We, Ashwin and Rohan Mittal, are two brothers, who were deeply moved by the Sneh Niketan School in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. We both had a goal in mind when coming from the United States to give back to an underprivileged local community but had no idea the impact we would have on this orphanage. Upon arrival at the school, we were quickly introduced to the school coordinator along with some of the children who were also developmentally delayed. The smiles they had on their faces were so heartfelt and genuine even when we hadn’t even provided them with anything yet.
They were so welcoming and polite and when we came back with food and chairs a few days later, their faces lit up with joy. We personally served them karahi paneer with puri and gave them chocolates at the end which they were very shy to accept at first. We both wanted to ensure to them that they could take as much as they would like without the worry of running out. After overcoming some hesitation, they were happy to take a few extra pieces to save for later and we quickly realized that this was a luxury that they normally do not have. Due to a low budget from private donations, these kids were only able to eat the basic rice and daal every day without the additional treats that the average child may get. They were extremely appreciative and thankful for us even though they were mentally challenged and we felt immediate gratification to be able to provide this for them.
To our surprise, the children even sang multiple songs for us after they had eaten to show us their appreciation. They practice these songs every week and we had no idea how talented they were given that some were blind, autistic, and even physically disabled. Despite all the challenges these orphaned children faced, they were still able to adapt and appreciate the things that they do have rather than yearning for the things they don’t have. They all emphatically screamed “Thank You!” in unison as were leaving and we couldn’t have felt more elated. We hope to conduct more events and donations like this in the future even when we go back to our home in the United States and urge others to do so as well. Something as small as this can go a long way and any donation at all is appreciated by the school and children.