I love hiking and being outdoors for so many reasons – fresh air, indescribable scenery and a break from screens! Looking up at mountains makes me feel tiny, yet at the same time connected to each rock, each plant, each little bird and how we are all part of this beautiful, chaotic circle of life.
Over the last few years, I’ve set myself a goal to climb a mountain each year and I’ve climbed a few including Mt Fuji and Mt Kilimanjaro which were absolutely stunning and challenged me in the best possible ways.
Now it’s time for me to embark on my next quest – mountaineering. Living in beautiful Seattle, where better to start than with our breathtaking volcanoes? This year my goal is to summit Mt. Baker and Mt. Adams as my first glaciated peaks and I’ll be learning many new skills and pushing myself.
I’m dedicating my climb to a larger cause of empowering the next generation with education. I know how much education has shaped me and my insatiable curiosity (giant nerd here!) and I firmly believe that critical thinking and basic education should be the right for everyone.
So while I go outside and touch grass, please consider donating what you can to help these children break the cycle of poverty through what should be a basic right – education.
Any amount you donate will have DOUBLE the impact — I will personally match all donations till we reach our fundraising goal of $1000 (including company match you may have).
Why Asha for Education ?
A fully volunteer-run nonprofit with chapters worldwide, Asha partners with grassroots organizations across India to give underprivileged children access to meaningful education: from urban slums to isolated rural villages, from preschool to professional training.
The work is meaningful, genuine and making solid impact to improve lives. Charity Navigator is a 3rd party that ranks non-profit organizations, and they have given Asha a perfect 100% score for 7 straight years: 4 on 4 on the scales of accountability, transparency, leadership & culture. “Candid” is another 3rd party that is a leading provider of data and insights on the social sector. Candid awards Asha their “Gold” seal of transparency.
Asha in Numbers
• $57 million+ disbursed to projects since founding
• 180+ projects across 22 states in India
• 146 active project partners in 2023 alone
• 100% volunteer-run – not a single paid employee
Every single volunteer – across 40+ chapters worldwide – gives their time freely and is unpaid. That means no payroll, no extra expenses and as a near ZERO overhead organization, almost 100% of your contribution reaches a child.
Where will the money go ?
What we raise here will support Vikasana in India. This school focuses on children of migrant daily-wager laborers. The kids begin to work early (child labor) alongside their parents to make ends meet. Vikasana helps them break out of their cycle of poverty and find meaning and aspiration. Every year over two dozen children are re-habilitated back into formal schools.
You can choose to donate whatever amount you are comfortable with, but if you’re curious
| $1 feeds a child for a full day so that they can attend school and not have to go hungry |
| $10 covers education materials and a uniform set for 1 child for an entire year |
| $225 covers Asha’s support for 1 child for 6 months |
Donate Now
Please include my name in the Comments: “Team Asha 2026 Dharini Chandrasekaran”