Run by an Indo-Canadian, Aim for Seva aims to empower underprivileged children in India
By Ajit Jain
TheIndianDiaspora.com
Sep 30, 2014
Toronto: “Let’s leave our mark on this planet by changing human lives.”
This is the slogan with which Dr Terry Papneja, founder of Aim for Seva (Toronto Chapter) prefaced his power point presentation at the fund raising gala on Sept 14 at the Pearson Convention Center in Toronto.
Over 800 people were seated in the majestic hall at the recent Gala dinner, all vying to help this brand name charity whose vision is to ‘educate and empower children’. The charity, under leadership of Papneja and his wife Nimmi, have already raised over $3-million, highest amount compared to other Aim for Seva chapters globally, all involved in helping raise funds to ‘educate children from remote villages through its free student homes.”
Mike Lakhani has donated close to $200,000 to Aim for Seva. The hostel that he donated three years back is already running in Khategaon in Madhya Pradesh. At this gala, he donated lease of One Mazda for two years at a total cost of $17,000 + week-end use of Mercedes that he said he himself won at a Golf tournament.
“I gave the money for the hostel three years back and I have twice gone to Khategaon to see the hostel for myself. “It is absolutely phenomenal. We have a total of 225 girls in the hostel and the school together. Someone donated us the farm where we built the hostel and then the school. We have 85 girls in the hostel,” Lakhani said in an interview.
“Altogether we are looking at $250,000 cost of this project.”
Mike Lakhani is also making efforts to establish a $2-million endowment fund that will in perpetuity pay for the maintenance of the hostel and the school.
“We are not just giving money. We are getting totally involved in the quality of education. We are looking at the recreational aspects. We are now putting internet there.”
Mike Lakhani has donated close to $200,000 to Aim for Seva
Lakhani has a message for the community: “We are so fortunate… we all have what we want. We do not appreciate what other kids in India are not getting. In our school in Khategaon, 75% of girls are under-privileged and tribal girls. There are two swamis who run the school and our rule is that 75% of all students have to be tribal, under-privileged girls.
“There are so many opportunities and education is the crust,” emphasized Lakhani. “You can’t do anything but give them education. Everybody should take a serious look at how far your dollar goes. Instead of just giving donations, look at the results. You donate to an organization like Aim for Seva, where there’s total transparency for each dollar that you donate. As an auditor I know first-hand how most charities have 40% over-head expenses and only 60% of what they raise goes for charitable work. In case of Aim for Seva, 100% raised goes to India and they would actually show the results of your dollar.”
“I have a dream,” Terry Papneja refers to wishes of a poor child in India, any under-privileged child. “The question is how many children’s dreams do we want to fulfil?” laying emphasis on their motto: ‘Give a man a fish, and you have fed him for a day. Teach a man how to fish, and you have fed him for a lifetime.’