Reflections & Stories

Smile Cap :)

I was thinking of recycling old magazines and make them into tablemats. I experimented and tried customizing it, cutting it into stripes and preparing the mats but it did not turn out to be the way I...

When Hearts Connected: A Few Days Ago, ...

When hearts connected: A few days ago, 19 volunteers from 6 different countries decided to travel to our sister organization 'LokNiketan' based in North Gujarat. With no expectations, but...

When Hearts Connected!

 Lok (n): The people Niketan (n): Abode Lok-Niketan: The abode of the people.   A few days ago, 19 volunteers from 6 different countries decided to travel to our sister organization...

Being With Raghubhai

Bela Shah from US shares her heartfelt volunteer experience with Raghu Bhai in Moved By love, Gandhi Ashram, Ahmedabad. “If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time.  But if you...

The Family Behind EKATVA

Ekatva has been such an organic journey. Each day for the past few years, a family of 7 Staff Members from Gandhi Ashram-based NGO, Manav Sadhna, have made the EKATVA pilgrimage a reality for our...

Muchos Gratitudos

I love my community. Being in contact with Manav Sadhna provides a richness to daily life that complements regular work in a perfect way. There is always something or other going on; a gathering...

Smile It Forward :)

Few days back we were tagged with a big basket of best quality sweets, at least 5 kgs of it. Everyone knows I love sweets and they bring a big smile on my face but co-incidentally this last week I...

A Special Wednesday

It’s that time of the new year, where we we’re blessed to host one of the most amazing guest speakers – Pavi Mehta. What a way to start the year, with ripples of love and acts of...

Service And Swagyan

Question: What do storytellers from South India, a professor from Stanford University and two renowned sages have in common? Answer: Beautiful insights into the role of service in...

Anandwan

Universal Bread- Alakhno Rotlo

A few months ago, a few close friends Jigneshuncle and Bina aunty, had the desire to serve food to our 500 kids at Aashramshala, Vinay Mandir(residential schools) and PTC college( teacher’s...

A Volunteer Shared This After Reading ...

A volunteer shared this after reading this week's ijourney reading:"I just couldn't stop myself from writing this message......I must admit I absolutely loved the "Why Do Social Work?" write up that...

All Things Small And Beautiful

It was inspiring to go through the photo gallery of a dear friend Chris who is currently serving in Kenya, after spending a year in a leper community in Ahmedabad. I saw little...

Anyone Can Be Gentle. Anyone Can Give Service. Anything

A day at the Houston Food Bank community kitchen! My special experience with Anand (my brother) over the holiday in loving memory of Ishwar Kaka. We worked for over three and a half...

Nikunj:The Bird Lover

We met Nikunj during one of our trainings. This young not so shy boy struggling to give an introduction was practicing for a presentation we had asked the students to make. During this preparation he...

"I Love Cleaning Cars"

“I love cleaning cars” At 2 in the afternoon – on a wednesday, while people in Ahmedabad are taking it easy, shops shut for the owners afternoon nap, my friends Neerad and Sheetal...

Sabras: Be A Ladder

During the weekend of New Year’s Eve, a group of people with diverse backgrounds, ages ranging from 8 months to 87 years, shared a magical weekend together.  Before piling into four cars,...

A Leap Of Faith At Seva Cafe.

Volunteering at a Gift-economy restaurant can be challenging at times. Initially when my wife Lahar and I decided to co-ordinate Seva Cafe, I immediately sat down to get a handle on the numbers. An...

When The Yatris Came To Sabarmati Ashram

We looked at each other in slight disbelief. Did they say ‘450 people’? A month ago, we received an email from Jagriti Yatra, a team that organizes a 15 day journey for budding social...

Conversations With Jayesh Bhai

“Don’t live in fear. If you are walking down a dark path guided by the light of a torch, you will not be able to see the end of the path. But if you just take the next step and let the...

Gratitude Walk

As a small way of remembering the passing of Ishwar Kaka, a few volunteers chose to walk from Sughad to Gandhi Ashram on 26th December. Along the way, our intention was to open our hearts...