Mousumi Barma
Assistant Associate Service Officer at Herbalife Nutrition India
As a kid, you don’t think too much about your purpose in life: you are too busy learning, making friends, playing and discovering the world. However, as I learned first hand, it is childhood experiences that shape you into the adult you will become.
I was born in Kolkata, India, in 1994. My mother, a very wise and loving woman, did not want the lack of resources to be an obstacle to my development, so she took me to S.O.S Children’s Village, a Casa Herbalife. Casa Herbalife is a program developed by the Herbalife Nutrition Foundation (HNF) that supports orphanages, hospitals, schools, and organizations in more than 50 countries and serves nearly 100,000 children every year, providing the nourishment, care, and education kids need to thrive today and spread their wings tomorrow.
I bloomed in Casa Herbalife. I was taken care of by incredibly committed people who inspired me to focus on my education and interests –I even won a music contest!– while ensuring I had access to good, healthy nutrition. That was essential since chronic undernutrition in early life is linked to reduced schooling, poorer cognitive skills, lower earnings and a higher likelihood of living in poverty.
Above all, I learned about the importance of giving back to the community. I had experienced myself how much of a difference can be made by those who work to improve other people’s lives and I wanted to do the same myself. In 2016, an Herbalife Nutrition team did a volunteer visit to the Casa Herbalife I was in. I prepared a speech to welcome them and strived to make an impression. I did: they recommended me for a position in the Company. Two months later, I started my first job.
I would say this is a dream come true, but that would not be fully accurate. This is the outcome of hard work, education and being purpose-driven. Getting a job in a company that helps people allows me to improve lives every day and to leave a mark in this world. I cherish this opportunity and work to live up to it.
As of today, I combine my work with volunteering at the S.O.S Children’s Village. I enjoy lending a hand and visiting the kids there. I want to let them know that anything is possible and to encourage them to follow their dreams because every child has endless possibilities.
