Championing Change: Ekal Youth Leading Empowerment of India’s Villages

HOUSTON: On a beautiful, bright, and breezy April morning, Ekal Houston held its 2nd annual walkathon on April 20th, Saturday. This event drew the participation of esteemed guests Surendran Pattel, 240th District Court Judge, Fort Bend County, and Vijay Pallod, Hindus of Greater Houston board member, and Yogesh Patel, Ekal’s regional President. The event showcased the commitment of Ekal, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing education for children in rural India and empowering women and men through skills training. Ekal 365, a core initiative of Ekal, offers the opportunity to educate about 30 children per each school in India’s rural and tribal villages. This program costs just $1 a day or $365 a year, for one school. 

It seemed that the youth couldn’t have picked a better day for this event. The impact of this program, coupled with the enthusiasm of the youth volunteers, highlights the transformative potential of collective action.

Led by chapter president Rajeev Aluru, the Houston Chapter of Ekal embarked on a new approach for this year’s walkathon. Each volunteer was tasked with inviting 3 individuals, who in turn were encouraged to engage 3 more, creating a ripple effect of participation. This “3×3” approach was wildly successful, and will see continued use in Ekal’s future events.