Life Global & Project ‘Life’ raise $1 million for education and women’s empowerment projects in India

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The philanthropic organizations, Life Global in US and Project ‘Life’ in India, held a fund raising gala August 11, 2024, at the ITV Gold auditorium in Edison, NJ. The gala in New Jersey, and a gathering in Texas held recently, raised $1 million and counting, for expanding education and women’s empowerment projects for those most in need in Gujarat and elsewhere in India.

More than 150 supporters and well-wishers attended the successful gala in New Jersey, and watched videos on the initiatives undertaken in India, including the 108 schools already built for underserved areas and the future schools in the pipeline; impact of training projects to empower women to help them and their families and communities out of poverty, as well as environmental projects.

Several leaders of the two organizations addressed the gathering, including Padma Shri recipient Dr. Sudhir Parikh, chairman of Parikh Worldwide Media and ITV Gold, and Global Chairman of Life Global; Dr. Arun Palkhiwala, president of Life Global USA ; Amar Shah, founder, treasurer and secretary of Life Global USA; Meetal Koticha Shah, Joint Executive Trustee and CEO of Project ‘Life’ and Rushikesh Pandya, chief development officer and COO of Project ‘Life’. A young social activist who went to India to see the impact of projects, Meera Bhat, also spoke, as did her father Nailesh Bhat who praised the resilience and strength of those in dire circumstances.

The Indian Consulate in New York was represented by Head of Chancery Vishal Harsh.

Dr. Parikh welcomed Consul Harsh, and supporters and well-wishers and gave a brief history of the work being done by Project ‘Life’ and Life Global which had chapters in Canada, Australia, UK, and Middle East, and East Asia, apart from New York/New Jersey, California and Texas in the US. He also mentioned the 109^th school being built in Khedbrahma to replace the 125-year old school Mahatma Gandhi built. It would house 200 students from needy families.

On women’s empowerment, he said, “So far I think we have empowered 12,000 plus women and our goal is to make it 40,000 by end of the 2025-26,” he said.

Arun Palkhiwala, in his speech, welcomed Consul Harsh, and went on to emphasize how Life Global makes sure that every dollar received from donors is stretched to the farthest extent. “That is one of the jobs that we have to make sure that whatever the donation we get it is being used in the right way, the way you wanted and it is fully accountable,” he said. The aim was to make all the US chapters work as one, he said, to make their impact even greater.

Amar Shah, who not only co-founded Life Global, but has a longtime involvement with Share & Care Foundation, and is involved with numerous charities, spoke about his commitment to raise the standard of living for all, with a focus on farmers in India, and using energy efficient technologies. Shah also made some special announcements on large donor commitments, including an endowment fund by Anju Pravin Ajmera’s family to empower 25 women annually with a $110,000 commitment; Dr. Nalini Vassa’s pledge of $225,000 for school infrastructure development in Gujarat’s Saurashtra region; and Dr. Prafulla Patel commitment of $100,000 to support Project ‘Life’, showcasing a strong community backing for the charity’s ongoing projects.

Meetal Koticha Shah told Desi Talk, “The event was so exciting and we are fully energized. Almost a million dollars was raised! We are off to California and keeping our fingers crossed and look to a successful event there as well.” She said the organizations also received support for the Thalassemia control initiative. “We can definitely eliminate this genetic disease in the years to come.” She thanked Dr. Parikh “for making the effort to organize this event.” During the gala, she stressed how prevention is the sole cure for Thalassemia, and how Project ‘Life’ actively promotes the Thalassemia Control & Prevention Program with the aim of ending the disease in Gujarat and all of India.  She dwelt on the organization’s origins, starting with a modest contribution of Rs. 101 by Shashikant and Chandrakant Koticha, and Kirit Vass to having an impact on more than 9.8 million lives across health, education, and empowerment sectors.

Indian Consulate’s Head of Chancery Harsh, praised Life Global’s projects promoting education, healthcare and women’s empowerment for impacting many lives, Harsh spoke about Prime Minister Modi’s call to focus on three T’s – trade, tourism and technology, adding trade with US had been growing, and Indian Americans were playing a key role in the technology sector.

Rushikesh Pandya invited all guests and Indians in North America to visit Project ‘Life’ in Rajkot, Gujarat, and to explore the Women Empowerment Program in Ahmedabad or Junagadh, and the Life Education Centre and their impact on the community. He pointed to the 108 schools built affecting 35,000 children annually, and the goal of building 125 schools by 2025, impacting 50,000 students each year.

Pandya and Meetal Koticha Shah are scheduled to participate in the 7th Anniversary Gala of Life Global California on August 18, 2024, in Sanatan Temple, Norwalk, CA.