The Earth Saviours Foundation : "Ayurda" Old Age Home

 Old Age Home called Gurukul. This old age home is located in the Bandhwari Village close to our school. It is an NGO that looks after homeless, abandoned senior citizens. The old age home is a part of the Earth Saviours Foundation which was founded by Mr. Ravi Kalra in 2008. This home runs under the aegis of HelpAge India. Mr. Kalra is a well-known Karma Yogi, social activist and environmentalist. The foundation is dedicated to serve less privileged people and making efforts to protect the social environment.

During our visit, we came across senior citizens that were abandoned by their own families and were thrown out of their homes. The disabled people at the old age home are in critical conditions. Most of them are bed-ridden, handicapped, HIV infected, on death beds or some even have maggots on their bodies.

Mr. Ravi Kalra shared a number of stories about the senior citizens permanently living there; they once brought a man to the home, he had an injured backbone. They treated him and gave him shelter, food and clothes. Later, they found out that he was the father of the richest NRI in London, United Kingdom. Yet, he is still residing in the old age home. There were many other stories similar to this. Sympathy filled our hearts. The elderly residents there seemed very happy to see us.

 The smiles on their faces after seeing us melted our hearts. Many people from the foundation itself sang a number of songs for us, as well as the senior residents. All of us carried a juice box, a packet of namkeen and glucose biscuits for the senior citizens. We shared the packets with the workers of the foundation.

The visit had a great impact on all of us and we came back with a heavy heart and with greater sensitivity towards the elderly in our own homes.