Meet TJ! Our passionate, inspiring intern.

28 November 2021

Hello, my name is Tejasvi. My friends call me TJ.

I have been volunteering with Followings Foundation since May this year and Lauren and Beck asked me to tell you about myself, my internship with Followings and also my experience over the last two years with COVID.

I am 17 years old and I am highly passionate about volunteering. I live in India and am currently in school. I balance my time between volunteering, helping non-profit organisations and my schoolwork.

Earlier this year, I participated in a very rewarding project focused on raising funds for children impacted by HIV. The funds were utilised to purchase medical supplies, which, in my opinion, were vital to providing healthcare for the children.

I am currently in the eleventh grade.

When COVID began, I was a boarding school student. I would only spend a few months at home before, but because of the pandemic I was at home for an extended period of time. I found this new shift of circumstances meant I didn’t have my friends close by. When I was in tenth grade, I concentrated solely on studying, assuming that I would be taking my board exams. It was not like anything I had experienced before.

Thankfully, I could return to school at the beginning of this year, even if it was only for two months. My exams were eventually cancelled, and most of us, including myself, felt relieved. We were sent home for safety precautions since there was a COVID outbreak on campus while we were in school. Now I am back at home, juggling internships, starting to attend a new school, and focusing on my thrift shop.

I recently opened the thrift shop with all proceeds going to children's education. Following the COVID epidemic, I was motivated and excited to open a thrift store after observing what was happening worldwide and working with various NGOs. We are all aware of the various issues with fast fashion and how consumers discard clothing so regularly. Starting a thrift store sounded like a good idea because I, for one, had a lot of good clothes that no one was wearing. As we all know, many people have lost their jobs and families due to the economic downturn. Many parents had to stop their children from attending school because it was becoming too expensive. As a result, we decided to donate the money to a children's charity.

I picked this internship with Followings because I admire the work that the charity does. Being a part of their team, even if it is a small one, is an honour. Followings have allowed me to obtain as much experience as possible, including working as part of an international, virtual team. They have taught me a great deal and assisted me in dealing with a variety of situations. Working with them has been an absolute pleasure.

---