Rajat's Race to Educate

Fundraising for Vibha Striders 2021

Thank you for visiting my fundraising page! As some of you know, I have been training for my first half marathon, which I'll run on Nov. 14th. I'm training with a volunteer-run non-profit organization called Vibha, a wonderful organization that I have volunteered for as well. Their mission of extending education access to children in India is very close to my heart.

People near and dear to me have been denied basic access to education in their life, largely due to lack of funds and diversion of limited resources to the male child. Especially in the past 18 months, those of us in privileged societies have witnessed the impact the pandemic has had on the mental health of our children, nieces and nephews. This impact has been more deeply felt for students isolated from their peers and other support systems traditionally provided by the educational system. Vibha is not only extending access to education, but also trying to get kids back in schools to start the healing process from the pandemic. Your support will accelerate this process.

Will you help me reach my goal of raising $2,500 towards this cause?

Per the last report in Aug 2019, 32 million Indian children had never been to any school, with the pandemic only making matters worse. Vibha has touched and improved the lives of 2.3 million children, with 95+% of all donations going towards the children.

Every little bit helps. If your company has a donation matching program, your contribution can be doubled or tripled:
● $50 - funds rehabilitation of a child with learning disability
● $100 - funds educational materials for five children
● $200 - funds libraries with pictorial books in two villages
● $500 - funds immunizations for 15 children
● $1,000 - funds a small education center for 28 children

We still have a long way to go, and I hope you'll consider donating towards narrowing down this gap.

Muskan's Story

Muskan, a 9-year old girl hails from a lower economic joint family of 10 members living in a small 4 room house in rural Madhya Pradesh. Lack of room to study in her house combined with the lack of support from her parents left Muskan with bare reading/writing skills when she was first introduced to Bharti from Samavesh - a Vibha supported project. Additionally, Muskan was quiet and sad with low confidence because of her subpar academic skills and was subjected to peer bullying.

Bharti started off by getting to know Muskan at a personal level by enabling her to be expressive  and by negating bullying in his class. Gradually but steadily with enormous hard-work and efforts, Muskan made excellent progress in her reading/writing skills and explaining abilities. She became proficient in math,reading and writing good stories as well as in art. Today, as a class 7 student Muskan reads a lot and helps younger students as needed in summer camps held by Samavesh. And she wants to pursue teaching as her career in future!

Vibha has been funding and mentoring Samavesh society’s CUBEQ program (Creating an Urban Basefor  Education Quality) near Bhopal, MP, since 2014. The program aims to improve the quality of education in public schools through focus on activity based learning.

With your support, Vibha can create many more success stories like Muskan's.

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Vibha is committed to bringing together both the public and private sector to strengthen infrastructure and provide mechanisms for sustainable access to education. Through Vibha's model of seed, scale, and grow, our projects, as an example, have helped expand public education programs from 15 to 43,000 schools in one state in India. As a result, this success has now become the template to expand to other states.

We believe that molding young minds will give them the freedom to choose a better life. 

Every dollar we raise, is another massive step to helping these kids achieve their dreams.

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Vibha Striders is Vibha’s premier marathon training program. We provide marathon training to new as well as experienced athletes in a close-knit family environment. We strive to help you make running a part of your active lifestyle, stay injury free, and get to the finish line while having a lot of fun!

About Vibha

At Vibha, we believe education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. Since 1991, we have transformed the lives of 4.8 million children, empowering them through access to quality public education. As a platinum-rated, volunteer-driven nonprofit, Vibha collaborates with grassroots organizations, government agencies, and communities across India and the USA to enhance learning outcomes in government schools, providing equal opportunities for all children.

Our multifaceted approach focuses on addressing specific educational needs, investing in professional development for educators, integrating technology to drive data-informed decisions, and engaging communities to create lasting impact. We partner with stakeholders at every level, ensuring long-term sustainability and meaningful progress.

What sets Vibha apart is its network of highly skilled professionals from various sectors, united by a shared vision of transforming education. Our volunteers, donors, and supporters bring expertise and passion to the mission, making real change possible.

With over $24 million raised and invested in proven educational models, Vibha remains committed to building a brighter future for children. Together, we are not just supporters but partners for change, working towards a more inclusive and prosperous society.

All donations to Vibha are tax deductible. Vibha is a 501(c)(3) organization, registered in the USA in the State of New Jersey. Vibha's Tax ID is 22-3122761.