My name is Sumedha Dandapanthula, and I’m 12 years old. I’m in eighth grade and I love books, games, and most of all, biking. This year I am going to do the STP event, which is a biking event for 206 miles, from Seattle to Portland, with my dad and friends. I’m a part of Junior Asha, a division of Asha for teenagers like me to help support a cause.
We volunteer time and raise funds for Asha for Education, a 100% volunteer based nonprofit organization, that helps empower the underprivileged children in India by providing access to education. Last year, I visited one of the homes for abandoned girls with my mom. The girls were humble, happy and confident. Seeing the kids really made me feel the need to start providing more to them, so I joined Junior Asha. Around the same time my dad and his friends started training for the STP. I wanted to join them to spread the awareness in the community and raise funds for Asha.
I’ve always loved biking, but training for such a long ride is definitely not easy. It requires a lot of stamina and the willingness to continue and follow through. Waking up early in the chilly March mornings over the weekends, biking in scorching heat in June, pedaling for more than 8 hours, riding the elevations, and sharing the road with traffic are few among the challenges I faced. There were a lot of times I felt tired and exhausted, but remembering the girls really helped me push harder and work towards my goal. It would motivate me even more if you donate some money, in any amount. As part of Junior Asha, we support Adruta Home, a center for abandoned children in 10 centers across the state of Orissa. Your donations are tax deductible and 97% of the donations will be sent to the project. My goal is to raise $500. Thank you for your consideration.