My journey of Hope, the journey called Aashayein :)

I had been thinking to pen down my experience with AID Aashayein. But there is always too much to write and I don’t want to a miss even a single part of it.

I still remember the day in March when I visited Aashayein for the first time. I was surprised as well as a little shocked. I expected a big classroom, 20-30 kids sitting obediently where I would be required to teach them. What I found was 20-30 kids playing in a MCD Godown. They were all excited to see me, asking my name, a little surprised when I told them I was a doctor but holding my hand throughout that 1 hour.

When I went there next, they all remembered my name and that was touching. And over a period of 1 month, I started looking forward to spending my Sundays with them. And as they say the more we get the more we want.

We thought of getting a classroom for kids. So after much running around we finally got a room in the MCD godown. All the kids were really enthusiastic along with the volunteers. We got fans, light, paint for the room. We had quite an argument over the colour of the paint but we finally decided Green. Why? Because we at Aashayein are “Ecofriendly”.

Studying at weekends can be pretty boring and thus came the idea of starting Dance and Art classes. Everyone was enthralled by the idea and I felt really proud when our kids performed at “Dance Aroma" in front of 700 people. They were as good as any other performers even when they had very little time to rehearse. And how can I miss the Dental Camp, Art Attack and Independence Day celebrations.

Since then we haven’t looked back. Every weekend brings in more joy and fun. There is no "them" now, there is only "us"

Aashayein has given me new friends, hope, aim, sense of achievement. Those kids love me as much as I love them. It makes my day hearing their chitchat, complains, stories and their laugh.

Even we volunteers have become such great friends over the time that we look forward to spending our weekends together and even some of the weekdays. Lunches, meetings at Nirulas, University Drive, silly jokes on which we just can't stop laughing.

But the best part is no matter where life takes me, I will always be a part of AID as its a part of me. Nothing in my life ever gave me so much happiness and satisfaction. When I will be an 80 yrs old "girl" I would still smile and feel the same excitement I feel now when I speak about Aashayein

I guess I can just go and on when it comes to Aashayein so I would like to conclude by quoting some lines from the song Aashayein,

"teri woh raftaar ho
roke se bhi tu na ruke
haasil kar aaisa shikhar
parbat ki bhi nazrein uthe
aashaayen khile dil ki
ummeedein hase dil ki
ab mushkil nahi kuch bhi
nahi kuch bhi".