Sakhiya Yagnik Pravinbhai, from Surat, was able to pursue a degree in Technology using Educate 2 Graduate scholarship funds administered through Higher Education Support Trust. His father is employed as a diamond worker, earning Rs. 110,000 yearly. After graduating in 2021, Sakhiya began working at Sprinklr in Bangalore, earning an annual salary of Rs. 3 million.

Patel Kuldeep Jashubhai, from Mehsana, finished his secondary course of study with high grades, and through Educate 2 Graduate funding administered through the Higher Education Support Trust (HEST), he was able to successfully complete his education in Information and Communication Technology. His father had separated from the family and his mother did not work, so the family’s income was just Rs. 12,000 per year, provided by his sister. An example of a student rising up from the poorest segment of society, after graduating in 2017, Patel secured a job with Amazon, initially earning Rs. 2.7 million. After 4 years there, he began working with Google, earning an annual salary of Rs. 10 million.

Muskan’s parents are her biggest inspiration. They reside in Pune, where her father is an electrician and her mother is a homemaker. Throughout her childhood, Muskan watched as her family struggled to make ends meet due to her father’s unstable income. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, their financial situation tightened even more. Muskan saw the emotional stigma attached to her parents’ lack of education and the stereotypes associated with her community. Despite this, with unwavering support from her family, she applied to Share & Care’s Educate 2 Graduate scholarship program through the Lila Poonawalla Foundation (LPF). Muskan is now working toward her bachelor’s degree from the Allana College of Pharmacy, and she is doing extremely well in her studies.

When Mrudula’s father passed away, her mother struggled financially and began looking for assistance to keep the family afloat. Mrudula was an excellent student, earning great results on her 12th grade exams. Knowing that her mother wouldn’t be able to pay for her higher education, she applied for an Educate 2 Graduate scholarship administered through the Lila Poonawalla Foundation, and she was selected. She has been making the most of this opportunity, participating in all of the skill-building and training activities available to her. She is currently working toward her bachelor’s degree in computer science from the MIT Institute of Art, Design, and Technology in Loni Kalbhor, Pune.

Manju is a nurse at Sree Balaji Medical College and hospital in Channai who works tirelessly to help vulnerable patients get the care they need. Her father is an agricultural farmer, earning just Rs. 6,000 per month, so growing up, Manju struggled to afford books and other items required for school. There was little hope that she would be able to pursue higher education until she learned of the Educate 2 Graduate scholarships, funded by Share & Care and administered by Kalanjiyam. The kindness and support she received later inspired her during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Manju was part of the first line of defense when the pandemic struck, caring for children in the pediatric ward. She felt helpless when she saw children dying because their parents could not afford to send them elsewhere for more advanced treatment. Manju reflected on the training and support she received through the E2G program, and she decided to apply that model and do her best to help these families. She found various financial trusts and connected them with the parents of sick children. Her work saved many young lives. The scholarship Manju received not only financially supported her throughout nursing school, but also gave her the motivation and skills to create an impact in her community.

Umang Marsonia is a brilliant recipient of an Educate 2 Graduate scholarship, distributed through the Sister Nivedita Foundation in Rajkot. Umang had a keen interest in electrical engineering, hoping to work in the field one day, but the fees for his education were too high for his parents to afford without help. With an E2G scholarship of Rs. 40,000 annually, he was able to complete his bachelor’s degree in technology earlier this year from V.V.P. Engineering College in Pune.

During his time there, Umang excelled in his studies, and under the direction of a few of his main professors, he designed and built an electric bicycle that could carry up to 375 pounds for almost 40 miles on a single charge. Umang received recognition for his e-cycle at the “E-Mobility: An Approach to Green Energy” conference hosted by the Devang Mehta Foundation. Despite fierce competition from his peers, his project won the first-place prize of Rs. 100,000. Umang’s work will make transportation more affordable and environmentally friendly, causing an immeasurable ripple effect.

Umang is currently working as an automotive engineer for KPIT Engineering in Pune. He reflects on the support he received from Share & Care and SNF often and credits them with his success. He plans to give back to the program, helping other deserving students achieve their dreams.

As a child, Varsha Baraiya loved music, painting, henna art, and cooking. She was a fantastic student, and she loved helping her siblings study and succeed in school, too. She aspired to become a doctor, and her hard work in school paid off, earning her a place in the K.J. Mehta General Hospital and College of Medical Sciences in Gujarat. Despite her successful admission to the college, Varsha and her family were concerned about expenses. Varsha’s parents were poor farm workers, earning far too little to pay for her medical education, but they were diligent in searching for a way to send her. Varsha learned about the Educate 2 Graduate scholarship program and Sister Nivedita Foundation from a friend, and she excitedly applied. Her application was accepted, and she completed her degree. She now earns a comfortable salary of Rs. 57,000 per month, six times more than her father ever earned. However, Varsha spends most of her money helping her family pay off their debts, and she is supporting her siblings financially as they complete their own schooling.

Dipa Ruparel knew from an early age that she wanted to become a doctor. She excelled throughout her school years, and her performance on her 12th grade exams earned her admission to medical school. However, her family’s difficult financial situation presented a barrier to her attendance. Her father, the only wage earner in the family, owns a small shop in Junagadh in Gujarat, but his salary of Rs. 75,000 per year just covered the basic expenses for their household of five. When looking for a way to make her dreams a reality, Dipa found the Sister Nivedita Foundation and learned about the opportunity to apply for an Educate 2 Graduate scholarship. She was delighted, and Share & Care’s support allowed her to attend. She earned a place at the top of her class each year, and Dr. Dipa Ruparel and her husband now operate their own clinic in Ahmedabad and have opened a new hospital as well. The support Dipa received throughout medical school ensured her bright future, and she alone now earns ten times her family’s original income each year. She is so grateful to Share & Care to be able to live out her dream of working as a doctor.

Suraj Gohel, born to a tailor and a housewife, lives in Jivapar, a small village of Rajkot district in Gujarat. He showed academic promise and a hardworking spirit from an early age. Suraj completed the exams at the end of secondary school with excellent grades, securing his admission to the prestigious Institute of Rural Management in Anand. He received an Educate 2 Graduate scholarship through the Sister Nivedita Foundation (SNF), which operates out of Rajkot, allowing him to earn his Master’s in Business Administration. He is now working at Vistaar Finance, earning an annual salary of Rs. 1 million, breaking himself and his family free from the cycle of poverty. While Suraj greatly appreciates the financial support he received during his education, he says that he is most grateful to have learned of the importance of charitable giving. He now plans to donate in perpetuity to help deserving students achieve their dreams, just as he was helped to achieve his.