounded by so many friends all making a trip for the same reason you realise how special this is. Helping thousands of people throughout the trip was a truly unique experience. All I can say is that the re-focus and the perspective it provides me really makes me feel grateful for what I have – it makes me appreciate the everyday things we take for granted in the UK.”

For more details you are more than welcome to contact Robin at robin.pillay@jenrickcpi.co.uk