The youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow. But what happens when they don’t get the education and resources to build that future?
The Statista Research Department states that in 2022, about 4.3 percent of Bachelor’s degree or higher degree holders lived at or below the poverty line in the US. On the other hand, 9.3 percent of people below the poverty line were the ones who did not get any higher education or go to college at all.
Without proper education and mentoring, the youth below the poverty line get caught in the vicious cycle of poverty and lack of opportunities. Fortunately, many organizations in the US have understood these circumstances and taken the initiative to help deserving youth build a better life and future.
Today, we are going to have a look at five such organizations in America working to help the youth create a brighter future for themselves and their loved ones.
1. HC4A – Bridging Income Disparities through Education
HC4A is a non-profit and non-religious organization based in Austin, Texas. Established in 2010, the organization has the mission to ‘Bridge Income Disparities through Education’ in multiple cities in the USA, including Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Houston, and Los Angeles. (Source)
The organization aims to provide vocational scholarships to ambitious individuals who dream big and want to build a career for themselves and a happier tomorrow for their families.
In the last 13 years, it has started several programs, which include a Vocational Scholarship, Schooling Needs, and other educational support for the homeless in the US. In addition to this, HC4A also offers Workforce Training and Legacy Scholarships.
For HC4A’s incredible work, the founder of the organization, Harish Kotecha, was awarded the 2020 Sandra Neese Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY). He also received the USA President’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017. (Source)
In the year 2022, HC4A helped 7,900 students of all ethnicities achieve their dream of higher education through 200 scholarships. The organization raised over $229,000 to help the students with educational scholarships. (Source)
How to Get Involved – Donate, Volunteer Opportunities, CSR Opportunities, Fundraise with Them, and Join Their Foundation Board.
2. Pratham USA – Every Child in School and Learning
Pratham was established in 1995 to provide children in Mumbai slums with a proper education. Now, it is one of the largest and most successful non-government organizations in India.
The organization is driven by the mission, “Every child in school and learning well.” Which motivates them to impact the lives of children in India. (Source)
Currently, Pratham USA has 14 chapters all over the United States. This volunteer-driven organization raises awareness and funds to help the youth in India.
“Pratham USA ranks among the top 3% of all nonprofits in America, consistently achieving a four-star rating from Charity Navigator for “sound fiscal management” and “commitment to accountability and transparency.” (Source)
For their exceptional work, Pratham and co-founder Dr. Madhav Chavan received the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship in 2011 in recognition of their low-cost education programs.
“Madhav Chavan is transforming India’s approach to children’s literacy and education. His unwavering insistence on universal education and his work to engage community volunteers in the quest for literacy has already reached more than 34 million children, offering a proven model for the entire world.” – Sally Osberg, President and CEO of the Skoll Foundation (Source)
Since then, the organization has been continuously awarded and appreciated for its groundbreaking work.
At the end of 2023, Pratham announced on its Facebook page that its campaign had helped an additional 1 million children. These children got to read and do basic math through Pratham’s foundational learning program.
How to Get Involved – Donate, Join Their Team, Visit a Present Program in India, Involve Your Company, Planned Giving, Join a Chapter, LEADer Circle, Volunteer, and Start a Fundraiser.
3. Sewa USA – Serving Humanity, Empowering Lives
Sewa International was established in 2003 and is active in 20 countries. It is a Hindu faith-based, humanitarian, nonprofit service organization that serves humanity regardless of race, color, religion, gender, or nationality. At present, they have positively impacted the neighborhoods of over 40 chapters in the USA.
The organization has the vision “to be the preeminent Hindu faith-based, humanitarian organization that serves selflessly and with compassion to create a positive impact. We envision and strive for a world in which all people live in harmony, free from suffering.” (Source)
In addition to this, it works with the mission “to serve humanity in distress, aid local communities, run developmental projects for the underserved, and assist people in transformational change through the power of innovation by mobilizing partners, donors, and volunteers.” (Source)
With more than 700 partner organizations, Sewa has projects running in the US, Colombia, Guyana, India, Kenya, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
Their services include disaster response in the US, Community Education, Women Empowerment, Volunteer Development, and Family Welfare Service.
