Today on International Youth Day (12 Aug 2021), ICA invites you to support the Youth Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Action, Development (LEAD) program. ICA's vision is to empower a secure and healthy life for all in a sustainable environment, and to create a just society through collective action by all including our youth. ICA is helping the youth of today, to be the next generation of leaders.

One element of the LEAD program is volunteering for 2-3 weeks in India at one of ICA-supported NGOs that serve the underserved. Past participants have praised the life-changing experience. It exposes them to a different culture and the health, education and environmental challenges faced by them due to limited economic opportunities.

LEAD is designed for U.S. students between the ages of 16-22 (High School and Undergraduate students). Participating students will work with under-privileged, economically challenged communities to develop an understanding of the complex issues pertaining to health, education, environment, culture and much more. They will work side-by-side with dedicated NGO volunteers who spend their life in service to help needy communities.

The first group of 15 students will go to Lok Biradari Prakalp (LBP) in Hemalkasa, run by Dr Prakash Amte and his family. As many of you know, ICA has supported LBP for over 15 years. The school in Hemalkasa is a 100% residential school, where 750 tribal students live in campus hostels. The students from the U.S. will be housed there, in limited space that is available for visitors. Our current plan is to travel there during the winter break in Dec '21 - Jan '22 when the weather is not as disruptive. Ms Padma Chari and Ms. Manisha Puranik will chaperone the group, possibly with one additional volunteer.

The program is intended to foster a sense of altruism in the students. This is a two-way opportunity where students on both sides benefit: exposure and understanding is the key to ever-lasting impact.

Students are responsible for paying most of the trip expenses with the support from their parents, family and friends.

Even so, programs such as these can only be sustained and scaled by additional funding. These students will also be carrying out a few philanthropic activities in education and sports by donating 40 Kindle readers as well as sports gear for the students and athletes of Hemalkasa - all funded by donations received by ICA.

We request your generous donation for this LEAD program and for this planned trip in December!

Please stay tuned, and visit www.Icaonline.org/Youth to learn more and see periodic updates.

During India's devastating second wave, you, dear ICA family, rose to the occasion. You opened your hearts, and met the urgent need to support those on the ground with your generous contributions. ICA used the funds you provided to support NGOs working tirelessly to help those in need all over India. THANK YOU for your generosity, which made this possible.

We raised $117,205 in 6 weeks and distributed $85,601 to 26 NGOs in India. We distributed masks, oximeters, thermometers, dry ration kits, fresh cooked meals and cash payments.

The 90-minute program focuses on the exploitation of people worldwide, especially children, with a spotlight on India.

At any given moment, an estimated 40.3 million people are being victimized in situations of trafficking and exploitation worldwide. According to the International Labor Organization, 25% of these are children.

For every two COVID-19 deaths worldwide, one child is left without a parent or caregiver. In the words of 2014 Nobel Peace Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi, whose organization Bachpan Bachao Andolan works to protect vulnerable children, this is not simply a health crisis or economic crisis: "This is the crisis of justice, of humanity, of childhood, of the future of an entire generation."

Join us and listen to experienced perspectives on human trafficking from two of the most recognized women in India combating the problem for more than a decade: Hasina Kharibh of Impulse Network based in Shillong and Triveni Acharya of Rescue Foundation based in Mumbai.

Coming to you on Thursday, September 9, 2021 at 7:30 PM. Register here

On June 7, Dr. Priyanjali Datta (Founder of Aaroogya International) moderated an informative conversation with Dr. Nagendra Prasad (Consul General of India, San Francisco) and Dr. S.V. Mahadevan (Professor of Emergency Medicine, Stanford University).

During the first wave of the pandemic, due to a unexpectedly low case load, there was a tendency to think that India would not be as hard hit as other countries. But as normal life resumed, the virus was quietly spreading, and India's healthcare system was not prepared to deal with the crisis. In the words of Dr. Mahadevan, during the first wave, some of us knew someone who died. In the second wave, all of us knew someone who died. This is the time to prepare for the inevitable third wave.
Watch the video here

Hailing from Shillong, Meghalaya and a dental surgeon by training, Dr. Priyanjali Datta calls herself a creative entrepreneur. She has built 4 startups, produced 3 documentary films on women's health, social taboos in India and gender equity. Aaroogya International Foundation is a technology-led social enterprise, whose mission is to prevent cancer deaths in women worldwide. Its multilingual and Artificial Intelligence-based My HealthLine mobile application equips frontline healthcare workers like ASHA/ ANMs in India and Africa to screen women for a complete reproductive health check-up at their doorstep.

In her words, "If anyone wants to help Aaroogya, give our frontline healthcare workers smartphones, internet, and technology infrastructure."

When the pandemic struck, Aaroogya grew 100-fold, as digital forms of healthcare services became primarily the source of solutions across borders.

Dr. Datta spoke with ICA about Aaroogya's work before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccine hesitancy, and how to prepare for the inevitable third wave.
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Previous Issues

• President: Reshma Nigam
• VP, Strategy 3.0: Prakash Agarwal
• Secretary: Abhay Bhushan
• Treasurer: Jayashree Desale
• Project Chair: Govind Desale
• Content Chair: Mayuranki Almaula
• Marketing Chair: Sharmila Kumar
• Women's Leadership Chair: Lata Patil
• Youth & Initiatives Chair: Padma Chari

Indians for Collective Action (ICA)
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