Volunteering for Asha, a charity that works in the slums

A lane in Zakhira slum.

The reason I’m staying in Delhi for the next few weeks is to volunteer with a charity called Asha, which works in 50 slums across Delhi. I was drawn to Asha (which means "hope" in Hindi) not just because of its work, but because it was specifically looking for a volunteer who could help with writing, and I wanted to do something related to what I do.

More than that, though, I like that Asha actually seems to work. I can’t describe how many nonprofits I’ve worked with that just seemed ineffective (like the giant bureaucracy that is the Red Cross). After a week of touring the slums and talking to residents and health workers, I really do believe Asha’s model brings things like healthcare, empowerment, microfinance and education to people who otherwise wouldn’t have it. I know, I know—I drank the Kool-aid.