Category Archives: Philanthropy

October 6, 2016 · 5:47 pm

India, Uganda and USA: What Can We Learn by Comparing and Contrasting in Youth Development?

As mentioned, in earlier blog posts thanks to my formative United Nations Volunteer experience in Uganda, I’ve spent considerable time and energy as a founding team member of Khelshala in India. In the last couple of weeks, I was fortunate to attend fundraisers at Khelshala in Boston and the The Child Is Innocent in Boston. For both of these non-governmental organizations, this was my second time attending their fundraisers.

Listening to Satinder Bajwa (an engineer by training, turned coach and teacher) and Kevin Schwartz (a pediatric oncologist), as co-founders of their respective non-governmental organizations, I was reminded by other inspirational leaders I’ve heard speak at the Harvard Kennedy School in the social enterprise movement such as Mohammed Yunus of Grameen Bank or Bill Drayton of Ashoka, who have used their talents to improve the lives of the next generation of leaders. The objectives and challenges facing both Khelshala and The Child is Innocent are simultaneously similar and different.

Today, perhaps more than ever, it is possible for young people to make a difference through grassroots activism, social justice campaigning and demonstrating solidarity with those who are disenfranchised. Small steps taken over a long horizon can and do make a difference for organizations like Khelshala and The Child Is Innocent. How and when will you make your next step?

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Filed under Capacity Buidling, Community Development, Education, Grant Making, International Development, Leadership, Networking, Philanthropy, Poverty, Professional Development, Public Policy, Stakeholder Engagement, Uncategorized

September 29, 2016 · 11:10 am

Celebrating a Decade of Common Good Days

As a Bowdoin alum living in the Boston area I have enjoyed participating in the Common Good Days organized by the College. In 2016, the Bowdoin College Common Good Day in Boston was held at Pine Street Inn, a homeless shelter for men. Over the years, the College has selected different nonprofits across the country to perform a day of service. This year’s event saw almost 500 alumni, faculty, staff and friends participated in Common Good Days with various nonprofits in different cities. In Boston, there were 12 alumni and friends stationed in the Pine Street Inn kitchen to assist the staff with basic meal preparation.

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Bowdoin Alumni and Friends at 2016 Bowdoin College Common Good Day at Pine Street Inn, Boston, MA. Photo credit: Pine Street Inn Staff.

Alumni from a wide range of years, professional backgrounds and communities enthusiastically cooperated with the Pine Street Inn staff in helping to cut tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and chicken to make sandwiches for residents. Pine Street staff were generous with their time and guidance to offer a personalized tour of the facility to see how the shelter fulfills its mission. We shared stories of our Bowdoin years, previous volunteer experiences and current professional roles. Though we had never met before our common links through Bowdoin allowed us to focus on the task at hand while seeking a greater understanding of the significance of Common Good Day.

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Pine Street Inn Kitchen and Cafe. 2016 Photo credit: T. Mohammed

This marked for me a decade of participating in Common Good Days organized by the Bowdoin Club of Boston. Based on the conversations with fellow alumni at Pine Street Inn, the meaning of service varies from individual to individual. Being part of a group, working towards a common goal, helping to improve society all with a bit of fun – are some of the many reasons why people participate in such events. However, a humble suggestion for future Common Good Day planning could entail greater follow through and assessment of the impact of days of service events for long term sustainability of the organizations and individuals it aims to benefit.

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Filed under Capacity Buidling, Community Development, Education, Homelessness, Leadership, Networking, Philanthropy, Planning, Poverty, Psycho-Social Support, Rehabilitation, Stakeholder Engagement

July 12, 2016 · 10:28 pm

Squashing Barriers: Sources of Inspiration

The Stevens Memorial Library in North Andover, MA has a wonderful 2016 summer sport film series which is free and open to the public. As part of my exploration in sport and development, I chose to watch the movie 42, for the first time which is a biographical portrayal about Jackie Robinson. Race and racism, unfortunately still exists in America today as we have seen by the repeated incidents of gun violence.

When I was a teenager in Saudi Arabia and India in the late 1980s and early 1990s, one did not know much of the struggles of Jackie Robinson and his role in the civil rights movement in the United States. Perhaps this was ignorance or because one was consumed by the political events in the Persian Gulf. Today, being a naturalized American of color, I am even more moved by the words “we shall overcome” and Jackie’s story of resilience and courage.

