Welcoming the babies – Auroville’s midwives (pt 1): Hilde – delivering 2 generations of “baby newcomers” during 42 years!

Auroville-born babies are the City of Dawn’s newcomers in every sense!
In a 2-part article, we honor the midwives who help bring these babies into the world.
This Part 1 of our report is by Hilde.
Auroville’s longstanding and beloved midwife, with her 42 years of delivering 2 generations and hundreds of AV babies to their grateful & joyous parents.

Jaya – a Pioneer for the City the Earth needs

Jaya first came to Auroville’s early barren landscape from Sweden in 1971 as a young girl of 19. Her experiences and contributions over the decades are a beautiful narrative of Auroville’s growth in the service of human unity. Now a grandmother, her family continues its decades-long commitment to living in and building the City of Dawn.

New land funded by your donations – News from Siddhartha Farm

Food sustainability is a basic need for Auroville. In 2017, your donations funded new acres expanding Siddhartha Farm – one of Auroville’s oldest food providers, located on the fertile plain near Irumbai Lake.
Here’s a report from Herbert on what has been done with on the new land purchased thanks to your donations!

ACRES FOR AUROVILLE FLIER – 15 AUGUST 2019

For 51 years, the City of Dawn has flowered step by step, serving and showcasing the oneness of the Human Family in its rich diversity. For Sri Aurobindo, the unification of mankind was “a necessity in the course of Nature, an inevitable movement”. Auroville was created by The Mother to create a place for the “international spirit and outlook” that Sri Aurobindo said must grow up, in line with his great teaching that “all the nations are essentially one…” and that “Truth lies in union rather than in division”.

LFAU LETTER – 15 AUGUST 2019

Sri Aurobindo began his 1949 message to America by writing: “I have been asked to send on this occasion of the fifteenth August a message to the West, but what I have to say might be delivered equally as a message to the East … East and West have the same human nature, a common human destiny, the same aspiration after a greater perfection, the same seeking after something higher than itself …”. And his message is entirely relevant to Auroville, because Auroville was founded for fostering a united humanity.

Sri Aurobindo’s Message to America

Sri Aurobindo’s message on the unity of the West and East continues: “It has been customary to dwell on the division and difference between these two sections of the human family and even oppose them to each other; but, for myself I would rather be disposed to dwell on oneness and unity …. There is a common hope, a common destiny, both spiritual and material, for which both are needed as co-workers.” In our time, we see the complete relevance of his words and the profound need for his inspiring vision!

Kriya Youth Community – Space for new housing thanks to you!

Thanks to your solidarity, the City of Dawn now hosts 26 new housing units for Auroville’s youth, all built on new Auroville land that was purchased with your donations to Acres for Auroville! Known as the Kriya community, it responds to an urgent need for affordable youth housing, providing 14 single units, 6 family houses, 6 couple units, and a community kitchen for up to 50 residents. Kriya has quickly become a thriving new community, full of energy and youthful enthusiasm. Take a look at what your donations have enabled!

​Ed – an early Aurovilian

Ed joined Auroville in 1978, and was an innovative pioneer, working at the Matrimandir and then in greenwork at the Forecomers community: “Auroville was then essentially a number of disassociated blocks of land. Settlements were scattered all over the plateau. And, like the land we lived on, most Aurovilians were in basic survival mode. We had to provide shelter, food, water and a social connectivity for ourselves without any form of phone or electronics… eventually I was captured by the utter necessity and delightful challenge of Greenwork.”

Joël – a newcomer working for unity

“Auroville has been a wonderful new home for me for the last 3 years, a place where practically everything seems possible. Since the joy of creativity is a big part of who I am, Auroville is ‘my place’ – it gives us immense scope for contributing and self-fulfilment. And there’s the satisfaction of being part of a community. But it’s not just any community! In Auroville, we have an overarching goal. I really feel that we all came here to make a difference for the development of unity…”

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