"Life Just Got Better" @ NGO Sneha Sadan

It is not often that we step beyond our day jobs to get a sneak peak into the lives of others lesser privileged than us, but occasionally when we do so, it just opens our eyes to possibilities beyond our normal selves. This is what happened to most us when we visited the NGO Sneha Sadan at Jogeshwari on 8^th of June 2017.

Within a 2 km drive from Arena Spaces HO, the coconut palms-canopied structure had its entrance camouflaged by a drain, but once inside, the greenery & alfresco environs of the place spoke to the urbane eyes of the Mumbaikar in us like most offsite locations do.

Carrying our cartons of provisions & goodies for the boys at the orphanage, as we settled down on the verandah & benches, the motley bunch of boys started trickling in from various quarters. Within a few minutes, we had an entire assembly of curious eyes peeking at us checking for our purpose in their sojourn.

Our introductions were mere formal presentations at the start, but their introductions went beyond their schooling & education to interests & activities with evidence of the same in the varied trophies & rewards that hung from their walls and were laid out on their cabinets.

Our proceedings began with some dancing & basic games followed by activities like newspaper wrap game that went beyond mental connected-ness to physical proximity that only helped break barriers further. It wasn’t just time for us to bond with them but also a time for them to bond among themselves.

Whilst one of the boys played the role of the DJ for the evening, the rest played musical chairs as well as danced to the beats once they were out of the game. ‘Fire in the jungle’ followed by locating special items like 5-rupee coins & leather belts from within the assembled audience were the other games that were enjoyed with ardent fervor.

The fun-filled 3-hour activity came to an end with distribution of some refreshments and J&J goody bags to the boys. They were more than energized with ORSL & were excited to keep their ‘active’ high going with the new Johnsons Active Kids shampoo.

As we bid farewell to the boys, a glimpse of the quote on the T-shirt of one of the boys caught my eyes – “Life just got better” it said, made me wonder how ungrateful we are for our day-to-day blessings and how just a bit of empathy can throw up a mirror to our true selves for our own selves. 

God Bless!