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I have blogged about Khelshala, a sport-based youth development program in Chandigarh, India – founded by Coach Satinder Bajwa – the first person of color to be the Head Coach of Harvard Men’s and Women’s Squash – but I have not given much thought to how Khelshala and its mission fits with the wider world of sport.

It helps to understand the legacies of Jackie Robinson and more recently the passing of Mohammad Ali also known as the “The Greatest” and put squash -a minor sport – into context. James Zug, an American author of Squash: A History of the Game, which mostly discusses the sport in the United States of America is seen as the go-to-guy on writing books about squash. Zug acknowledges squash players of color (such as Anil Nayar of Harvard, Wendell Chestnut of Williams College and of course Hashim Khan, the legendary squash professional of the Khan squash dynasty) who like Jackie Robinson “squash barriers.”

“Squashing barriers” is the essence of Khelshala (an international affiliate of the National Urban Squash and Education Association) in India where social stratification is common. Just as Mahatma Gandhi served as a source of inspiration to Martin Luther King, perhaps Jackie Robinson’s story will serve as a source of inspiration to the children of Khelshala and many others around the world.

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Filed under Community Development, Conflict Resolution, Education, Leadership, Literature Review, Peace Building, Philanthropy, Professional Development, Squash, Youth Development

May 23, 2016 · 4:33 pm

Kodaikanal International School Alumni Acknowledged for Community Service in India

Earlier in the year, I traveled almost 24 hours door to door from Andover, Massachusetts to Peermade, Kerala, India to see my maternal grandparents who were not keeping good health and (and have since March 2016 stabilized their health in old age and God-willing will continue to do so). As mentioned in an earlier blog post, it was an opportunity to spend time with family members and reconnect with positive childhood memories.

Near the Main Gate at Kodaikanal International School visit in 2016.

Near the Main Gate at Kodaikanal International School visit in 2016. Photo Credit: M. John

My Keralite cousins organized a trip to visit Kodaikanal International School, one of two international schools I attended as a boy. Thanks to Yvonne Dovlo, Alumni Officer and KIS alumni who work to support Khelshala, a registered charity in Chandigarh, India – we were featured in 7 Roads: The Kodai Alumni Magazine – something I never imagined would happen when I was student more than 20 years ago.

Cover of Kodai Alumni Magazine referencing Khelshala Project.

Cover of Kodai Alumni Magazine referencing Khelshala Project.

During my visit to KIS it was great to reconnect with staff, teachers and alumni who I had shared time with when I was a student there. These sorts of visits are “good for the soul” as my uncle – Tawheed Hazarika, likes to remind me. My cousins and I were lucky to get a personal tour of the school and eat lunch in the dining hall thanks to one of the new teachers.

Attending Sunday Service at Kodai School.

Attending Sunday Service at Margaret Eddy Memorial Chapel at Kodaikanal International School in 2016. Photo credit: M. John

KIS prides itself on multiculturalism and tolerance of all faiths and backgrounds which is expressed in the school’s motto of “unity in diversity.” On the whole, I was delighted to see the campus so well maintained with many improvements too. It was also great to briefly meet Corey Stixrud, Principal of KIS and to know that the school is continually striving for and meeting the educational needs of the next generation of Indian and international students.

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Filed under Community Development, Education, Networking, Philanthropy, Stakeholder Engagement, Uncategorized, Youth Development, Youth Sport

September 10, 2015 · 9:40 pm

How A Ball Can Change the World

Priya Gupta, Head Girl at Khelshala was recently featured on Aamir Khan’s, a Bollywood actor and director’s live cable TV program filmed in Chandigarh, India. Aamir Khan and Kapil Dev, a former World Cup-winning Indian cricketer, were asked questions from the audience members, one of whom was Priya.

Priya Gupta, Head Girl at Khelshala on National TV in India.

Priya Gupta, Head Girl at Khelshala on National TV in India.

The theme of the show was to discuss the concept of “sports for all” in India and how educational institutions can foster a greater balance between academics and sports. Programs like Khelshala are paving the way for disadvantaged youth to develop their sporting talents through education.

