RamLal Ashram - An Old Age Home in Agra

Ramlal Ashram is by far the largest NGO in Agra, and houses old people from all over India. AkshiNarmis team in this coverage talks in detail about this NGO.

Those hands that held tiny fingers once...

Are now wrinkled and without support

Having built hopes of rest and relaxation

Those legs crumble under the weight of...

What could have been more!

Terrified, alone and abandoned

They brace themselves for the new innings of their life...

Another family, another home

What more to expect,

When their own children proved them wrong!

In a conflict of what to live for,

They begin another life

Amongst people being left like themselves,

They finally find their home!

To begin with, I would say the entire idea seems ridiculous. A separate home for old people, and that too because their families do not have the time, money or patience to care for them anymore. The same family who they cared for their entire life! They have gladly pushed these oldies away to live and fend for themselves, instead of becoming their support.

It is a boon then that NGOs like Ramlal Ashram exist. They ensure that these old men and women have a place to go to, a place they can call home.

Ramlal Ashram

Established in 2009 by brothers Vishnu Sharma and Shiv Prasad Sharma, the NGO exists with one sole reason - to provide homage to the old and abandoned.

The current President, Shiv Prasad Sharma, ensures that the inmates - all old people abandoned by their children, family or relatives - have a roof to live under, and a zeal to survive. Old people who do not have any living family members, are also allowed to live here amongst people of their age group. The NGO houses differently abled old men and women too. It is commendable what a NGO in a town like Agra is doing to give a way of life to these people, and how.

Why AkshiNarmis Chose To Feature It

One of our team members, Vaibhav Chawla, got an opportunity to undertake volunteering at the Ramlal Ashram. And while he gathered endless experiences and memories from the place, he also succeeded in doing a coverage for us.

The largest NGO in Agra, Ramlal Ashram houses old people from all over India. And yet it does not receive any grants from the government. The only source of financial

sustainability that the NGO has is in the form of charity. But till when? NGOs like these focus on impact, but they struggle due to the unpredictability of their finances.

While it is true that there are endless benefactors interested in social work, and ready to contribute, it would have been more feasible if there was some way NGOs like these could become independent.

What You Can Do

As an individual the first and foremost thing you can do is ensure your parents, families and relatives do not undergo what these people have. Because even after all these years of living at this place and receiving the love and care from other inmates, there is just one thing that troubles them, “Where did we go wrong?”

Secondly, if you wish to contribute to this NGO in any way, you can. Write to them directly, or through us for volunteering opportunities, or donations. Or if you know someone who can do the same, refer them to us.

And most importantly, spread the word! Every coverage we do is to appreciate the good around us, and maximize its impact. Help us in our mission to support these NGOs. To know more about the RamLal Old Age Home, you can also visit their Facebook page. And we would be posting more short conversations about the inmates on our Instagram and Facebook pages, so stay tuned!

We exist to empower NGOs. And you can help us do the same. Read about our other NGO stories, and write to us to feature another.