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HISTORY
Nitin and I attended high school together and would see each other every now and then. In the entire 5 year period we did not feel the need to talk – not even a hello – I kid you not! We then progressed into our 20’s and despite having a few mutual buddies, the silence continued. He insists I was stuck up; my opinion is he was a nerd. The jury is still out on that one. Then mid 2010 Nitin and I had our very first conversation. We then had so much to talk about (yip that click they talk about in the movies) that he came over every day for us to have some more conversations. In the space of a month we had matched souls and had become best friends. He told me about his recent trip to Rishikesh – India where he had the privilege to fund the feeding of orphans for an entire month. I then told him about my fundraising endeavours for Palestine when I volunteered for Gift of the Givers. It was a rare thing to find a passion for serving others matched in both our hearts. Nitin spent the first Saturday of every month distributing grocery hampers for a temple in Lenasia, so I said Nitin dear why don’t we do it here? We then ran around town looking for the best prices of the things in our grocery hamper and ran further around town to choose families to give the hampers to. Nitin – the maths mind – figured the cost of the hamper at a super low R110. That’s 18 different items, quantities of which would last 2 weeks. We were so amazed that we found biscuits for R2 a pack that we decided a taste test was necessary. Over some tea and awesome tasting biscuits the last item was added to the hamper. Yasmin – the social scientist – decided that they could do much more than dish out groceries. A name Nitin, we need a name! Echoes of Love was then born. A slogan? Nishkamya Karma Yoga – Action Without the expectation of Fruits. It captured exactly that which we aspired to continue doing.
Nitin and I attended high school together and would see each other every now and then. In the entire 5 year period we did not feel the need to talk – not even a hello – I kid you not! We then progressed into our 20’s and despite having a few mutual buddies, the silence continued. He insists I was stuck up; my opinion is he was a nerd. The jury is still out on that one. Then mid 2010 Nitin and I had our very first conversation. We then had so much to talk about (yip that click they talk about in the movies) that he came over every day for us to have some more conversations. In the space of a month we had matched souls and had become best friends. He told me about his recent trip to Rishikesh – India where he had the privilege to fund the feeding of orphans for an entire month. I then told him about my fundraising endeavours for Palestine when I volunteered for Gift of the Givers. It was a rare thing to find a passion for serving others matched in both our hearts. Nitin spent the first Saturday of every month distributing grocery hampers for a temple in Lenasia, so I said Nitin dear why don’t we do it here? We then ran around town looking for the best prices of the things in our grocery hamper and ran further around town to choose families to give the hampers to. Nitin – the maths mind – figured the cost of the hamper at a super low R110. That’s 18 different items, quantities of which would last 2 weeks. We were so amazed that we found biscuits for R2 a pack that we decided a taste test was necessary. Over some tea and awesome tasting biscuits the last item was added to the hamper. Yasmin – the social scientist – decided that they could do much more than dish out groceries. A name Nitin, we need a name! Echoes of Love was then born. A slogan? Nishkamya Karma Yoga – Action Without the expectation of Fruits. It captured exactly that which we aspired to continue doing.
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We then began fighting hunger, realising that the fight went further than filling empty stomachs. Hunger of the mind, hunger of the will to accomplish, hunger of the belief in change. We realised that all these things were missing in those we served simply because they did not believe it was possible to rise above the grip of poverty that they had been living in for so long. Our very first task became igniting the dying ember of hope present in all – to overcome. We realised fast that there was no such thing as the poor – instead we found people – with personalities, independent hopes and dreams present in each family, unique aspirations and unique set of difficulties preventing each from being able to fend completely for themselves. We then began to explain to those we serve that our work in their lives aimed to bring them to the day when they said that there was no longer a need to provide the groceries. Nitin and I sat on the lawn in my complex and went about brainstorming on what more we could do to serve the family unit. Within 2 months our aim to give some groceries had diversified and developed to the point where we decided to set up shop – register with the Department so that we could get more to be able to do more. Nitin would leave each day reminding Echoes of Love that ‘God is Great’ and thus impossible was nothing! Yasmin would say dear, great is a small word for the gift God has given us to make Echoes of Love real.
