Previous Recipients - Danita Walton

My chosen assignment was the after school care of nine children infected with HIV. The names of the 7 boys were Santosh, Shanku, Pawan, Krishna, Rahul, Mahesh, Milroy, and the two girls Sakshi and Laxmi. The bond that I formed with those children is one I will never forget.

In the beginning I was sad for them, I cried for them, and all I could think of was how short their lives would be. As the weeks went on and I felt more and more comfortable with their situation I realized that they are just rowdy children who don’t want to do their homework and do their best to get out of eating foods that aren’t their favorites.

They changed me. They opened my eyes and allowed me to respect and appreciate the frailty of life. They were joyous children completely ignorant of anything but how happy they were to play after snack time. With them I didn’t see the differences in culture or lifestyle. I just saw extremely happy children who got the short end of the stick. It is because of them that I realized the entire purpose of my trip. I now know that I want to be a doctor and there is absolutely nothing that can keep me from that goal. I now understand how silly I was for giving up my passion so quickly. I want to become a doctor to help them. I want them to have the longest and most comfortable lives possible. I want for them, and the many children like them, to die with dignity having not wasted away because there was no one who cared enough to get them real care.

(Read more of Danita's Volunteer in India experience)