Seva Group India

Introduction

My name is Keshav Khosla and I am 19 years old. I am currently serving in the Singapore Armed forces as a part of my National Service responsibility. The purpose of this fundraiser is to raise money for Seva Group India.

This is a NGO anchored on the belief of providing accessible education to the 287 million illiterate and underprivileged children in India. The word 'Seva' in Hindi literally translates to serving and helping those in need, which resonates with the organisation's purpose of unlocking the potential of all these children.

The Problem

Poor education accessibility in many ways is the cause for many societal problems in India. Illiterate children are denied opportunities to better their livelihoods, and in turn are forced into malnutrition, child trafficking and child labor. Consequently, the poor opportunities yield equally poor opportunities for the next generation of children, creating a vicious poverty cycle. Organisations such as Seva aim to break this cycle by providing education for the underserved children in India and better the lives of millions for many generations to come. However, each noble and ambitious task comes with its monetary challenges and Seva is no exception to this.

I have personally worked and taught children in Seva for 2 years during my summer vacations. During this service opportunity, I taught English and Mathematics to many children and developed strong bonds with them. Although this was an extremely rewarding experience, I realised that the resources such as books, pencils and the classrooms themselves were heavily deteriorated. For instance, many of the books were second hand and had several markings on them, making it nearly illegible. Likewise, the dangerously claustrophobic classrooms -- contained 40 students with 3 students to 1 desk -- were poorly lit, naturally creating a non-conducive and unproductive learning environment. At the end of my teaching experience, I felt I had not only failed myself, but also failed the students who were eager to learn.

It should be noted here that these conditions are not a fault of the organisation itself and that the staff of teachers made the best of the resources provided. The fault rather lies in each and every privileged individual who has not supported this cause. I personally believe that such privileged individuals have a moral and societal responsibility to help organisations such as Seva in achieving its goal. As someone who is fortunate enough to live in a developed country such as Singapore, I consider myself one of these individuals who must strive to help those at the bottom of the income pyramid.

The Solution

Imagine an India where 287 million more children are literate. Imagine an India where children are empowered with knowledge to break away from exploitation. Imagine an India where half-naked children no long beg for food and money on the streets. Imagine an India where children no longer live in slums.

Granted, such a feat may seem impossible with such a relatively small donation to a singular organisation; however, with each dollar donated, we can better the lives of one more child, and that's what matters. By even helping a small group of children, we would have completely changed the their life trajectory and their future generations to come. That is the power of education.

So please donate, and let us make this world a better place -- for you, me and the future generations.

Note: For more information about Seva, please click here.