I am in India! It’s hard to believe I’m actually here, but there is no doubt about it, I’m in the middle of Bangalore. The traffic, the noise, the volume of people, it’s all a lot to take in. However, from the moment I stepped in to Dream a Dream, I’ve felt at home. Let me take a step back and introduce myself. My name is Nikki and I’m between my first and second year of an MBA program in California. I used to work in finance but knew I wanted to have more of an impact on the lives of others, so am looking to work in the social sector once I graduate. I’m not a big social media person, but I was so touched by the mission and community at Dream a Dream I felt compelled to blog (for the first time ever!)

Dream a Dream is an AMAZING organization! I’ve spent a good amount of time volunteering and I am very impressed.  Even before I got here, interacting with the volunteer coordinator was so easy (Thanks Saba!). The staff is so kind and so welcoming, it’s been great getting to know everyone and learn more about their backgrounds. The culture in office is very warm and everyone is so passionate about making a difference in the lives of children. I particularly love the daily group lunches when everyone relaxes over a good meal. With respect to the mission, I love how they are thinking about executing the goal if teaching life skills to kids from vulnerable backgrounds. Everyone is extremely thoughtful about how the program is structured and how they are measuring impact. As someone who is interested in a career at a nonprofit, it’s been a great place to learn from. So all in all, my first impression is nothing short of remarkable. I’m so glad I’m here and look forward to meeting the kids soon!