We had the opportunity to visit Aasraa Trust today in Dehradun. The Aasraa Trust is an organization that takes in children who come from extreme poverty, abusive households, or have been abandoned and gives them shelter and education through a number of different initiatives. 

We first got to see the science and tinker labs. They contained many amazing projects that the 11th grade class made. There were inventions for automatic pet feeders to help the stray dogs get food, there were rain-proof stadiums, more efficient irrigation systems, and even an entire speaker system made from recycled tin cans. The kids were brilliant and so enthusiastic about their work. You could tell that they loved what they created. The kids even showed us how to play a new game called Koko which I definitely think we need to bring back to the U.S.

After seeing the labs, we went to another location which was the Aasraa Trust’s girls shelter and school. Around 200 lived there. They were excited to see and interact with us. They showed us dances, yoga, and a prayer and we played a game of musical chairs which was super fun. 

After the game and other activities, we met Shaila Brijnath who is the founder and head of the Aasraa Trust. Before starting the organization she worked as a European Equity Trader in London, Paris and New York for 15 years. In 2009 she decided to leave her profession and start an after-school program. At the beginning it only had 35 kids and they ran it underneath a highway bridge. Now Aasraa Trust impacts over 4000 children. She was an amazing person to speak to, her presence was so loving and funny, but she was stern and serious when needed. 

The work Shaila has dedicated her life to has been such a journey and she takes pride in it to the fullest. Her organization has bloomed organically and with sheer love and dedication to these children. Each and every one of the girls at the shelter had a story to tell and I wish we had more time to be able to stay and listen to all of them. The next time that I come to India the Aasraa Trust is a place that I truly want to come back to.-Lagi Hunnicutt