Gauri Shankar Seva Foundation

We are out here at House No 87 in Gram Rivjha, which is near Sihora and Riwjhi. It’s a rural area, so things are much quieter than in the big cities. The Gauri Shankar Seva Foundation is basically run out of this house. We don’t have fancy office furniture or air conditioning. Mostly, we just use the space we have. There are cows nearby and you can hear the sounds of the village all day long. It’s a very practical way to work because we are right where the people are. The road to get here can be a bit rough, especially after the monsoon, so we don’t get many unexpected visitors. When someone does come by, we usually sit on the porch or in the main room. It’s a very honest way of doing things. We don't have a website that’s updated every day or a team of people in suits. It’s just a few of us who live nearby and care about the work. Sometimes we have to deal with power cuts, so we keep some lanterns and manual ledgers handy. The house is old but sturdy, and it serves its purpose well. We spend a lot of time just talking to the locals and figuring out what needs doing in the village. It’s a simple life, and the foundation reflects that. We don’t pretend to be anything we aren’t. It’s just how things are in Gram Rivjha.