Asha Seattle

Hi! I am running 26.2 miles as part of the Seattle Marathon as part of Team Asha.

Training for and running the full marathon is my way of demonstrating the commitment I have to Asha and its cause of working at the grassroots of poor Indian communities for socio-economic upliftment. Beginning as an organization working to bring education to underprivileged children, Asha’s mission today has grown to rejuvenating the entire community these children live in and holistically bettering not just their own lives but those of their families as well. Asha is a “Zero overhead” organization, completely driven by volunteers (including the administrative expenses) ensuring 100% of your donations are sent to our partner groups in India.

I am asking you to sponsor my run with whatever contribution you can make. All donations are tax deductible, and Asha is registered with many companies for donation-matching programs. Any contribution you make will help achieve these marathon goals and go a long mile in bringing smiles, education, well-being and awareness to children and their communities.

Visit this page to see the causes and projects supported by Asha Seattle chapter.

This year Team Asha is supporting Vikasana. The “bridge” 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 helps them find meaning and aspiration. Every year 25 children are re-habilitated back into formal schools.

Support at whatever level you can, every dollar will help.

3 Case Studies from Vikasana:

Example 1: Venkatesh is now 18. He arrived at Vikasana at age 5. His mother passed away in childbirth and his father was an alcoholic who worked as a daily wage laborer. He was with a distant aunt who had some ancestral land, and everyone in that family also worked as daily laborers. No one was taking care of the child. The landlord of the property where his father worked brought the child to Vikasana and left him there. Initially he was bright and sportive and thrived under the care of the school. As he grew older and began to realize his family situation, he became withdrawn. The counselors and teachers at Vikasana gave him attention and care, engaged him with responsibilities and activities. He began to accept and cope with his life situation. He resumed engaging not only academically but also sport, dance, gardening, drawing and more. Always curious to learn new things he was showing leadership. He showed skill and talent with electrical repair, which he started doing for the school. He also began to win awards at local sports competitions. He secured 1st class in his State Board exams and is training in the Industrial Technology Institute locally, with a bright future ahead.

Asha project steward Sharan (in blue), along with Mr. Varghese (who runs Vikasana) along with Supritha (2022) Example 2: Supritha joined Vikasana at age 7. All her family members, including her brothers worked for daily wages migrating from site to site for brick manufacturing. The family was paid per brick, so the children were also forced to work to make ends meet. A Vikasana field officer saw the very little girl cutting and carrying bricks, which she had been doing since she was old enough to walk. She was mal-nutritioned and had multiple throat infections. She was taken to the school where she recovered and studied until 8th std. Her family brought her back when her father became paralyzed (he passed away within that year), but with her strong foundation and aptitude for studies, she found the strength to keep studying and her brothers helped her. She went on to do her BSc. in Nursing and even served as a lecturer in the local Nursing School for a year. She is now 25 years old, works as a nurse in a private hospital, and supports her family. She has an ambition to do her Masters in Nursing and hopes to get exposed to an international hospital set up.

Example 3: Lakshmi was 8 years old and working hard for one meal a day for herself, her mother and her sister. She worked to find firewood, in brick manufacturing, cutting and harvesting areca nuts during harvest season, as domestic help and any casual labour work that was available. Her mother did not want to send her school because her contribution to income and food were very much required. The Vikasana field officer managed to get her to the school. At school she faced challenges being teased for being older than other kids but still learning the 1st std basics. She was defiant and applied herself diligently. She was always good in sports, dance, speech, organizing events, leadership, gardening, taking up initiatives, and teaching the newly joined young children to adjust to their new hostel environment. She started to participate in local competitions and events thanks to the exposure and encouragement provided by Vikasana and started to win awards (Rangoli, Kabbadi, Running at the district level). She began to host events and serve as the Master of Ceremonies. She even took part in a National Level Robotics competition where her team came in 3rd place. She is 24 now, pursuing her B.A. “I never dreamt about my life being so beautiful. When I was young I thought my life will be like my sister who is working day and night for one meal a day. Thanks to VIKASANA for identifying the problem in my life and for giving me such a wonderful childhood like any other child in society. My ambition is to become a great Police Officer and serve the country and its people” – Lakshmi