Priya’s appearance on national Indian TV, on behalf of Khelshala sets a great example for other Khelshala students to aspire to as well as raise awareness about the Khelshala – S.A.Y. – model in India. Thanks to Aamir Khan and Kapil Dev for hosting the show and helping to advance the sport for development and peace movement in India.  The future for Khelshala looks brighter!

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Filed under Education, Gender, International Development, Leadership, Philanthropy, Stakeholder Engagement, Youth Development

September 9, 2015 · 3:03 pm

What Can Sport for Development and Peace Learn from the Arts?: Lessons from Angkor’s Children in Cambodia

On Gandhi Jayanti, a national holiday in India to celebrate the birth of Mahatma Gandhi, my parents and I were invited to attend a filming at the Bright Lights Film Series at Emerson College courtesy of Dr. Sughra Raza, a family friend in Boston and editor of 3 Quarks Daily, an interdisciplinary filter blog.

Lauren Shaw, a Professor at Emerson’s Department of Visual and Media Arts produced Angkor’s Children through a culmination of several years of work with her Kickstarter campaign.

As a Founding Member and Secretary of Khelshala, it was an inspiring and humbling experience to meet Sreypov and Phunam, two of the Angkor children featured in the film as well as social entrepreneurs from the Cambodian Living Arts and Phare Cambodian Circus who worked for decades to mobilize the Cambodian diaspora in the United States and elsewhere to empower the next generation in Cambodia.

Sreypov of Angkor’s Children and me at Paramount Theater, Boston, MA.

Sreypov of Angkor’s Children and me at Paramount Theater, Boston, MA.

What can Khelshala and others learn from those working to promote peace, development and human rights through the creative sector?

  • Sacrifice – the founders, artists and community members all had to give up something in their lives for the greater common good.
  • Commitment – staying true in the long term to their social justice cause was not expected, but came from within.
  • Community – an ecosystem of individuals and organizations nurtured the organizers to mobilize the diaspora.
  • Funding – sports and the arts are often first to be cut in public education.
  • Inter-generational dialogue – exchanges across generations in sport and music can keep traditions alive.

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Filed under Capacity Buidling, Community Development, Education, Gender, International Development, Leadership, Networking, Philanthropy, Psycho-Social Support, Rehabilitation, Uncategorized, Volunteering

September 1, 2015 · 2:48 pm

Marking a Milestone for Khelshala

On 9th August, 2014, Khelshala celebrated its 5th anniversary in Chandigarh, India. Unfortunately I was unable to attend the event, but was celebrating in spirit with colleagues. Since I was not in Chandigarh to report on what took place, the India-based team are putting together a post-event synopsis.

Once again credit goes to Coach Bajwa and the Khelshala team for reaching this milestone. While there is still a long way to go, there continues to be significant achievements made by the Khelshala children as well as the program itself. For those interested in the details, these can be found in the Khelshala newsletter(s).

While I am thrilled to be part of Khelshala, this is a good time for self-reflection for one’s own journey. I have used this summer to review, assess and plan for further career development. After speaking with various career counselors about the field of social enterprise, I am reminded by a friend’s comment that “it would be good to do something that pays.”

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Filed under Capacity Buidling, Coaching, Community Development, Corporate Social Responsibility, Education, Gender, Leadership, Networking, Peace Building, Philanthropy, Poverty, Private Public Partnerships, Psycho-Social Support, Stakeholder Engagement, Uncategorized, Volunteering

August 15, 2015 · 1:44 pm

Khelshala Celebrated International Sport for Development and Peace Day

On April 6, 2014 – Khelshala celebrated their first initiative towards the United Nations International Day of Sport for Development and Peace. For an overview, we encourage you to visit the Khel-Mel event with the theme, “Play Life-Sports for a Healthy Life”.

All age groups were welcomed to the event to participate whole heartedly and take part in lifetime sports, such as dance, aerobics, yoga, athletics, squash, tennis, badminton and table-tennis, which were made available for the day. The Khelshala and Majra children joined hands to commence a day of great importance not only for the Khelshala community, but also for the sports society as a whole. The sound of the Dhols, kicked off the Khelshala march in which a group of very enthusiastic local community members arrived to participate in the walk towards the Khel-Mel venue.

