Running with Asha
Asha for Education is a volunteer run organization aiming to catalyze socio-economic change in India through education. The objectives of the group are:
- To provide access to education for underprivileged children in India
- To promote universal education and decrease child labor
- To support grass roots initiatives in deprived and marginalized communities in India
- To address, whenever possible, other issues affecting human life such as health care, environmental and socio-economic issues, women's issues, human rights issues, etc.
As a part of Team Asha this runner has committed to meet the above objectives through your support. Please read the runner's personal statement below and use the donate button on the right to make a contribution to the runner's objective.
Mugdha Deshpande
Dear friends, family & colleagues,
I joined Asha for Education runners simply for incentive and company for regular excercise. I came accross some very interesting friends, social contacts, and enjoyable after-work activities. Then Asha offered me training in long distance (marathon) running. I always wanted to run a marathon at some point in life and running is giving me fantabulous results for a healthy body and mind. As Asha Runners raise funds for educational projects in India, today, I feel that one of my life-dreams has obtained a realistic direction - to spend a bit of my mental and physical abilities on a social cause by expressing affection & care towards young children in India who are forced into child labor and help them obtain basic education.
I am running a HALF MARATHON (13.1 miles i.e. 20.96 km) on Dec 13, 2009 with a goal to raise $100 per mile for the BAL ASHRAM TRUST project in Viratnagar, Rajasthan. Bal Ashram Trust runs a school and plans to open five new schools for kids from the Banjara community forced into child labor by families and circumstances. Please give a thought to the cause and donate your best interest and capacity by clicking on the DONATE button on the right. Please see project goals, success story, photos and information in site visit reports on the right side at http://www.ashanet.org/projects/project-view.php?p=736 to be convinced of the authenticity of this effort.
Power of your donation:
* $10 - Takes care of the education of a child for a complete month. (less than a movie ticket ).
* $25 - Takes care of the education and living expenses of a child for a complete month. (less than dinner out ).
* $50 - Takes care of a child’s education for almost half a year. (less than evening out with friends )..
* $100 - Helps educate 100 rural pregnant women on infant health. (less than a visit to an amusement park)..
* $250 - Takes care of a year’s education and living costs of an under privileged child. (less than new Wii or X-BOX).
* $500 - Funds the education of a 10 year old girl until she finishes high school. ( less than an IKEA couch)
