My Journey to TTM!
“Years and years of corporate life have left me harbouring some clichés in the garb of wisdom. ‘Working with women is difficult’ …. ‘Only women colleagues’ was somehow antithetical to creating and fostering a healthy and supportive work space’ … ‘Most of social work is a brilliant excuse to have bloated egos ..’
While I was towing all this baggage, I got to know about TTM! for the first time….a group of highly dedicated and compassionate women who mentored underprivileged students of different age groups to speak better in English.
On the spur of the moment, I messaged TTM! amongst a couple of other places. I got a call from TTM! in a couple of days. In my head, teaching and teaching on the phone translated to ‘No experience, so not workable’, only women and mostly older women as colleagues translated to ‘definitely not workable ‘and something on the lines of giving back to society translated to ‘not sure if I want to get there and have a oversized ego’. Plus, I realised with young kids I cannot experiment and see if it ‘works for me’. I listened, asked a few questions, requested some time to revert and stowed it away in a dark corner in my head.
A month or two later, Tara from TTM! reached out to me. We talked some more this time. I thought age was making me soft in my head, as I agreed to take it forward. I thought I will bow out if it gets to be too ‘not doable’ for me. This was July of 2020.
It’s April of 2023, and here I am, continuing my journey with TTM! with my clichés blurred and baggage set aside. I still find it hard to believe that there is this place with such wonderful, giving, and genuinely caring people who are also so creative and full of excitement and zeal. It has been an eye-opening and humbling journey of three years for me at TTM!”
PADMA

“Aakriti, a confident young girl from Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, is my mentee. I met her in Bir during the eye camp organized for the community. She was representing TTM! and was made the ambassador for spoken English, to encourage other village children. Akriti spoke with confidence and was very self-assured.
When a lady in the audience asked her whether she could speak in Hindi or Himachali, I assured the lady that she was bilingual. To my surprise, when Vivek, my husband, asked her to read something from the papers in Hindi, as he was not wearing his spectacles, she promptly refused. According to her, she reads and speaks only in English!
Such is the magic spell of TTM! and the phenomenal influence it has on its students.
Such is the impact of having a mentor, rather than sitting in a class full of students and becoming one of the many. Aakriti was a star that day and you bet she knew it! Incidentally, this was her first exposure to addressing a gathering.”
ANUSHREE

“My perception of TTM! is of like-minded persons who want to make a difference in young lives. And I have been enjoying my association with TTM! since August 2022. I started with one class VIII mentee, and after 3 months, welcomed another mentee. I nurtured my relationships with the mentees and felt fulfilled as both the boys responded so positively. The improvement in their language was evident! I firmly believe that sharing something good with like-minded friends is a must. That’s exactly what I did …. I spoke with friends about associating with TTM! to mentor young people and help them gain confidence and fluency in English language skills. I shared TTM!’s vision with some friends and led them to explore the website. Happily, some have joined TTM! and are enjoying the association.
The thought that some of us have this wonderful chance to impact, improve and cultivate eager young minds, is so satisfying. It feels great when the positive growth in our mentees becomes manifest! It spurs me to think of new avenues to explore, new methods to employ, new ways to encourage. The fluidity and adjustment of sessions based on mutual convenience makes it easy to reschedule sessions as and when required.
I am really happy I came into the TTM! family, a gathering of people united in the vision of empowering young lives to speak well …. think confidently …… and become wiser and better versions of themselves.”
NIRUPAMA

“Do all the good you can for whoever you can with whatever means you can for however long you can.
This adage, taught to me by my father, has been deeply hidden in my mind for the longest time and surfaced recently when I was introduced to TTM! I changed the ‘good’ to teach and it became so meaningful to me.
Teach all you can with whatever means you can for however long you can.
TTM! has been the most enriching and gratifying experience of my life.
When I decided to shut my company I felt I would be on a low as that vacuum could not be filled by another.
When Tanu introduced me to TTM! I had all walls up and was not willing to explore it as I had no teaching experience.
After her gentle push and encouragement, I took baby steps initially scared of making major mistakes but thanks to the encouragement I received, I not only learned how to teach spoken English but also to found ways of helping wherever I could, be it admin, career workshops, group head, mentor orientation or pairing. It was a humbling experience to be given such responsible roles with the confidence they had in my ability to perform.”
KAVLEEN

“Tanya has been my mentee for the last four years and her growth & confidence is commendable. She has evolved from a shy, introverted teenager to almost a ‘grown up lady’ – a good singer, a painter, a Korean YouTube watcher and a keen Astronomy ‘fan’ – all-in-one. So satisfying! Very proud of her!!!”
SWATI

“About four years ago, I went into a deep depression. At a marriage function, I met a relative with whom I shared my story. She introduced me to Neelam who encouraged me to join TTM! At first, I was apprehensive because I had no professional experience. Under Neelam’s guidance, I tried to perfect myself. Today, I am back to my old self. For this, I profoundly thank TTM! They not only help mentees, but mentors too.”
ANONYMOUS

“Two years ago I lost both my parents in a span of a few months. TTM! came into my life like a ray of sunshine and engulfed me in its warmth. Mentoring gave me a new purpose in life.”
ANONYMOUS