Jiya Joshi lost her beloved grandmother at 14 and decided to volunteer at a nursing home.
asserted
Joshi → lose → home
But getting rejected from there inspired her to begin a movement uniting generations through friendship, compassion and caring.
asserted
rejected → reject → friendship
A love lost too soon
Jiya was only two when her grandparents arrived from India to Texas, to help care for her while her parents were at work.
asserted
parents → lose → work
Her grandmother, Saroj, drove her to school and cooked her the most delicious snacks.
asserted
grandmother → drive → snacks
Her entire day was wrapped around them and the two formed a close bond, sharing long conversations about life, school and friends.
asserted
two → wrap → life
When she was in third grade, her grandparents returned to India, but distance only made the heart grow fonder, and they spoke on the phone regularly once a week.
The year she turned 14, Jiya lost her grandmother, whom she called 'Dadi' and the loss left an aching void inside her, often leaving her feeling lonely.
asserted
loss → return → her
While she had her parents and friends to talk to, it wasn't the same.
asserted
it → have → parents
They didn't carry the same wisdom and gentle kindness as her grandmother did.
asserted
grandmother → carry → wisdom
Filling the void
Within two years of service, Jiya has helped 4,000 seniors, built a network of more than 70 youth volunteers and spread the initiative in more than 11 countries through an ambassador program.
asserted
Jiya → fill → program
This is when an idea struck.
asserted
idea → strike → ?
“What if I visit a nursing home?
asserted
I → visit → home
Maybe the residents would enjoy a visit as much as I would?” she asked.
asserted
she → enjoy → visit
Jiya decided to volunteer at a nursing home and after being put on hold several times, she finally reached the nursing home volunteer coordinator
asserted
she → decide → coordinator
: "I want to volunteer and visit," she explained, as per a report by Woman's World.
asserted
she → want → World
The administrator was welcoming until she learnt Jiya was only 14.
asserted
Jiya → learn → ?
“We don’t allow volunteers under 18,” she declared.
asserted
she → allow → 18
“Our staff doesn’t have time to care for both children and our seniors.”
asserted
staff → have → children
Jiya's heart was crushed, and not just due to the rejection.
asserted
heart → crush → rejection
After several more refusals to volunteer, she decided to do something different.
asserted
she → volunteer → something
“Could I come just once — a trial visit?” she asked Sharon Williams, Activities Director at Houston’s Landon Ridge Assisted Living.
uncertain
Williams → come → Living
“If it doesn’t work, I won’t bother you again.”
asserted
I → work → you
Williams was touched by the girl's sincerity and decided to agree.
asserted
Williams → touch → sincerity
"Let's give it a try," she said and Jiya was over the moon.
asserted
Jiya → give → moon
Jiya arrived for her first visit at the centre with a box of supplies.
asserted
Jiya → arrive → supplies
She approached a group of seniors in a recreation area, put on a bright smile and introduced herself.
asserted
She → approach → herself
“I’m Jiya.
asserted
I → ’m → ?
Would you like to paint with me?”
asserted
you → like → me
“I love painting!” exclaimed a woman named Betty and soon she was regaling Jiya with incredible tales of her years as a nurse in Vietnam.
asserted
she → love → Vietnam
“I was a pilot fighting the Germans in World War II,” said a second resident, and a third rushed off and returned with a chunk of concrete.
asserted
third → fight → concrete
“You mentioned Germany; this is part of the Berlin Wall, a piece of history,” she explained.
asserted
she → mention → history
As the word of a youthful stranger spread, residents who rarely left their rooms came out to see what the excitement was about.
asserted
excitement → spread → what
By the end of her visit, Jiya had made a dozen new friends and spread even more smiles.
asserted
Jiya → make → friends
“I’ve never seen them so active,” Sharon marvelled as she helped Jiya pack up.
asserted
Jiya → see → ?
“You’re coming back, right?”
asserted
You → come → ?
Jiya returned every Saturday that summer.
asserted
Jiya → return → ?
While the residents loved having such a lively young person around to hold conversation and company with, Jiya loved their stories and affectionate hugs.
asserted
Jiya → love → stories
When school started again, Jiya invited her friends to join her and many of them said yes.
asserted
many → start → them
The teens visited in pairs and after a few outings, many told Jiya, "This is the most fun I've had volunteering."
asserted
I → visit → volunteering
It was one invitation from Betty that caught her by surprise.
asserted
that → catch → surprise
"Betty asked me to keep her company at the senior home’s 4th of July event because she did not have any family to eat with her at the event," Jiya shared.
asserted
Jiya → ask → event
…and 17 more, not listed.
The Aporia
