Ubuntu

Let’s start our blog with the Story of Ubuntu “An anthropologist studying the habits and customs of an African tribe found himself surrounded by children most days. So he decided to play a little game with them. He managed to get candy from the nearest town and put it all in a decorated basket at the foot of a tree.

Then he called the children and suggested they play the game. When the anthropologist said “now”, the children had to run to the tree and the first one to get there could have all the candy to him/herself.

So the children all lined up waiting for the signal. When the anthropologist said “now”, all of the children took each other by the hand and ran together towards the tree. They all arrived at the same time divided up the candy, sat down and began to happily munch away.

The anthropologist went over to them and asked why they had all run together when any one of them could have had the candy all to themselves.

The children responded: “Ubuntu. How could any one of us be happy if all the others were sad?”

Ubuntu is a philosophy of some African tribes that can be summed up as “I am what I am because of who we all are.”

Ubuntu

As the story of Ubuntu resonated with us, we felt compelled to give back to humanity. Thus began our mission.

It started with a simple idea: collecting funds and donating to charity. Our team eagerly collected donations, thanks to the generosity of supporters. What began as a journey evolved into a quest for happiness.

We've discovered that serving others is a powerful way to find life's purpose. Our pursuit led us to an orphanage that cares for mentally challenged children. Upon contacting the warden, we learned that the orphanage lacked proper sanitary products. We used the collected funds to purchase essential groceries (phenyls, broom and mop sticks, detergents, soaps, etc.) and sports equipment (football and basketball). After buying these items, some funds remained.

With the remaining funds, we decided to treat the children to snacks. We purchased biscuits and cool drinks from a distributor store. What touched our hearts was the shop owner's generosity - he donated two boxes of chocolates to the orphanage. We felt elated, thinking that people like him are the reason humanity still thrives.

Items bought from donations

We then took an auto-rickshaw to visit the PASS MANOVIKAS orphanage. After navigating through the streets, we finally arrived. As we entered the gates, we were warmly greeted by a group of excited children. Despite likely receiving many visitors, their enthusiasm remained infectious. The warden welcomed us personally, praising our donation and commending SVU Engineering College. We were surprised to learn that our college's Spoorthy Camp had been consistently donating medicines every month for seven years without fail. The warden presented us with a heartfelt thank-you letter from the orphanage.

As we handed over the groceries to the staff, we distributed snacks to the children. Their faces lit up with joy as they savoured the chocolates. We organized a lively football game, abandoning rules and playing with our hands. After the children tired themselves out, we hosted a cultural program, and they mesmerized us with their dance performances.

The children's enthusiasm was infectious, and they coaxed us into dancing alongside them. Though we weren't skilled dancers, we gave it our all. As I watched the kids dance to Telugu tunes, I had an epiphany: I had long questioned God for burdening these children, but their sparkling eyes proved me wrong. Every soul was exquisite, and their eyes shone with happiness .These children didn't need our pity; they simply needed our support. We were grateful to have helped these wonderful souls. The dancing continued for 15 minutes, after which we sat together, communicating without language. Our souls spoke, transcending words, and we experienced a profound connection.

These children, often overlooked, are mentally challenged but not mentally distressed like many of us. In fact, I believe their presence in our society is a blessing. They're not cursed, but gifted. Their innocence is the purest thing one can witness, embodying the notion that "children are equivalent to God." These remarkable individuals are living proof of this concept, shining like stars on earth, They are literally "Taare Zameen Par". As it was time to leave, we bid a fond farewell to the vibrant children, who waved their ‘tatas’ enthusiastically as we departed. As we walked out the door, we carried with us a sense of hope that our humble efforts would have a positive impact.

I urge everyone reading this blog to support our future endeavours and help these individuals in any way possible – be it through donations, groceries, books, or daily necessities. Put yourself in their shoes and remember that they deserve a life filled with dignity, which can only be achieved with our collective support.

Whenever you think of these remarkable people, recall the spirit of Ubuntu: "I am what I am because of who we all are."