"Why YOGA?"---Asana and Conversation with Prof Jayadev

YGB Ambassadors Teach a Yoga Class at Deenabandhu!

An impromptu group class took place on our last morning here at Deenbandhu with children. YGB Amabassador Anouk managed to get 80 yoga mats donated from the Netherlands so children can practice yoga in this beautiful new hall. 

Prof Jayadev, Founder of Deenbandhu Home, shared his believe in YOGA. "ASANA is very important. YOGA is about body, mind and their harmony. When you find harmony in body and mind, you find harmony with others. You fin oneness. This is the goal of yoga. So asana is also important." 

Delicious meals are prepared by house mothers. Chapati, Roti with lots of veges, fresh chutney (coconut is so fresh!), lots of cooked vegetable dishes. This is a precious time to chat with Jayadev and learn his deep spiritual path and conviction to live for others with true love and acceptance. THANK YOU!

"Why Kids Are Smiling?" ---Visiting Deenabandhu Home

Visiting Deenabandhu: Home of Love and Acceptance 

5 hour drive from Bangalore took us next to Deenabandhu Home, in a very poor community of  Chamarajanagar, north of Mysore.  This town has historically consisted of population of lower caste, therefore has been discriminated and left behind from modern cities' development, such as paved streets! This is where Professor Jayadev founded a home for six orphan boys in 1991. Today, nearly 100 boys and girls who have no place to go, live in this home which is filled with discipline, fun, laughter, order and most importantly love and acceptance. Please watch a short YGB FILM "Deenabandhu: Home of Love and Acceptance"(2014) to learn more about this amazing home. They welcomed our visit with welcome signs every where. 

    Prof Jayadev (Deenabandhu Founder), Prajna (Project Manager) and children warmly welcome us

It is so wonderful to return to this home and witness growth of children. YGB's global family is supporting 26 orphaned and abandoned children here. It costs only $500 a year to provide these children with loving care and good education. Following Prof Jayadev's philosophy of "Love and Acceptance", children mature with self acceptance, confidence and love.

YGB Ambassador Anouk Prop has been volunteering at this home for the last few years, as psychotherapist and yoga teacher. Children are so happy to see her return. Prajna Neelgund is the Manager of all the operations here. Graduating from India's top IIT University with computer science. She once had a top paid job at Syscos in Mumbai, but she knew something was missing in her life. Today, Prajna is the central force behind children's arts and theater activities among many other creative work for children. 

We were welcomed by Dance Performance by the children at Girls Home. 

YGB Global Ambassadors Enjoyed Children's Dancing Performance!

Years ago, this girl was found lying next to her mother's dead body on the street of Bangalore. She also had many physical issues. Today, she is part of the dancing group!!

Megha is now in Masters Course at Bangalore University majoring Literature. As children grow, they become care takers for younger children, returning to the home for the weekends. There is a real sense of belonging and family here, which has created this home everyone belongs and can return anytime.  

Evening ended with Jayadev's beautiful and peaceful bamboo flute accompanied by Druga's harmonium! 

Following Jayashree's Dream

YGB Seva Trip Visits Jayashree

Next, we visited Jayashree who is the mother of Guruprasad we just visited at his college campus, South Bangalore. Jayashree and her husband Rama live in Chanapatna, suburbs of strolling city of Bangalore. YGB Ambassadors were quite eager to meet with them as Guruprasad touched our hearts so deeply expressing his sincere gratitude to his parents' sacrifice for his advancement in education. 

My first visit was in 2007 when Jayashree just received her first micro loan from Grameen Koota, a local micro loan institute. At first, I thought her micro loans will allow her improve their life style, such as buying a bigger home with running water, toilet, etc. However for the last ten years, I have  learned that they are not interested in their life style. Their priority remains firm to provide everything for their son Guruprasad's higher education. Even with YGB's annual funding for his college tuition, they still need to pay for his needs such as computer, dormitory, food, etc. With this family's determination, Jayashree's dream to give higher education for her two sons are becoming a reality. Each time, she looks more confident about her son's  academic achievement and success. She is so proud of Guruprasad and misses him dearly, who can only return home every six months due to his responsibilities to attend dental emergencies at the college clinic. Jayashree and Rama proudly showed us a small piece of land  in front of their humble one room house. Here, they hope to build a small clinic for Guruprasad to start his dental work so he can serve this poor village community. Jayashree's dream has been to educate their children to get higher education to serve the poor communities.
You can watch my very first YGB FILM "Micro Financing Change Lives"  which includes a short story of Jayashree and Guruprasad ten years ago. Witnessing Guruprasad's transformation has been a great joy for me and we want to continue our support till Guruprsad becomes a dental surgeon in a few years. My dream is to film Guruprasad treating his patients at this hometown clinic!

Jayashree's dream is becoming a reality year by year with your support! 

"WE ARE ALL ONE FAMILY"---GURUPRASAD

YGB's First Seva Trip Takes Off!!

YGB Seva Trip Participants with Guruprasad and his students 

Today, my dream trip started here in Bangalore.  It is truly magical that seven YGB Ambassadors and supporters came to join this first YGB Seva Trip, despite of everyone's very busy schedule and family obligations. This first trip's participants are Anouk Prop (The Netherlands/Thailand), Beate Scholtz (Los Angeles), Bonnie Ikemura (Los Angeles), Julee Yew Crijns (The UK), Lauren Peterson (Los Angeles), Mina Lee (Abu Dhabi) and myself.  Everyone has been supporting YGB's programs over the years through fundraising events in their own local communities, but never seen their contributions' impact in India except for Anouk who now volunteers at one of YGB programs every year.  Annual visit to YGB programs in India has become my true inspiration for YGB's work and I always wanted to share this life changing experience with more people who support YGB whole heartedly. Thanks to YGB UK Ambassador Julee's incredible effort, this trip came to reality and I am truly grateful.

Our first visit was to meet with Guruprasad (25 years old) who is now in his 3rd year at Post Graduate Course at AECS Maaruti College of Dental Sciences & Research Center. As most of you know, we met Guruprasad 10 years ago when he was still at high school, dreaming of getting higher education. I have been filming him since then and it has been true joy to witness his incredible achievement and growth.

Today, we visited Guruprasad after his classes. He now works from 8:30am to 3pm seeing average of 40 dental patients a day for diagnosis and treatment. He also teaches anatomy and basic medical education to 150 undergraduate students. As a resident PHD doctor, he also assists oral surgeries by his seniors and will be conducting his independent surgeries in two years. He studies till 9:30pm every day and hopes to pass the final examination in 6 months.







Guruprasad's commitment to his study is unshakable and his pursuit of his dream is firm. He wants to educate poor people about oral and dental hygiene to  prevent unnecessary cancer which the poor cannot afford. He also wants to create a clinic fo the poor so they can be treated free of charge, once they develop oral cancer. He also says 70% of cancer is rooted in tabacco in India which should be reduced with public awareness education.

"Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" (Maha Upanishad) means "We are all one family." 

This is Guruprasad's mantra. He believes in 'oneness' of all of us. No matter how poor or where you are from, you are part of us. If you are sick, you must be treated. He thanks his parents for giving this spiritual root in him, which he is confident to realize with his profession as a dental surgeon.

With YGB's global community's support, we continue to fund Guruprasad's education till he becomes a dental surgeon and serves poor people with love. It was a profoundly moving visit to see how Guruprasad has matured with confidence and dignity. It was particularly special for me to be able to share this visit with everyone, a memorable visit to start YGB's First Seva Trip.
Please watch YGB FILM "Jayashree's Dream Lives" to learn more about his journey!

With YGB India Supporters Natesh and Babitha