A fundraising event to mark 25th anniversary of Shanti Bhavan as well as the launch of the UK Chapter was held on December 1 at the House of Lords.
Lord Waverley, who recently visited the Shanti Bhavan campus in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India, hosted the event . Ajit George, director of operations at Shanti Bhavan, Lord Shinkwin, Lord Collins of Highbury, Lord Alton of Liverpool and Lord Leong have attended the event.
The meeting saw an overall participation of 89 people including donors, previous volunteers, and the UK Chapter board members.
Founded by Dr Abraham George, Shanti Bhavan provides education for children born into India’s lowest socioeconomic class, from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade, providing additional support through college and their early career.
Recently, the organisation was featured in the Netflix docu-series Daughters of Destiny.
“If we invest in children from disenfranchised communities and give them the education, resources, support, and love that they need, they will thrive,” said Dr George. “What we set out to achieve 25 years ago with Shanti Bhavan is coming to fruition. Our students are attending university and working in high-paying professions––the first in their families to do so.
“More than that, they pay it forward, changing their families and their communities forever. It has created a ripple effect, and we will–with the help of contributors–uplift thousands from poverty, permanently.”
The Shanti Bhavan UK Chapter was founded this year. The event was held to raise awareness across the country about Shanti Bhavan’s impact and contribute to its fundraising efforts for current and future projects, a statement said.
These projects include repairing and renovating our current campus, expanding our school’s rigorous curriculum, and of course, building our second school, it added.
In 1997, Shanti Bhavan Residential School opened its doors and welcomed 24 girls and 24 boys in their first Preschool and Kindergarten classes.
With 169 total graduates, and 280 students enrolled for the 2022-2023 school year, the school promotes academic achievement, instills values of global citizenship, and emphasizes leadership development.
More events to mark the anniversary will be held in Chicago and New York on December 10, and in San Francisco and Australia next year.
