February 26, 2025

Toothpaste and Tears

As I stand on the terrace of the first floor of the hostel, I brush my teeth, mixing toothpaste with tears as I recall the game of duck-duck-goose that my colleague Kayla suggested we play with the children. You might wonder why a simple game like duck-duck-goose moved me to tears. Well, during our visit to the community, we attracted many children, as Akash, our contact at Parikrma, pointed out, “We are fair-skinned.” I assume the children wanted to see these new faces who had come to visit.

To provide some context, my team and I have been actively interviewing people online and discussing the communities living in the slum areas of Bengaluru. After presenting our initial report to Parikrma at the Junior College, we had the opportunity to visit families in the Nandini layout. Here we were, after all this research, finally emerging from the vehicle and walking toward the two homes where we would be welcomed.

This experience was incredibly powerful as I began to put faces to the parents and siblings of the children I had seen on the Parikrma website. While we had previously interacted with the students and staff at the schools, this felt different. We were finally entering the homes of these families, and it felt as if we were truly becoming part of their lives. I felt a rush of gratitude when I was offered water; it struck me as such a kind gesture that I stuttered and hesitated to say, “Thank you!” The water also helped wash down the overly sweet but delicious mango juice we had graciously been offered at Parikrma.

I could see the impact that Parikrma had on this family just by looking at the face of the woman—a mother and wife—who had offered me the water. She looked healthy, proud, and confident as she set out chairs for us and turned on the fan to help cool us down. I made an effort not to block the fan as I stood up to look around. At the second home, we met a bright and inspiring young woman who had recently graduated from K-10 and was attending Junior College. She had just taken her exams and was eager to introduce us to her mother and father, who graciously welcomed us into their home. This time, we were offered a delicious savory and spicy soda, the name of which I regrettably forgot to ask.

I learned that she wanted to study biology and become a doctor, specifically a cardiologist, because her mother had many heart problems. It struck me how genuinely this young girl loved her mother and wanted to help her. She also expressed her hopes for improvements in Bengaluru’s standards for communities like hers.

After visiting the second family, we discovered that a third family wanted us to come to their home. By this time, a large group of children had gathered around us, and I found myself wondering where they had all come from. As we entered the third home, I was greeted by another beautiful family who explained how the mother had been helped to find a job cooking, and she also made snacks and food to sell. At that moment, my gratitude grew for the opportunity to meet such wonderful families and witness the positive impact that Parikrma has on these communities. Here was another family, beaming with pride and smiling as we approached them.

As I sat in a chair next to my team and the children, I felt a sense of closeness that I had experienced in the first two homes. As our visit drew to a close, I thought of one last question to ask the kids: “Who likes to play?” I hoped they would all respond with excitement, “Oh, we all do!” Just then, Kayla, my teammate, led the way, as she often does, by asking, “Who wants to play duck-duck-goose?” We all filed outside and played an exhilarating game of duck-duck-goose, which I thought was a brilliant way to end the visit.

Later that evening, as I brushed my teeth, I reflected on my experience in that third home and began to feel overwhelmed by everything that had transpired. However, my teammate Kayla managed to dispel this feeling by inviting us all to play a game that was easy to teach and enjoy. It brought us together, which is something I’ve learned through my work with GCIL: it isn’t always about the challenges; it’s about the people.

I can write forever about this day but I’ll end with an understanding. These homes may have been lacking in space and amenities, but I understand why Parikrma does what they do because they more than makeup for this with values that I hold close to my heart some of which include family, hospitality, trust, and kindness.

By,
Manny