Sahara Meri Umeed Foundation

Sahara Meri Umeed Foundation is based at Prem Lata’s place in Puri Banda Mohalla. This is one of those old neighborhoods where the streets are narrow and houses are built right up against each other. It’s got a lot of character, but it can be hard to navigate if you aren't from around here. We work out of a few rooms in the house. Prem Lata is usually around, and the whole place has a very homey feel. It’s definitely not a corporate office. We have a small table where we sit to go over our plans and a couple of cupboards for all our supplies. The mohalla is always full of life, with neighbors chatting across balconies and street vendors calling out their wares. You can hear the sounds of families living their lives all around us. It makes the work feel more connected to the real world. Sometimes it gets a bit hot in the smaller rooms, so we move the chairs out to the cooler parts of the house. We don’t have fancy lighting, just the regular bulbs and whatever sunlight comes through the door. It’s a simple way of doing things, but it works for us. We’ve been in Puri Banda Mohalla for a while, and it feels like where we belong. There’s no pretense here, just people doing what they can in a small, shared space. It is honest work.