During the pandemic, my 82-year-old grandfather, Lt. Col. S.N. Arora (Retd.), was living alone in Karnal, struggling with basic daily needs during the lockdown. With no one able to reach him, we turned to the local administration and were deeply moved by their swift, compassionate response. Within hours, a dedicated support team was assigned to care for him as part of a larger government initiative for vulnerable citizens. This experience made me realize how many people, like migrant workers, face crisis without a support system.

​

Later in Singapore, I witnessed a parent pull her child away from a group of migrant workers repairing a road, calling them “unhygienic.” It was a painful reminder of the prejudice faced by those who do the hardest, most essential work. These two moments, one of compassion and one of exclusion, shaped my journey to advocate for dignity, empathy, and justice for migrant communities everywhere.

​

Starting with small acts like donating food during festivals and involving friends from school, she eventually connected with Westlite Dormitory, which houses about 4,000 workers. There, she discovered that what residents craved most was not food or furniture, but a sense of community. Drawing on her experience in mental health advocacy and Girl Scouts, Aditi launched Home Away from Home, a project that now creates inclusive social spaces, leads youth workshops to shift perceptions, builds digital tools to connect workers with donors, and provides lasting support for migrant well-being.