On 22nd December, I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Sandesh, a community that empowers differently abled individuals. I planned to conduct both H2P2 (an initiative that aims to use old non stick pans, train underprivileged kids/adults to paint them and thereby convert them into beautiful home decor items, and finally send the net proceeds from the sale of these pans to the NGO I worked with) and MPower Yourself (another initiative which provides financial literacy and financial independence to women as a key step towards empowering themselves) at Sandesh with the members and the staff respectively.
Spending about 3 hours there, I loved every minute – from their very enthusiastic welcoming and introduction, to touring the entire building and set up, to meeting each of them as they entered the room where we were supposed to paint. As I walked from the gate into their campus and through the red corridor, I noticed the gorgeous Christmas decorations and the beautiful artwork on the walls everywhere. Sandesh provides vocational training, day-care services, sheltered employment, amongst many others. On meeting the members there, it put a smile on my face, but also broke my heart deep down. What I felt when I was there is just a part of what they and their families go through every single day unfortunately. Sandesh creates a separate community of support for all of them and that’s what I love about it. As I distributed the pans, paints and brushes, I could feel the buzz of excitement in the room. The painting took place in 2 groups, which made it easier for me to give everyone equal attention. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole process of working with them and hopefully helping them learn something new. I’m filled with joy and deep respect for not only Sandesh, but also the members as they power through life.
The MPower Yourself session with the Sandesh staff was equally interactive as everyone was participating, discussing and asking questions. Their questions were thought provoking, which allowed me to learn and explore new things as I embark on my journey with MPower. After both the sessions, I came back home with a smile, energised and excited for visiting Sandesh once again!
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