The organization has impacted a wide range of people throughout various countries. It has already:
- Helped 1.0 + Million Students
- Assisted 2.0 + Million Disaster Victims
- Trained 25,000 + Students in Vocational Training
- Empowered 2,000 + Women
- Helped 3.0 + Million COVID Patients
- Distributed 31,000 + Hygiene Info Kits
(Source)
How to Get Involved– Support Their Campaigns, Volunteering Opportunities, Internship, and more.
4. Ekal USA: Bringing Literacy, Healthcare, & Prosperity
The roots of Ekal USA go back to 1980s India. The first Ekal school was established in 1986. Since then, it has expanded and now has over 80,000 schools in remote villages in India.
Ekal USA was founded in 2001. Now, Ekal has 70 chapters across the US, which has helped them expand and build the 80,000 schools to help the youth. (Source)
The vision of the organization is “Empowering Rural India’s Changemakers,” and the mission is “Bringing literacy, healthcare, and economic prosperity to remote villages in India.”
Although Ekal’s primary program is education, it has been promoting digital literacy in the villages and running integrated programs that include women empowerment, health services, sustainable agriculture, jobs, and skills training.
Currently, the organization has an international network of 400,000 volunteers, which is bringing it closer to its goal of reaching 36,000 integrated villages by 2030. (Source)
The organization has impacted many lives since its establishment in 1989. It has:
- Built 80,000 Schools.
- Helped 10 million girls and boys gain literacy.
- Made 20,000 youth digitally literate.
- 2.8 million children currently enrolled.
- Helped 855,000 gain access to healthcare.
- Got 17,400 women vocationally trained.
- Helped 90,000 youth and adults gain skills training.
(Source)
How to Get Involved: Donate for Schools, Support Projects, Volunteer, Visit a School, Fundraise for Ekal, Planned Giving.
5. Girls Who Code: Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion
Girls Who Code is a non-profit organization that values diversity, equity, and inclusion, which is the lifeblood of its mission. The organization aims to close the gender gap in the technology sector and change the stereotypes related to programmers. By 2030, the organization hopes to have closed the gender gap in new entry-level tech jobs. (Source)
The organization focuses on working with girls from minority groups, including African-American/Black, Hispanic or Latina, Bi/ Multiracial, Native American/Alaskan, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. It also works with girls who come from low income backgrounds and have a lack of exposure to computer science.
Girls Who Code is open to all women/girls, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, gender identity and expression, class, sexual orientation, ability, age, national origin, and religious/spiritual identities. (Source)
The organization offers three main programs for different ages of girls. The programs include the Clubs Program, College and Career Programs, and Summer Programs. Presently, it has over 6,300 programs running worldwide. (Source)
Girls Who Code has already reached a large number of girls all around the world. It has:
- Engaged 14.6B girls through online resources, campaigns, books, and advocacy work
- Trained 580,000 Women And Nonbinary Individuals in Coding through in-person programming, including our Summer Immersion Program, Clubs, and College Loops
- Alumni opting for computer science degrees or related areas at a rate 7 times the national average.
(Source)
How to Get Involved: Start a Club, Fundraiser, Partner, and Campaign.
Final Thoughts
All five organizations mentioned above are appreciated not just in the US but all over the world for their commendable work for the youth. Whether they are girls who want to enter the field of computer science or youth living below the line of poverty, these organizations are doing their best to help them build a better future for themselves and respectful lives for their families.
You can get involved with these organizations through the “How to Get Involved” link added after each organization’s description. There are many ways in which you can be a part of the greater good and build a better world—a world where the youth can build a wonderful career for themselves.
