Things I Am Grateful for in 2025- #3 My Journey with NPO’s and communities.

During my learning phase, I learned two things that stayed with me deeply. “Your hands should be open,” by Dr. Nirmala Shrivastava, and “We cannot live better than in seeking to become better,” by Socrates.

Whatever I learn in life, I try to implement it for the people around me. Much of the work I have done was without expectation. From content writing to video editing, from code snippets to building free web applications for the community, I gave what I could. This philosophy comes from the divine image of Goddess Lakshmi. One hand offers Abhaya, reassurance. Another represents flow. It is often shown as money, but to me it is the flow of generosity. The two upper hands hold lotuses, symbols of love, warmth, and balance.

I began volunteering in 2020 as a Japanese and English communicator with a Japanese NPO. In 2024, I volunteered in Italy at Palazzo Doria. Across cultures and countries, my intent remained the same. Whatever I learned, I wanted to return it to the community.

One NPO that played a special role in my journey was the Immaculate Ideal Human Foundation. I was referred to them in late 2022 and received an opportunity to volunteer for a feature length film. The responsibility was intense. I handled movie promotions and subtitles and volunteered as a Promotions Manager. It was challenging, especially while managing professional work alongside it, but it was also deeply fulfilling.

Weekends used to be my quiet recharge time after work. Yet, encouragement from Sanjay Talwar pushed me to explore video editing more seriously. Working with director Prashant Naik became a truly enriching experience. Later, I ventured into subtitling, which honestly was difficult. Collaborating with native speakers of French, Chinese, Russian, and German opened new perspectives on language, nuance, and the art of translation. I remain grateful to that global circle of kind souls who guided me through the process.

The film went on to flourish, receiving over one hundred awards, and recently won recognition at the Tokyo Film Festival.

One day, during regular office hours, I received a call from Sanjay Talwar. He said, “Beta, we want to pay you for your work. This is a token of gratitude.” I was silent for a moment. Then he added, “Accept it as a gift from Shri Mahalakshmi.” I had no option but to accept it with humility. What began as volunteering completed a quiet circle of trust, respect, and grace.

This year, Meditate Korea, an NPO offering free stress management classes, gave me the opportunity to co host a live session and digitally market it throughout Korea through Meta and Google Ads. It was a beautiful and grounding experience. I also had the chance to meet the Nirmalite NPO in Japan. Amazing people, an unforgettable dinner, and memories that will stay with me for a long time.

I am thankful for every experience, every mentor, and every community that trusted me. I will continue to share with society and my community whatever I have learned, and whatever I am still learning.

Learning feels complete only when it is shared. Skills, language, and experience gain meaning when they flow back to people and community. Volunteering taught me that giving expands us. Recognition may come or not, but inner growth always does. Sharing what I learn is how learning becomes real.