Happiness is a funny thing. For many, it’s a moving target that changes once we get what we once thought would make us happy. Which begs the question – What is true happiness? At Ekam, we feel that happiness is a state of being. Being happy means being content, content in our relationship with ourselves.
From our experience, true happiness lies in giving it to others. The satisfaction of giving someone joy or changing a life is unlike any other.
On 4 October 2022, EKAM Foundation witnessed a Joy of Giving event named Hingoli & Parbhani Health Camp hosted by District Hospital Parbhani in collaboration with Balaji Children’s Hospital Mumbai. The screening was conducted for children who lived in less privileged areas without access to medical care.
We also noticed that most families were from impoverished rural and tribal areas of Maharashtra, typically drought-prone areas, and were primarily subsistence farmers. Most of these families worked as laborers on other people’s farms and were not even farm owners.
Balaji Children’s Hospital in Mumbai is a charitable hospital and has been doing a remarkable job by providing subsidized surgery to a large population every year. They also help in providing accommodation and food to families whose homes are in remote areas to receive treatment.
In this camp, Balaji Children’s Hospital’s Dr. Bhushan screened the children at the rural camp completely free of charge. Children who were at the camp were also more likely to suffer from malnutrition. Among the 200 children screened, 50 were identified as having Congenital Heart Defects, and Ekam decided to support their surgeries. By undergoing these corrective heart surgeries or closures with the help of devices, these children can be rehabilitated and can go on to lead healthier lives.
As part of our Joy of Giving Week, we celebrated our event with these children at the hospital. At first, the children were terrified of the hospital environment. So to cheer them up and divert their minds from the injections and various medical procedures, we took some gifts and refreshments for them. They were happy to see drawing books and colors. Many of them made some drawings and promised to send them to their new Ekam Friends.
Despite not being able to afford medical treatment, these children have the right to live healthier lives like the rest of us. With your help, we continue to strive to provide underprivileged children with medical and educational support. The EKAM Foundation is honored to witness such events and to be able to help those children live better and happier lives.
“The simplest acts of kindness are by far more powerful than a thousand heads bowing in prayer” – Mahatma Gandhi.
