A good exercise for the heart is bending down and helping someone to get up.

Ashram is also known as an 'orphanage' which houses unfortunate children/aged people who have either lost their dear ones or their families cannot afford them. The ashram, in such cases, is like a family for them. People belonging to all age groups stay here and are taken care of. They are provided basic facilities and education. They are often taught several simple vocational skills like sewing, knitting, cooking, gardening, pottery etc which will enable the younger ones to gain employment in later parts of their life. They live like one huge family and are very welcoming!

On visiting an orphanage, children can benefit a lot. You can either teach several new skills to those in the ashram, like singing, dancing, and reading or you can organize plays, puppet shows, dances and entertain the ashram people or can help them in several workshops like those for drawing and painting. You can also read from books or spread awareness about several social issues among them. You can have a one-to-one talk with the unfortunate ones and help them share their own problems. As children, you can merge well with other children and play games like you do back home with friends! The aged people will also share a good equation with you as they see their own grandchildren in you. Apart from teaching, you can also learn several skills which the ashram people are trained in. You can purchase souvenirs and fund the working of the ashram. You can donate some of your own story books, crayons, bags, clothes, grocery, biscuits etc voluntarily. Once you go there, you would never want to leave!

Every smile on the face of each child will bring a tear to your eye.after all; they don't get reasons to smile everyday! So, let us make them smile today!