Preceding the march, the dance activity conducted by Mr. Sameer Mahajan, Director of Rockstar Academy, lifted the spirits of the children and energized them for a day packed with fun activities. Along with explaining the importance of dance and aerobics in maintaining health and wellbeing of oneself, he began with a warm up before teaching the children chorography he had planned for the session. The dance session was followed by yoga and meditation conducted by Pinki Jha explaining how yoga and meditation can make their minds sharp, peaceful and also how it can enhance their day to day well being, if practiced regularly. In addition, various athletic activities including hurdles and cone drills for agility over a 50m track were conducted by coaches from Panjab University, Chandigarh. Also, many other individual games like squash, tennis, badminton, and table-tennis were a part of the overall day and were managed by friends and volunteers. Our very own Khelshala coach, Mr. Anil Rathee, also directed a tennis tournament. Khelshala children also performed a street play. This was greatly enjoyed by everybody, especially by the group of St. John’s School children in attendance. Khel-Mel activities ended with a grand finale of tug of war competition.

To conclude the proceedings a small prize giving ceremony was hosted by Mr. Bajwa, Founder and Trustee of Khelshala. He also shared with everyone on how sport can help them to stay fit and healthy. The event coverage was carried out by the esteemed Doordarshan channel, and Langar (community lunch) was served to all attending, courtesy of Village Majra Panchayat.

We were truly delighted to have celebrated this United Nations initiative and hope it served the vision and mission of spreading awareness among the community promoting development and peace. We look forward to a bigger and better event next year. We hope to see you in 2015.

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Filed under Capacity Buidling, Coaching, Community Development, Corporate Social Responsibility, Education, International Development, Leadership, Leisure, Philanthropy, Private Public Partnerships, Stakeholder Engagement, Uncategorized, Youth Development, Youth Sport

August 5, 2015 · 11:07 am

Kidsquash Finishes 9th Season with Motivated Students

During the 2013-14 season 20 students between the ages of 8 to 17 from 12 towns in the Greater Boston area participated in 21 hours of instructional squash clinics at the Murr Squash Center at Harvard University. Majority of the students were beginners who were new to the game and eager to learn a new sport.

The 9th season of Kidsquash season ran from October to March and covered various squash shots, etiquette, refereeing, marking, match play and concluded with an end of year tournament. Students made significant progress with their game, as demonstrated in the end of year tournament where they were divided into 2 round robin groups and some had long rallies – which they could not do at the start of the season. All 10 students in the tournament were able to receive prizes courtesy of Head, leaving them motivated for next season.

2014 Kidsquash Tournament Players and Coaches

2014 Kidsquash Tournament Players and Coaches

Making Kidsquash happen is a team effort so, many thanks to Coach Bajwa, Founder of Kidsquash – though not visible at clinics his guidance and presence was much appreciated; Coaches – Hameed, Luke and Liam – thanks for your teaching and coaching throughout the season; Parents – many thanks for your generosity and bringing your children to the Murr Squash Center almost every week and Sponors – US Squash, Mass Squash, Harvard University, Head and Whole Foods Market.

For transparency and sustainability purposes here are some important figures to consider from the 2013-14 season. For the 21 hours of instruction provided to 20 students, Kidsquash raised $3,144.  At approximately $150 per Kidsquash student, parents received $2100 of coaching value (had they received private, commercial instruction the average hourly rate would be $100 from qualified coaches). Hopefully, the value created through the Kidsquash program, will be sustained in the future by sponsors, donors and friends.

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Filed under Coaching, Community Development, Corporate Social Responsibility, Education, Leisure, Peace Building, Philanthropy, Private Public Partnerships, Recreation, Squash, Volunteering, Youth Development, Youth Sport

July 30, 2015 · 1:15 pm

Thanking Well Wishers and Donors for Khelshala Service Trip

The Youtube video link below is a big thank you to all who donated and provided encouragement for my summer in India. I may have forgotten to thank someone so, please forgive me if I missed you.

My hope is that by sharing this Youtube video it will educate, inspire and motivate others who feel moved to get involved or make a contribution to this initiative.

Keep Squashing!

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Filed under Capacity Buidling, Coaching, Community Development, Corporate Social Responsibility, Education, International Development, Leadership, Networking, Peace Building, Philanthropy, Poverty, Private Public Partnerships, Psycho-Social Support, Squash, Stakeholder Engagement, Volunteering, Youth Development, Youth Sport