The mission of Namaste for Compassion is to teach yoga and mindfulness as mental health tools to alleviate trauma in our community.
Nayantara, Founder of NFC
As a young girl, my family moved to the United States from India. I returned, for the first time, when I was 17. It was like entering a whole new world. I experienced my surroundings differently than I did as a child. I saw the beauty of India, yet at every turn, there were impoverished children, so called the Street Children of India. Those of you who have been to India know the sight. It's gut wrenching and you feel completely helpless, struggling to imagine how innocent children ended up there in the first place. The details are varied and all equally devastating. Some of the children have been abducted and are forced to beg for their captors, some are on the streets begging at the instruction of their own parents, others have run away from abusive situations. Many have been purposely mutilated, so that they are looked upon with sympathy and can earn more money for their captors. There are children carrying babies and taking care of them as if they were their own. They are of all ages and come from every corner of India.
Street Children sleeping on the streets of Mumbai with some of their mothers, just a few streets down from my Mother and Father in Law's home.
My husband still has family in India; we try to return every year to see them. Our conscience weighed on us each time we went back. I’d see the Street Children, and I’d think "we need to do something," but each year I would return home, overwhelmed by the task at hand, having done nothing, letting everyday living subdue my personal accountability, as is common in situations like this. My heart ached for these children, but my mind told me I couldn't make a dent. My fear of not knowing how to help or where to start held me back. This year my husband and I decided that there would be no more excuses. The catalyst for us was watching the movie Lion. It left a heaviness in our hearts that we’d never felt before. The intensity overwhelmed us to the degree that we had to act. We felt compelled, empowered.
Our new hope prompted us to start a group in our local community, Namaste for Compassion. Our mission is to continue to partner with our local community and organizations who share our vision. We empower and support Street Children in India, and those in need locally, inspiring compassion in all who are touched with this purpose. Our group started our search to find a small organization which we could help; an organization which works to offer hope and change for the Street Children in India. Our search led us to Bal Pushpa Home in Mumbai, India.
Sr. Dharma Rodrigues and the children of Bal Pushpa
Bal Pushpa Home was started by a woman named Sr. Dharma Rodrigues. She has made tireless efforts on behalf of orphans and semi-orphans and others whose families could not afford to care for them. Bal Pushpa has taken care of infants through adulthood, and offers children the ability to dream of more for their lives and pursue their desires, having helped many women become nurses, teachers, tailors, beauticians, and chefs.
In the midst of starting this non-profit, I was introduced to the power of yoga. After completing my yoga teacher training in India, I received my certification and have blended my passion for the practice with philanthropic endeavors. In addition to fundraising for Bal Pushpa, Namaste for Compassion strives to introduce yoga to people from diverse backgrounds who have limited exposure to learning how the practice and benefits of yoga are accessible and feasible for people from all walks of life. We also help those in need attain tangible or monetary resources with a view to alleviate their community’s burdens in meaningful ways.
We cannot change the world, but if we can help even one person, that can change their entire life. All children are our children and all children are ourselves; it could have been any one of us born into the life of one less fortunate. If I or my children were in a dire situation, "I don't know where to start" or "I can't really help you," would leave us hopeless and defeated. So, I ask you to join me and our local faction, Namaste for Compassion, as we raise money to donate to the Bal Pushpa Home, to those in our community, and the world at large. Our humanity, and therefore our compassion, are not limited by borders. Thank you for your time, interest, and consideration.
-Nayantara
“Changing lives one breath at a time.”
Nayantara and Carmo Rodrigues with their children in India.