A project of hope
Abhilasha Project aims to change the world through education
IN THE MIDST of poverty, hope shines for some. Based on the Hindi word “Abhilasha,” which means hope, a local group called the Abhilasha Project works toward helping underprivileged children with disabilities in India. The project is a Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO)–funded club that seeks to help raise funds for the Abhilasha school in India and raise awareness of education problems in the country. Founded in 1995, the Abhilasha school is dedicated to educating blind and handicapped children who come from poverty-stricken families and is a non-profit organization.
Third-year civil law student Amena Ali founded the U of O chapter that supports the national project. She saw the Abhilasha school for the first time on a recent trip to India and was overwhelmed by the work to be done.
“All these years, I didn’t really know [what needed to be done] until I actually went there,” said Ali. “I think we are all so blessed here that it’s not even an option for us not to go to school.”
Ali explained the difficulties of receiving education in developing countries.
“In countries like India, many families just can’t afford to send their children with disabilities to school. The children end up begging on the street instead,” said Ali. “We really feel that children can do something with their lives [if we] help them get an education. And we think that education is the ultimate catalyst for a change in the world.”
Currently, the Abhilasha Project has three chapters—one at the U of O, one at McGill University, and one at Marianopolis College in Montreal.
“The Abhilasha Project [at the U of O] is a great place to meet people with similar interests and goals,” said first-year international development and globalization student Cassandra Pilla, an executive member of the club.
“As [students] in university, we should clearly support education around the world. People don’t get the same kind of access to education as we do in Canada, and it is important for people to realize that,” she continued.
The Abhilasha Project has organized a wide range of events throughout the year, according to Amena, including a karaoke night in the Unicentre Terminus. Last semester, the club raised over $3,000 by organizing a concert in Montreal. In the past, they have also organized a wake-a-thon where participants stayed up all night to raise approximately $5,000 for the school.
The next event coming up for the club is a dance-a-thon, which will take place March 26. “We have two main goals,” explained Amena. “One is fundraising and the other is raising awareness about developing countries—especially about education of children with disabilities.”
Anyone who is interested in joining the Abhilasha Project or would like more information about its events can visit abhilashaproject.org.
