Asha Seattle

Team Asha has given me the discipline and the energy I need to benefit from running here in Seattle. I am so grateful.

I am also grateful for the luck I was born with. I was lucky to get well educated among other privileges. Many are born without these. I feel the need to give back. None of us can say that we arrived at where we are on our own. Our own luck has helped us and we can (and perhaps should) return the favor to the world.

Asha achieves tremendous change with an all volunteer (no one gets paid), non-hierarchical, near-zero overhead, non-sectarian and secular group. 

For 7 years straight, Charity Navigator has rated Asha with a perfect score, 4 on 4 on the scales of accountability, transparency, leadership & culture. I’ve seen it from the inside in my 25+ years (started volunteering with Asha in 1999). You can give with complete confidence. It makes a credible and sizeable impact.

I hope to raise $1300 ($100/ mile) for Vikasana in Shimoga district Karnataka. Vikasana brings school and literacy to children of migrant daily-wager laborers. The kids begin to work early (child labor) alongside their parents to make ends meet. Viksana helps them break out of their cycle of poverty and helps them find meaning and aspiration. Every year 25 children are re-habilitated back into formal schools.

Every dollar donated will go to the project, Asha is a near-zero overhead organization (3% overhead to cover the credit card fee). No amount is too small.