Running for a Cause
Donation protected
As I head into the final stretch of my graduate studies, I want to take the time to honor the experience that started it all. In the summer of 2011 I had the opportunity to volunteer with Aarti Home, an organization in Kadapa, India that works to create gender equality in India and end female infanticide.
Aarti works with both children and mothers and within its organization hosts a shelter for abandoned children, a school, and training and awareness programs to bring an end to the mindset that female children are less valuable than males.
It was during my time in India that I was fortunate enough to create therapeutic programs for the children's home as well as work with teachers on how to create interactive lesson plans. My time in India was a time where I learned the stories of these beautiful, strong, incredible children who had gone through more hardship than I could ever imagine and were still able to keep a smile on their face. One of my favorite moments at Aarti came during a conversation I was having with one of the older girls, Jyothi, who was then 16. She stated, "You know Elle, life is like a rose. We all have thorns to overcome, but once we reach the top of the flower there are rose pedals and those pedals are our happiness. It is you volunteers who help us get past the thorns and to the pedals. You help us find our happiness."
While my education and career have since brought me back to North America, I continue to look for ways to support this wonderful organization which played such a huge role in shaping me both personally and professionally. On July 19th, I will be running the Chicago Half Marathon in honor of Aarti Home. All funds that I raise will go directly to the home, as they are desperately in need of a new school bus that will allow students in the remote parts of the village to access to all the programs Aarti offers. I would appreciate any support possible and truly thank you for your consideration.
For more information on Aarti Home please check out their website at
http://www.aartiforgirls.org/
Aarti works with both children and mothers and within its organization hosts a shelter for abandoned children, a school, and training and awareness programs to bring an end to the mindset that female children are less valuable than males.
It was during my time in India that I was fortunate enough to create therapeutic programs for the children's home as well as work with teachers on how to create interactive lesson plans. My time in India was a time where I learned the stories of these beautiful, strong, incredible children who had gone through more hardship than I could ever imagine and were still able to keep a smile on their face. One of my favorite moments at Aarti came during a conversation I was having with one of the older girls, Jyothi, who was then 16. She stated, "You know Elle, life is like a rose. We all have thorns to overcome, but once we reach the top of the flower there are rose pedals and those pedals are our happiness. It is you volunteers who help us get past the thorns and to the pedals. You help us find our happiness."
While my education and career have since brought me back to North America, I continue to look for ways to support this wonderful organization which played such a huge role in shaping me both personally and professionally. On July 19th, I will be running the Chicago Half Marathon in honor of Aarti Home. All funds that I raise will go directly to the home, as they are desperately in need of a new school bus that will allow students in the remote parts of the village to access to all the programs Aarti offers. I would appreciate any support possible and truly thank you for your consideration.
For more information on Aarti Home please check out their website at
http://www.aartiforgirls.org/
Organizer
Elle Sypek
Organizer
Chicago, IL