Thinking to Volunteer in India? Manav Sadhna is a NGO where you may volunteer for a few days or for months. They were established in 1995 based out of Mahatma Gandhi’s Ashram in Ahmedabad, the state of Gujarat, India. Manav Sadhna serves more than 8000 children and women through more than 35 projects who serve the underprivileged people in their community. There is no cost to volunteer, just your time and dedication.
Volunteer in India
“At Manav Sadhna, we navigate with the philosophy of love all, serve all. By seeing God in every individual (Manav), mere service is transformed into worship (Sadhna). To this end, Manav Sadhna is engaged in constructive humanitarian projects that cut across barriers of class and religion while addressing issues faced by socio-economically neglected segments of society. In executing this mission, Manav Sadhna is guided by Mahatma Gandhi’s unshakable beliefs in love, peace, truth, non-violence and compassion.”
There are more than half a dozen Slum Communities throughout Ahmedabad that the NGO serves. In addition, they serve anyone needing help including a Leprosy community referred to as the “Loving Community” and also a Blind School 45 minutes outside of the city.
Inside the slum communities, they have, with the help and willingness of the people, built:
- Community Centers
- Pre – high schools (Angawadi projects by TAP)
- Meditation/Safe spaces
- Women Center
- Recycling Centers for women who pick rags in the middle of night
All in effort to promote self-sustainability through Education & Sanitation. There are various needs where you could allocate your time, as every skill-set (music, art, sports, language, photography, technology, health, etc) could be of tremendous help in some way.
Through Manav Sadhna, several non-profits have formed and been affiliated which you could also participate your time:
Earn & Learn – an after school program for street children to have the opportunity to learn Arts & Crafts while making money to help their family. The greeting cards & crafts are then sold in retail stores.
Empty Hands Music – started by Nimo Patel, a musician originally from LA, a program that teaches children music & dance. Read their article.
Mission: “To spread seeds of goodness in the world through selfless service, music, and love. All of Empty Hands Music’s offerings are gifts to the world. Empty Hands is a 501c3 US-based Non-Profit, 100% Gift offering with an intention to spread seeds of goodness through its music, events & sharings all across the world, as well as through its grassroots, arts-based service work from the Gandhi Ashram, for underprivileged children in the slums of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.”