Your support has made possible the following achievements this year
Dear Friend,
Sat Sri Akal. Hope you and your family are all well.
As we approach year-end, I thought it might be helpful to share with you a summary of the achievements of SHDF this year, and our plans for the coming year.
I would first like to express my and the SHDF Board’s immense gratitude for your invaluable support throughout the year. Despite the many challenges, your Sewa has allowed SHDF to fulfill its mandate to provide scholarships to the neediest and most vulnerable students in Punjab and neighboring areas.
Your support has made possible the following achievements this year:
- Earlier in the year, we provided a total of 1,256 scholarships (977 scholarships previous year), with 70% of the students having parental income of less than $100 a month; over three-quarters of the recipients have been females; and nearly two-thirds are from rural areas.
- Since its inception in 2001, SHDF has granted over 9,000 scholarships. Success stories of the gainfully employed are to be found in a wide variety of disciplines – engineering, computer programming, law, teaching, finance, accounting, agriculture, nursing and medicine more generally.
- We have conducted multiple workshopsf attended by several hundred scholarship recipients to impart training in soft-skills development.
- We have been expanding our services in India, and working closely in conjunction with our partner Nishkam Sikh Welfare Council, Delhi, and now have ten centers—eight in Punjab, one in Delhi and one in Karnal, Haryana.
- We have started a small, pilot initiative for USA Scholarships, aimed at needy but motivated students in USA.
- We have continued to broaden our base of donors, with significant support coming from California in particular, with some exceptionally generous donations. We also appreciate the continued support from the Dasvandh Network.
- We had a very successful online fundraiser in November, where we received overwhelming support from our donors.
- We have made significant progress in registering SHDF in Canada–thanks to exemplary dedication by one of our strongest supporters.
- We have now on board a highly experienced Executive Director –Ms. Harsharan Kaur– to support us in our activities.
With regard to our plans for 2023, I would highlight the following:
- For 2023, we have received nearly 2600 applications and are expecting to provide over 1400 scholarships. This would mean that since its inception, SHDF, with your Sewa, would have provided over ten thousand scholarships.
- We plan to expand the number and range of skills-workshops and other activities that would help SHDF Scholarship recipients in terms of jobs. In particular, we plan to institute activities to enhance leadership skills.
- As part of our continuous efforts to enhance services, we will soon be initiating online the SHDF Scholarship Alumni Network for mentorship, partnership and giving back.
- We hope to expand further the pilot USA scholarship initiative.
- We plan to work towards further expanding our support base in California, New York, Chicago and other major cities in the US.
- We hope to finalize SHDF registration in Canada; we also plan to explore registration in the UK, Australia and Singapore.
- We are planning to explore options for creating an Endowment Fund to place SHDF finances on long-term sustainable footing.
Our work is possible only because of your immense support, which has provided the gift of higher education and a life of dignity to a large number of disadvantaged but motivated students. There are still many, many more who need your help. As you make your year-end charitable contributions, we urge you to please consider giving the gift that keeps on giving – the gift of education via SHDF scholarship.
We are deeply grateful for your invaluable Sewa which is transforming lives of tens of thousands of young women and men and their families.
May Guru Ji’s blessings be with you and your family throughout the new year.
With warm regards,
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The Sikh Human Development Foundation is dedicated to catalyzing transformative change by offering scholarships to underserved yet ambitious students across Punjab and nearby regions. Through donor support, the Foundation has helped empower students to pursue advanced education and professional opportunities in diverse fields, awarding over 13,000 scholarships over the past two decades.