Board member Payal Hegde grew up in India and saw first-hand how important education is for every child. That experience is what led her to Sister Schools.
“It has always been my firm belief that Education is every child's basic right” she says. “It is a gift to read and write. Growing up in India, I tried to teach kids [who could not afford to go to school] reading and writing. This helped me experience the joy of seeing kids smile when they could read a story.”
When Payal was looking for ways to give back to the community, she was naturally drawn to education nonprofits and Sister Schools was a perfect fit. “Small help matters,” she says. “Giving back to the community matters.” And what better way to give back than by partnering with an organization that both matches her passion and simultaneously helps foster generosity in young leaders?
At Sister Schools we empower students to change the world. Whether it’s equipping Seattle students with the skills, knowledge, and opportunity to help their peers, or equipping Ugandan students with the tools needed to pursue their education, the result is the same: a new generation of leaders who are compassionate, engaged, and hopeful for a brighter future.
Board member Payal is of course just one of many supporters who are inspired by the way we equip and inspire children on both sides of the globe.
Manuela, one of our Seattle parents, was also excited by the impact she saw first-hand when her daughter and her friends participated in our program. “Participating in Sister Schools made a difference in the way they see helping,” she says. “Not only in their community but far away in the lives of other children. We get to learn about other countries, other cultures... and then by giving we are also receiving.”
Both Manuela and Payal sum up beautifully what Sister Schools is, and why we are all so passionate about this program. Education is every child’s basic right. Small help does matter. And you can’t give without also receiving.
Have you received something through your partnership with Sister Schools, whether as a parent, a board member, a participant, a teacher, or a donor? We would love to hear your story!