Giving Back

So staying local wasn't all about fancy meals, nights out and new experiences in the Apollo Hospital. We also wanted to do something for the community. Google Hyderabad has a program called Goal, where every weekend you can volunteer at one of three charities. We chose the orphanage--Divya Disha. About 70 girls living in a tiny house, with 20 or so beds, a small locker room for 'closets' and a big open tented space outside.


First impressions, wow--cute girls, all walk up to you and shake your hand and say hello madame. Big smiles, big eyes. No english. When we arrived the other googlers hadn't so here are a bunch of white kids (we roll deep to giving back too) ready to play and teach, but have no idea where to start or how to communicate with girls who have probably only seen a few other white people in their lives. I of course pull out my camera as they reach to shake hands with the others. This draws attention, a lot of it. When I bend down to show them their pictures on the back of my camera I get swarmed, literally, fall down. They love it. 'Photo madame? one more photo? single photo?' I put away the camera for the time being bc it was distracting.



We decided to start in true Google fashion: with our names. Biiig circle, around we go, most of them got it, the little ones had to be egged on. Then, thank goodness I have a one year old nephew, we decided it would be good to sing Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes--teach them a little English, this was enjoyable, for 3 minutes....

It went on, we played clapping games, red light green light, Alon even had them dancing the hora--that was the best.



Leaving was sad. What can we do for these girls, what will happen to them when they are too old to live in the orphanage? Are they getting the education they need to live on their own in Hyderabad with jobs, or will they end up on the street knocking on the windows of cars waiting in traffic? It broke our hearts to leave. We want to send our pictures, sell them for donations, something. But that's just 70 girls, what about all the other orphanages? Every little bit helps I guess, and if we can brighten one of their days by coming to play, well, we did something. And know they know the parts of their face in english.