Anganwadi Inauguration

Today was the inauguration of the Bholu 10 Anganwadi (pre-school) - the one that I went to go help out with construction at last week. The building looks amazing. By the time I got there (5 minutes early) the place was packed with cute little kids dressed in their best clothes (one kid even walked in with the tag still on his shirt!), parents, and Manav Sadhna staff alike. The kids were all lined up nicely and cramped together. The teachers had them sing some songs, a little girl did a dance...it was lots of fun to see them all excited!

Then we heard some speeches - one from a Chunilalbhai, who apparently is a really amazing guy and still working hard following Gandhi's teachings at 94! He gave a nice speech about how the work we are all doing is so important and that we need to recognize that these people that live here in the slums have moved here from villages hoping for a better life, and that it is our efforts that will one day make the dream of there no longer being slums a reality.

Then we all lit some candles, did a prayer...Jayeshbhai, Anarben, and Virenbhai gave a speech about how much hard work the volunteers did, working literally day and night, without regard to food or really anything else. They then said the did not know how to say thank you to all of these volunteers who literally left their lives and homes behind and toiled selflessly for families and kids they had no connection with, no reason to help. So they decided the best thanks they could give is to wholeheartedly bow down to us. So right there, all three of them got on their knees and bowed down in front of all of us. I was speechless. And for those of you who know me you can expect that the waterworks were in process. It was such a selfless, simple, yet profoundly meaningful gesture for these people who themselves have sacrificed so much to help these people bowing down to us for our dedication, which compared to theirs is nothing. I have no words to describe that moment, except to say that it will stay with me forever.

After that everyone had chocolates and then did garba in the street. It was fun to see the little kids having a blast and walking through the slum and seeing the happiness on everyone's faces. There are some pictures from the day here :)