They call retirement the golden era—a time to kick back, play a leisurely round of golf (or at least pretend you enjoy it), sip tea like royalty, and master the noble art of the mid-afternoon nap. And why not? It’s a well-earned reward after decades of serving bosses, clients, and spreadsheets; often at the expense of personal time, mental peace, and the occasional domestic truce.
Ask any retired executive, and they’ll tell you that nothing screamed “good times” like a 2 a.m. call from an overseas client who thought time zones were a social construct. Sleep? That was a mythical concept.
These veterans of the corporate jungle when they eventually hung up their suits and bid farewell to boardrooms, buzzwords, and Bluetooth headsets felt a sense of déjà vu. But instead of fading into yoga classes, gardening, or meaningful conversations with squirrels, their retirement took a refreshingly rogue turn.
In between sipping whiskey instead of tea and napping only between Netflix episodes, an idea began to take shape. A purpose. A reason to get up before noon: giving back. But how?
It started with a simple question: What if retired professionals adopted government schools and colleges—not just as donors, but as mentors, guides, and sometimes, accidental substitute teachers?
They saw the gaps—oh, there were plenty. Leaky roofs. Missing toilets. Underpaid teachers who doubled as PE coaches. And bright, ambitious children who could outshine a stadium floodlight—if only someone noticed.
Using the goodwill they’d earned in their corporate years, securing donations wasn’t difficult. But more importantly, they offered something money couldn’t buy: time, wisdom, and decades of lived experience in everything from engineering and education to HR and healthcare.
And thus, the Senior Citizens Bangalore initiative was born. Their rallying cry? “I’m not just retired. I’m re-fired—with purpose.”
But as word spread, the name began to get misinterpreted. The mission of education was getting lost in translation—often misunderstood as a welfare program for the elderly. That’s when a brainstorming session of brilliant minds birthed a new identity:
SFC – Seniors For Change.
A name that truly reflected their spirit and mission.
With fresh clarity, the movement gained momentum. More members joined and more schools were adopted in the city and its outskirts. Retired scientists, doctors, bankers, professors and managers became everyday champions of education. The results spoke volumes. Attendance improved. Parents began trusting the system. Some students went on to win scholarships.
These retirees didn’t ride in on white horses—but they did arrive in golf hats, with purpose in their stride and fire in their hearts, because they believed that true service doesn’t end with a paycheck. It begins with empathy.
As the educator and writer Parker J. Palmer once said:
“As I teach, I project the condition of my soul onto my students, my subject, and our way of being together”.
And in showing up for the next generation, these silver-haired champions didn’t just change the lives of children—they rediscovered the meaning in their own.