STAY.BUILD.CONTINUE.

As a storyteller, observing has always come naturally to me. I notice the little things, the quiet moments, and the realities that often go unseen. Sometimes, it is these seemingly ordinary observations that stay with you long after the moment has passed.

During the pandemic, after almost a decade away from home, I returned to Nirmand. Somewhere between settling back into familiar surroundings and seeing home with a different perspective, I began noticing things I might have overlooked before.

I realised that the kind of care my grandmother and my ageing parents needed was, in many ways, a privilege. I had the means to take them to a hospital, seek a second opinion, or step in whenever I felt something was missing. But I couldn't help wondering about those who didn't have the same choices, the same support, or someone to step in when they needed it most.

I remember an elderly woman, an old dadi amma (grandmother), who had travelled for hours on a bus, only to struggle to get herself examined at a hospital. Her vulnerability, the journey she had made, and the quiet discomfort of knowing that accessing something as fundamental as healthcare could be so difficult.

The idea of Eiya began there, with a desire to look a little closer, to understand what was missing, and to find ways to make a difference where it mattered.

My partner became an important part of that journey. He believed in my ideas, nurtured my willingness to explore them, and gave me the confidence to take them beyond conversations and onto the ground. His support became the backbone that allowed a personal feeling to grow into a shared endeavour.

Long-time friends and new connections came together, bringing their own perspectives, skills, and belief in the vision I was beginning to build. What started as a personal feeling slowly grew into a shared endeavour, held together by people willing to show up, learn, collaborate, and contribute in their own ways. Their coming together reminded me that sometimes, all it takes is one idea for people who care to find each other.

And so, Eiya Cornerstone Foundation began.

For me, Eiya is a homage to the power of creation. It is about starting close to home, with the people and places that have shaped us. It is about recognising that change does not always begin with grand plans. Sometimes, it begins with noticing something, allowing it to stay with you, and choosing not to look away.

Eiya is my way of turning that feeling into something tangible. A beginning rooted in Nirmand, guided by the people we meet, and shaped by the belief that even the smallest effort can become the cornerstone of something greater.