It was "a day well spent bonding and making ties stronger between grandparents and grandchildren,” noted Ushta-te Foundation trustee Shirin Kanga about the Zarathusti Awareness Group of Ahmedabad’s (ZAGA) event on October 16, 2022. The Zoroastrian Hall at Kankaria was "filled with happy giggles and laughter” of the 75 community members assembled there. "Many grandparents stepped in to play with kids whose grandparents couldn’t make it as they lived out of town,” she appreciated.
"Giggles and laughter" at Ahmedabad’s ZAGA event
Two donors who wished to remain anonymous sponsored the prizes for the games organized by "parent couple” Jasmine and Ariz Bokdawala, noted Kanga. Kety Daruwala organized the brunch of ravo, kababs, chicken patties, pizza, dahi vadas, sandwiches and fruit juice. Takeaway gifts included a magnetic sticker, hand made by Perin Unwalla. "Perin and Kety take religious classes for the children…We have always called them volunteers. There are eight of them but the one who leads the show is Pervin Watchmaker,” said the genial, ever smiling Kanga. She appreciated the presence of the volunteers, the "rock solid pillars” — Kety Daruwala, Unwalla, Ruzeen Daruwala, Shenaz Gandhi, Khushnuma Solai and Roshni Shahuna.
As remarked a parent who was present: "All this brings our community even closer and gives us a sense of belonging.”
ZAGA, a program to bring the city’s youth together, was launched by the Foundation in 1999. As remarked Kanga, "Those who were ZAGA kids at one time, now have their own kids enrolled in ZAGA.”
The Foundation has 10 trustees with Mini Patel the managing trustee. She leads an all-woman team of Kanga, Meher Medora, Armaity Daver, Dhun Chinoy, Persis Khambatta, Pearl Sabavala, Delnaz Jokhi, Khushnum Avari and Binaifer Dastur. Their program Hamazor is an activity group for senior citizens.