Many of them live in slums themselves, but have dedicated their lives to service. They always say they have no interest in making money. Just in being happy and spreading their love to anyone and everyone. They teach lessons of values, kindness, wholehearted service as well as those of hygeine, health, cleanliness, and diligent studying to children every day. They patiently repeat these lessons multiple times a day, never getting bored or tired of their work. They are the purest of the pure.
Jayeshbhai, a co-founder of Manav Sadhna. He moved to London for a little while, but could not stand to be away from doing seva in India, so he moved back and is active in MS projects every day.
Jigneshbhai and Kiran
Me and Meena. Meena works in the Manav Sadhna kitchen, cooking food for us volunteers and staff (and any visitors) as well as the kids, Monday through Saturday.
Me and Pinaldidi. Pinaldidi works in the MS office when she is not attending classes to become a flight attendant.
Kiran is working on graduating 11th standard (grade), but comes to MS after school to help out.
Barotbhai and Kaushikbhai. Barotbhai himself has only gotten an education up until 9th grade, but wants other kids to get chances that he did not get as a child and further their education. He has a family now. Kaushikbhai drives one of the MS vans, usually for Neetabehn, who visits 3-4 of the 66 Anganwadis every day.
Jagatbhai has one of the most calming presences I have experienced. The children all look up to him and always listen when he is speaking.
Virinbhai, another co-founder of MS. His wife and children live in America, and he spends 6 months with them and 6 months with the MS family every year.
Pinaldidi, Ajaybhai, and Shirishbhai
Me and Neetabehn. Neetabehn is an Anganwadi supervisor, and takes care of the proper functioning of each of the 66 Anganwadis. She visits a few every day. Her duties also include doing extensive paperwork to send to the government, since the Anganwadi project is the only project that also gets government funding.
Ajaybhai, Kaushikbhai, and Barotbhai
Ajaybhai, Kaushikbhai, and Barotbhai
Kaushikbhai and Barotbhai
Ajaybhai, Kaushikbhai, and Barotbhai
Ajaybhai works on the health and hygiene projects a lot, because he worked in the pharmacy in the Tekra slum as a child and has experience with medicines. He is working on getting a Master's degree in Economics now. He was a volunteer at MS for 4 years, and now has been a staff member for 3.
Bhavnabehn, Ajaybhai, and Jigneshbhai
Bhavnabehn works in the kitchen and supervises Meena.
Rakeshbhai works with the Card Project children.
They borrowed my camera to take some pictures for an Anganwadi program. When I got it back, these pictures were on it as well...
Vijaybhai works in the Mahatma Gandhi computer center at Manav Sadhna. At MS, they offer computer classes that cost 1000 Rs. for 100 Rs.
Vijaybhai
Maheshbhai
Vijaybhai
Jigneshbhai also works in the computer center.
Vijaybhai and Jigneshbhai (as well as Ajaybhai) are very proud of their Ultimate Frisbee championship.
Vijaybhai
Bhavnabehn and Meena in the kitchen
Me and Catalina (also a volunteer), Shirishbhai in the background
Catalina is a volunteer from Houston, Texas. She was at MS for a year--she took off a year between high school and college.
Barotbhai
Bhavnabehn, Shirishbhai, Kaushikbhai, and Ajaybhai
Me and Neetabehn
Maheshbhai, Barotbhai, Vijaybhai
Bhavnabehn, me, Kaushikbhai, Ajaybhai
Yogeshbhai, Jigneshbhai, Jagatbhai
Yogeshbhai is the Card Project supervisor--he comes up with the designs and patterns for cards that the children copy.
No comments:
Post a Comment