The Ashoka Tree Takes Root!


For some children, going to school is much more than just education.  This is about the free meals that fill empty stomachs their mothers could not feed that morning.  This is about having a uniform that doubles up as the only good set of clothes they own.  This is about escaping the druggery and pain that accompanies living below the poverty line to a place where there is food to eat and there are games to play – a place where you don’t need to be older than you actually are.

Parents of these children aren’t exploiting the system of education that (barely) exists in most parts of India, but actually use this as a means to continue living – a means for food they cannot otherwise provide, clothes they cannot afford and often times shelter they otherwise do not have.

With the average daily-wage laborer (who makes up most of the Indian economy) unable to provide for a family that seems to grow faster than India’s GDP, options for daily living seem to dwindle almost daily.


Here’s where we come in – The Ashoka Tree aims to bridge the gap between those who have so many toys that they wouldn’t know if one went missing and those who have none and count the sticks and stones outside as toys instead.  With a little effort from people who care, we have managed to form a team of like-minded folks who work together collecting donations of clothes, books and toys for the ‘unseen’ India – the India where an extra set of clothes are considered a luxury and books merely a dream.

We're finally getting started - from what began as just a small idea - and now aim to make bigger dreams come true.  Let's Spread More Smiles!

www.theashokatree.org

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