VISION, MISSION AND CORE VALUES
VISION
To abide by the principle of placing humanitarian values over creed, caste and race. We seek to provide poverty eradication programmes which support disadvantaged people and families and provide them with skills and support that contribute to economic independence. ‘Echoes of Love’ thus seeks to meet specific needs of the poor in order to contribute to broad social and economic transformation.
MISSION
The mission of the organisation is to aid those sectors of the population which are destitute. This aid will be holistic as any and all members of families will be included according to the needs identified. This will be achieved by providing skills and entrepreneurship development, motivation, social development, economic independence and empowerment.
CORE VALUES
WELCOME any counsel, guidance, support and growth that will strengthen the organisation in a positive light.
Pledge ourselves to always place the organisation and the VALUES OF THE ORGANISATION FIRST making the needs of those we serve our priority.
EMBRACE AND RESPECT DIVERSITY IN WHICHEVER STATE IT MAY PRESENT itself whether it be culture, tradition, religion, race, gender, class or political affiliation. We look to adopt the positive influences that arise from all.
We will always place HUMANITARIAN VALUES OVER CREED, CASTE AND RACE fighting to ensure that the human spirit triumphs over the frailty of human suffering.
HONOUR the plight of all equitably and strive not to place the needs of some over the needs of others.
COMMITMENT TO diversity in all staff, volunteers, advisors and office bearers including full participation in the formulation of policy and projects, programs and decision-making.
RECOGNITION OF the work undertaken and successfully completed by any persons who have contributed time, effort and commitment to the upliftment of each community that ‘Echoes of Love’ seeks to serve.
ABILITY TO lead and model the organisation towards achieving the goal of assisting families in disadvantaged communities striving to reach stability and economic independence.
Maintaining useful ADVISORS
RESPECT any contribution made by members of the organisation as well as the general public and each will be assessed fairly thus only utilising those that will benefit the objectives of the organisation
MAY GOD GUIDE OUR EFFORTS!
VISION, MISSION AND CORE VALUES
VISION
To abide by the principle of placing humanitarian values over creed, caste and race. We seek to provide poverty eradication programmes which support disadvantaged people and families and provide them with skills and support that contribute to economic independence. ‘Echoes of Love’ thus seeks to meet specific needs of the poor in order to contribute to broad social and economic transformation.
MISSION
The mission of the organisation is to aid those sectors of the population which are destitute. This aid will be holistic as any and all members of families will be included according to the needs identified. This will be achieved by providing skills and entrepreneurship development, motivation, social development, economic independence and empowerment.
CORE VALUES
WELCOME any counsel, guidance, support and growth that will strengthen the organisation in a positive light.
Pledge ourselves to always place the organisation and the VALUES OF THE ORGANISATION FIRST making the needs of those we serve our priority.
EMBRACE AND RESPECT DIVERSITY IN WHICHEVER STATE IT MAY PRESENT itself whether it be culture, tradition, religion, race, gender, class or political affiliation. We look to adopt the positive influences that arise from all.
We will always place HUMANITARIAN VALUES OVER CREED, CASTE AND RACE fighting to ensure that the human spirit triumphs over the frailty of human suffering.
HONOUR the plight of all equitably and strive not to place the needs of some over the needs of others.
COMMITMENT TO diversity in all staff, volunteers, advisors and office bearers including full participation in the formulation of policy and projects, programs and decision-making.
RECOGNITION OF the work undertaken and successfully completed by any persons who have contributed time, effort and commitment to the upliftment of each community that ‘Echoes of Love’ seeks to serve.
ABILITY TO lead and model the organisation towards achieving the goal of assisting families in disadvantaged communities striving to reach stability and economic independence.
Maintaining useful ADVISORS
RESPECT any contribution made by members of the organisation as well as the general public and each will be assessed fairly thus only utilising those that will benefit the objectives of the organisation
MAY GOD GUIDE OUR EFFORTS!
