Merry Xmas

For past couple of months, some of us from Magma CSR (corporate social responsibility) team have been making a weekly trip (every Friday) to the HAL Aanganwadi. For those who don't know, it is an Akshara (a non-profit organization) supported attempt to provide education to small kids. The kids are mostly in the age group of 2-6 years. Almost all of them belong to poor families, and who but for this commendable effort of Akshara may have been toddling around their homes painting their futures in some dull colorless way.

Dec 20, 2007

It is a small room close to HAL in a clumsy housing community, which you would never notice otherwise. But open the door and you are greeted with a loud cheer and applause from the bunch of kids. Though less in number today (because we reached a little late), the excitement in them is the same as ever. This was not our first visit, but it was different, because it was going to be Christmas celebrations today. On the way to the Aanganwadi, we had managed to blow some balloons for the kids, and it had been more than worth the effort. Within minutes, we were playing with the kids and the whole room was full of balloons.

The celebrations went on for sometime (and they would have gone on forever had we not made them sit down), after which we distributed the cake and juice we had brought for the kids. Just to mention, the way Magma has been trying to contribute for this Aanganwadi is by adhering to a nutrition program, in which we try to make sure that the kids get good food at least once a week. On our weekly visits we usually take some fruits for the kids, but for Christmas we had changed the menu.

After having done with the lunch, we distributed some jackets we had brought for the kids. With the winters in bangalore, we had decided that this would perhaps be the best gift for the kids. Special thanks to Aashika, Kartikay and Gowda Sir (the guard) for going all the way till Majestic to get the stuff. The kids merrily wore the jackets, and hopped around in the colorful blues, greens and reds, showing them off to us time and again.

It was more than two hours since we had come, but the time had flied past just like that. It was time now for us to return back, and it was again the same chorus of "byes" and "Merry Christmas" from the kids waving their hands that greeted us on our way out. Perhaps none of us or the kids were a Christian, but for those two hours, I am sure we all felt close to Jesus or God or whoever we have faith in.