It Has to Be From Your Heart...

What makes generosity serve, stay and sustain?

Recorded live at Ndere Centre during the sixth edition of the Gathering of Givers, this episode brings together host Jacqueline Asiimwe and humanitarian leader Shanta Patel Rabadiya for a thoughtful conversation about generosity, partnership and responding to communities with humility in episode 11. Shanta’s first memory of organised giving goes back to when she was 16 years old and volunteered during a vaccination drive in a remote community.

Seeing mothers arrive with children who had no clothes deeply affected her and shaped her belief that no gift should ever be dismissed as too small. Today, Shanta works through APAR Foundation to mobilise humanitarian support across Uganda. The foundation’s work includes mobile health camps, nutrition programmes, boreholes, menstrual hygiene support, scholastic materials, wheelchairs, mattresses and assistance for elderly people and persons with disabilities. In this conversation, Shanta shares why her giving is connected to her spiritual roots and why generosity must come from the heart rather than the desire for recognition.

She also reflects on:

• Why people can recognise when giving is sincere

• How in-kind contributions can respond to practical community needs

• Why partnerships allow organisations to reach more people

• The importance of working with local leaders who understand their communities • Why givers need spaces where they can learn from one another

• How a small contribution can carry enormous value for someone in need

• Why generosity can bring joy to both the giver and the recipient

Click here to watch the full conversation:

“In the joy of others lies our own.” — H.D.H. Pramukh Swami Maharaj, as shared by Shanta Patel Rabadiya

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