When Waves Get Heavy 🌊

Hey everyone,

This week reminded me of something profound: community isn’t just about celebration, it’s about showing up when things get tough.

Monday started warm and hopeful.

Tuesday felt magical as our cohort tried theatre for the first time on nervous laughter, brave attempts, and that rare spark when you create something new with friends.

By Wednesday, fever waves hit. A few sniffles turned serious. Thursday moved us online as more classmates fell sick. Even through screens, we kept learning especially during a sharp role-play with Gaurav mapping how Community, Implementation, Enabling, and Funding organizations work together.

But Friday changed everything. Friends went home sick. Some landed in the hospital. My roommate was diagnosed with typhoid, and suddenly our hostel room became a quiet space of care and worry. Watching him struggle while feeling scared myself was a new kind of helplessness.

Saturday felt surreal. From little Vadipatti to walking into Rashtrapati Bhavan’s President’s Office at 3:30 PM, just my ID and ticket in hand, it was like stepping into history. The grandeur of that place echoed against the fragile week we’d just lived, reminding me how precious care and order truly are.

Sunday brought reflection. More friends were still unwell, but small routines on checking in, boiling water, sharing meals kept us steady. We also began talking about what we’d learned and how to prepare better.

After dinner, panic set in. One of our friends suddenly felt faint with low blood pressure. We rushed to give her sugar water and ORS, but quickly realized we had no clear emergency plan and no organized way to respond. Questions flooded our minds: Who do we call? How do we help? What if it gets worse? In the end, we called a cab and got her to the hospital. She’s safe and doing well now.

What we learned the hard way:

Gratitude flows deeper when people are vulnerable

Clear communication is urgent, not optional

Small acts of care, sharing notes, checking temperatures, boiling water, matter enormously

We need systems before we need them

What we’re building now:
An Emergency Response Team with clear roles: Coordinator, Medical Runner, Supplies Lead, and Care & Comms. Simple contact sheets, illness logs, and hygiene protocols. Turning panic into a plan, and making it real with love.

The quiet truth: This week broke my heart and filled it at the same time. Seeing friends struggle was painful. But watching how quickly we mobilized, sharing medicines, coordinating meals, taking turns checking on each other, reminded me why I’m here.

We’re not just learning development management. We’re learning to develop each other.

Stay safe. Stay connected.

With love and steady hands,
Nami 🌊

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