#PeopleOfDonatekart: Meet Nikhil Vaidhya

“There have been times when I had only a day to pay my college fees and there was hardly anything left with me. I won’t deny that it was scary. But it was also a chance for me to prove my worth. Instead of losing all hope, I decided to work overtime at a shopping mall. And that’s how I paid for my fees.

I have never been a stranger to pain and struggle. All through my childhood, I knew that I would have to fight every step of the way to make it. Challenges and obstacles have been thrown at me but not even once have I shied away from them. And I am proud of my journey. In this world, it is not easy to become a successful person without financial backing. But I feel like I have come a long way.

Every fairytale has its own share of magic. And in my case, it was my parents. My father was a bus driver and my mother — a homemaker. But what they lacked in finances was made up with their love and support. There wasn’t a single day when they didn’t back me up on my choices and on those instances when I was almost losing hope, they were the anchors that helped me carry on. My gratitude towards them is unending.

It was because of their support and belief that I decided to leave mechanical engineering and pursue digital marketing as a career. So I decided to leave my job in Nagpur and follow my heart. I shifted to Hyderabad with hopes and dreams but it wasn’t easy. The initial days were tough but I still hung on and finally got myself a job in Donatekart.

Talking of family, Donatekart has been nothing less than that for me. In these two years, I have not only learned a lot but have also received love, appreciation and support from my colleagues. It was Donatekart that showed me that helping others doesn’t necessarily involve having a lot of money. A kind and giving heart and a will to make changes is enough to create ripples of social change.

My life has taught me that confidence pays off but I have also learnt that being down-to-earth takes you further in life. I know that I have the willingness to learn new things be it new skills of digital marketing or just life lessons and I am sure this will come in handy in future.

Looking back, even on the hardest days, I was able to see light at the end of the tunnel. It’s this positivity that keeps me going even today.”

-Nikhil Vaidhya, Digital Marketing Associate