One of the things that we have wanted to do through this venture is create an opportunity where we can work with some of the start ups we write about to contribute to the society, in our own small way. We are happy to share with you, our first such event which was held in Asha Niketan, on 9-Jan-2015.
Asha Niketan: Home of Hope, and true to its name, this place exuberates hope right from the moment you step in. Located at No.7 20th Main 6th Block Koramangala, Bangalore, Asha Niketan is a home for differently abled people where they are able to develop their skills and share the gifts with society. Asha Niketan creates a home for 15 people with intellectual disabilities along with assistants and other members. There are five such communities in India and all are a part of the Federation of L’Arche International.
Mr. Paul Joseph, present community leader of Bangalore, who has been with this organization for more than 26 years, was kind enough to show us around the whole place. As we walked through the facility we felt the same warmth that one receives when you enter someone’s home and they show you around their place. The assistants at Asha Niketan make sure that each day is broken down to a set of activities thereby creating daily routine to look forward to. A typical day in Asha Niketan begins with prayers and meditation, followed by workshops which include activities such as candle making, bamboo craft, paper bag making, embroidery works, weaving etc. These workshops are distributed between tea and lunch breaks. Not only do these workshops help to create a positive ambience of work, the sales of the respective items also contribute to meet some of the needs at Asha Niketan. Every Friday is pay day when the members at Asha Niketan receive a small amount for their hard work. As one of the members of this family stated “You work money. No work no money.”
You can contribute to this organization through donations or volunteering your time. Do visit http://larchefmrindia.org to know more.
We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to Butter Side up for providing us with individual gift boxes for all the members at Asha Niketan. Each gift box was packed with two cup cakes and chocolates, which was ideal since we reached Asha Niketan around their tea time. The smiles on their faces was worth the wait they had to endure as the boxes were being handed over to them.
We hope to conduct more such events in the future. We hope you will be a part of these initiatives.
