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.
Srikanth Voorakaranam
The Conviction
It is not enough to be compassionate. We must Act.
- The Dalai Lama
In addition to Ahimsa (non-violence), India gave another wonderful concept to the world – Sarvodaya. Sarvodaya means ‘universal uplift’ or ‘progress of all’, and points to the tremendous truth that all of us are connected, and what happens to one eventually affects everybody else. The only way we can grow as human beings is when we expand our notions of who we are and what is in our circle of concern. As the example of this young boy proves, this is something within the reach of each of us, irrespective of how rich or poor we may be.
The Need
India has been making great strides in terms of economic growth, but many people, especially in villages, still struggle to make ends meet. Their children, most of them first-generation learners, start attending school with bright eyes and big hopes, but the dismal quality of learning arising out of a shortage of infrastructure, trained teachers, learning and play material and an unimaginative curriculum proves to be a serious hindrance to them realizing their potential in life.
Half of Indian children drop out of school by the age of 14. Fewer still reach high school. If you are a girl child or if you are born with disabilities, the odds against you stack up even more.
Why Asha?
I have been volunteering with Asha for Education for the past 14 years. Asha has been the vehicle for thousands of ordinary people like myself to come together to accomplish something meaningful: Millions of dollars raised since 1991, supporting hundreds of projects all over India and reaching hundreds of thousands of underprivileged children. My visits to many of these projects first-hand have reinforced the conviction that children everywhere can blossom if only they are provided the right opportunities. Asha is totally driven by volunteers and this translates into donor funds reaching the projects with minimal overhead costs. It is inspiring to see the direct relationships that many volunteers establish with the projects.
My Goal
Iam running the White-Rock half-marathon in December as part of Team Asha Strides of Hope. Through the effort, I hope to raise atleast $1310 for the wonderful projects Asha-Dallas supports and raise awareness about the need to provide Quality Education for All.
When I started the program, I could barely run a mile. But thanks to the wonderful training of my coaches at the Dallas Running Club, we are on target to complete 13.1 miles this December. The once-in-a-lifetime chance to help children in need is a major motivating factor to keep up with the long and demanding training.
How YOU Can Help
Please donate generously (through the secure Donate button at the top-right of the page) to help me reach the target. It will be wonderful if you can also become a volunteer with Asha.
