December 2024

Activity for December 2024: Showering love and compassion with LGBTQ+ community

We are in the 21st century and its time for us to make collective efforts to make the people of the LGBTQ+ community feel empowered, protected, accepted and loved. We as Neo-humanists can bring a major change in the lives of this small yet significant community by our simple and thoughtful approach.

The Humsafar Trust (HST), India's first Community-Based Organisation for LGBTQ+ people, was founded in 1994 by a small group of three self-identified gay men in Mumbai. They have been working on LGBTQ+ health and their well-being for more than 30 years.

They welcomed us with a traditional tikka with a floral aarti plate.

The Sensitisation Program conducted specially for POB members touched deep in our hearts.

Our activity this month- Dance Competition was an attempt for them to dance to their heart's content and enjoy the evening specially crafted out for them. The people who otherwise have a poor level of acceptance felt at home here and were thrilled with the dance competition and the prizes and snacks. Mr. Vivek Patil, who helped the smooth organisation of the event, performed a dance displaying the agony of the farmers. A part of this performance was on iron nails, which brought tears to many eyes. All the performances were exceptional and the judges had a tough time deciding the winners. We at PoB gifted them a speaker for their use for various events.

The program ended with prizes for the winners and all the performers along with wonderful snacks from Merwans and special Khakras. They were touched with our hospitality and thanked us for spending the evening with them.

What an amazing event it was... teaching us equality, acceptance and to be compassionate 🤝

November 2024

Activity for November 2024: Music therapy for Khushiyon Ki Paatshala at Ramabai Colony

Amidst Ramabai Colony, next to Durga mata temple, is a community learning centre with the name- "Khushiyon Ki Paatshala". Kids aged 3 to 14 years of the nearby slums assemble here for their after school activities where they learn multiple skills along with their educational curriculum.

Research proves that music can stimulate new connections in our brains and can keep our cognitive abilities sharp and memories alive. It can provide an all-round development of the children. Keeping this in mind, Path of Bliss Society donated some musical instruments like Casio keyboard, clap boxes, guitars, and flutes. This centre received the Casio.

The kids played several games and won plenty of prizes. They went back home with food packets, juice, chocolates and plenty of wonderful memories...

We spent some memorable time together 🤝

October 2024

Activity for October 2024- Empowering girls to attend school/college through cycle donation, Hanuman nagar, Boisar

Hanuman nagar- a small adivasi village in Boisar is home to around 150 families. There is no high school here and the kids have to travel 3.5 to 4.5 km every day to attend their school/college. Their strong determination to learn overpowers the several odds of scorching sun, heavy rains, and long walking distances usually returning after dusk.

At PoB, this month, we donated cycles to 13 deserving students. We assembled at the Bajiprabhu Abhyasika, had a brief discussion with the students and their mothers followed by puja of the cycles. The kids were super thrilled and couldn't wait to get the cycles. They have promised for proper utilisation of the time saved for their well-being and academic progress. The happiness was evident. The smiles on their faces and the spark in their eyes spoke volumes.

We also visited the women empowerment centre at Patilpada. They run tailoring classes, have a library and also make food items for sale.

Thank you to all our members 🙏🏽

September 2024

Additional activity for September 2024- Torch distribution to students in villages in Palghar district

Students here have to travel long distances on unpaved dirt roads to attend their classes at the community teaching centres. Their classes get over after sunset. There are no street lights adding to the misery. This has resulted in increased absenteeism.

At PoB, we are happy to light the path for these students by distributing sleek, rechargeable, environmentally friendly torches.

We are carrying out this torch distribution activity in a phase wise manner at different centres in Palghar district. Distribution has started with Tanaji abhyasika running in a very remote hamlet- Medhi Pada of Vanai village in Dahanu.

Some glimpses of this activity at this abhyasika 👇🏽

Students were very glad to have the torches and we can see that from the spark in their eyes... Don't miss those beautiful heart-melting smiles 😊

Heartfelt gratitude to our member Ambarish for his genuine support 🙏