Bodhgaya is a holy place due to Lord Buddha, and it was here that I had the chance to meet Mr. Paul and Christopher. When I was around 19 years old, I met an incredibly generous woman from Japan named Miss Sugita. She understood my situation and encouraged my vision for both helping with my sisters' wedding and supporting my family economically. She helped me move to Japan, where I found work.

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Arriving in Tokyo was an unbelievable eye-opener, as everything was different from India. The city was clean, the people looked beautiful and busy, and everyone seemed to have jobs and value their lives. I am now working for a manufacturing company in Tokyo. Living here has taught me the value of people. After working hard in Japan, many things began to change for my family. I built a safe home for my parents, I send money home every month for daily needs, and I have been able to help my sisters with their financial problems.

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I believe that sometimes our small actions can save someone's life or, better yet, make it amazing!

 

Village Life in India

In India, one of the most painful systems for the father of a daughter is the dowry system. Dowry means that the parents of a girl must pay a large amount of money to the boy's family to arrange the marriage of their precious daughter. This practice is ruthless and unfair to girls. Many poor families cannot afford dowries and wedding costs, so they resort to abortion instead.

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The prevailing mindset in the village views a woman’s body as a factory for producing children until a boy is born to secure dowry. They believe women don’t feel pain, have no emotions, and are merely reproductive machines. As a brother to three sister's, I find this mindset absolutely abhorrent. 

 

Violence and rape against women are steadily increasing in rural villages. Girls grow up accepting whatever happens to them according to societal rules. Many girls face different kinds of problems even from their own fathers due to gender inequality. A major problem today is the safety of women, as rape has become alarmingly normal in rural areas.

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I am surprised by the Indian government’s rapid development claims, yet they still lack strict rules for women's safety. I don't know how long women will have to hide their tears and keep living in silence.

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Small Effort for Change in Rural Areas

When I was a teenager, my heart cried out due to the poverty I was surrounded by. I understood how important it is to do something to make someone's life a little easier. Now that I have the opportunity, I am going to help Bagahi village. There are no free schools, so children cannot go to school, missing the opportunity to receive an education. This is mainly caused by poverty and the caste system (The caste system in India is a traditional social hierarchy that divides people into rigid categories based on their birth), which perpetuates the cycle for future generations.

 

Nowadays, many parents make their children work in the fields to support daily life, which means most kids miss the chance to read or write. I plan to target rural village women by providing them with knowledge and skills so they can feel confident about being girls. Having long hair is not a weakness; it is something to be proud of!

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People must believe that God does not only exist in the temples where we pray but also in the lives of those society has forgotten!

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We all want to create positive change in this world, but often, we don't know where to start. The Sunny Foundation gives you the chance to make an immediate and tangible difference to the lives of 120 students who desperately need it.  Please help our dream, and the dreams of so many, come true.