Serving with Colleagues in Ahmedabad, India
Global service, cultural connection…
While visiting our firm’s employees in Ahmedabad, India, I had the opportunity to join a small group of team members who volunteer weekly by delivering soup and bread to residents in one of the city’s slum communities. They welcomed me to join them, and what followed became one of the most eye-opening and memorable experiences of my #52WeeksOfCharity journey.
Ahmedabad is a vibrant and historic city full of color, culture, and energy. Like many large cities in India, however, it is also home to significant economic inequality. While the city has seen rapid growth and development over the years, many families continue to live in informal settlements with limited access to reliable housing, sanitation, healthcare, and consistent food sources.
Across India, millions of people live in urban slum communities, and cities like Ahmedabad reflect both progress and persistent challenges. Poverty in these areas often means families must navigate daily uncertainty around income, limited resources, and few safety nets when hardship strikes.
This is where small acts of kindness become incredibly meaningful.
Each week, a dedicated group of employees brings homemade soup and bread to individuals and families living in one of the slum communities. There is no fanfare, no recognition, just quiet consistency and care.
It was inspiring to see how naturally this group of employees incorporated service into their routine. This wasn’t a one-time event. It was a weekly commitment. A reflection of compassion that had become part of their culture.
Joining them allowed me to see Ahmedabad through entirely different eyes. Not as a visitor or tourist, not through landmarks or guided tours, but through human connection.
Walking through the neighborhood, carrying containers of soup, and sharing food with residents created a perspective I would never have gained otherwise. It was humbling, grounding, and deeply moving.
It was also a powerful bonding experience with my colleagues in India. Volunteering together created a shared moment that went beyond work responsibilities. We weren’t just coworkers, we were partners in service, working side by side to support members of the local community.
Moments like this build bridges between communities and between people from different cultures and backgrounds.
What stayed with me long after that day was the reminder that meaningful change doesn’t always require large programs or complex systems. Sometimes it begins with something as simple as a warm meal and the willingness to show up consistently.
This experience also reinforced how service can connect us globally. No matter where we live, the desire to help others and care for neighbors and support those facing hardship, is universal.
Volunteering in Ahmedabad reminded me that charity is not limited by geography. Compassion travels across borders, cultures, and languages.
Sometimes, the most powerful way to understand a place is not by visiting it but by serving within it.
Experiences like this continue to shape my #52WeeksOfCharity journey, reminding me that every community has both challenges and incredible people working quietly to make life better for others.
Sometimes the most meaningful way to see the world…
is through the act of giving.