Neha’s actions
The situation left such an impression on Neha, that she went straight home to the suburbs of Philadelphia and embarked on her first fundraiser. Going door to door, and reaching out to friends, she collected toys and goods for a garage sale which netted around $800. Inspired by her success, she sought further donations from friends, family and the general public. A year later, she returned to India with $5,000 to fund a library, food, clothes and blankets for the children of the orphanage.
Empower Orphans
In 2009, when she was 9 years old she started her own organization, Empower Orphans. Education and health are central in Neha’s vision. Empower Orphans sponsors the education of individual children with food, clothing, health care and medical supplies. They also have established libraries, computer labs, a science center and a sewing center, in several schools in India.
As time passed, Neha saw that there were American children in her region who also desperately needed help. So why stop at only helping children in India? Neha made sure her organization expanded its reach to Pennsylvania. At her University in Pennsylvania, she started a Penn State Chapter for Empower Orphans op. The aim of the chapter is to encourage her fellow students to take action and to help underprivileged children.
