“I started my work with SEEDS-LEDeG team with zero expectations. I tried my hand in every work, even picked up stones and realized that even for a labourer; it is not an easy job.” “This sector may be unorganized but at the end of the day you feel you have done something.”

Twenty-four year old Abhishek has a different take on life hailing from a middle class family; Abhishek completed his B Tech in Biotechnology from Tanjore Sastra University, Tamil Nadu. He got a job with WIPRO right after that and started working as a Project Engineer.

But in Abhishek’s own words, he was always looking for ways to break the monotony of corporate life. While still at WIPRO, Abhishek took a no-pay leave in April 2010 and volunteered for Drishti in Swaran Jayanti Swa Rozgar Yojna. Then again in June, he also got associated with ‘Dream a Dream’, an NGO in Bangalore that works with underprivileged kids, teaching life skills through adventure sports and creative arts.

These two experiences convinced him that his future lies outside the corporate world and he quit Wipro in July.

Abhishek came to Leh in September with the hope to do voluntary work with any NGO. He started his journey from Delhi and somehow reached Leh-Ladakh via Manali. After a strenuous journey, for two days he survived in Leh without much food. The third day he reached LEDeG office in Leh, met Rekha Shenoy, SEEDS-LEDeG team leader and got enrolled as volunteer for SEEDS-LEDeG Shelter Project.

With SEEDS-LEDeG team, Abhishek worked on almost everything he got his hands on; maintaining the stock and attendance register, making Stabilized Compressed Earth Blocks (SCEB), procuring and supplying material for housing, marking the sites for excavation and labour coordination and payment. Mr. Munish Kaushik from Cord Aid, best described Abhishek’s contribution in these words “Abhishek served as the backbone for SEEDS-LEDeG Shelter Project”.

As a volunteer, Abhishek got the opportunity to reassess his strengths and weaknesses, make new friends and push him-self to the limit. He realized that when the will is there, one can achieve a lot more than one has every dreamt of.

Besides interacting with people and traveling, Abhishek is fond of reading. Some of his favourite authors are George Orwell, Ayn Rand and Jiddu Krishnamurti.

Abhishek has left for home now, with new hopes, aspirations and adventures that wait for him . . . on his journey to experience life.