What is SHDF?

Sikh Human Development Foundation (SHDF) in an education-centered, non-profit and tax-exempt organization based in Washington DC, USA. We grant scholarships for higher professional education to bright students from low-income families in Punjab and other Northern Indian states. We have provided more than ten thousand scholarships, nearly three-quarters to women, during the last two decades, meeting a critical need in funding for higher education.

What motivates you?

Sikhism inspires us to serve humanity.

• The cost of professional education has skyrocketed to a level that low-income families just cannot afford.
• In this age of computers, the internet and mobile phones (knowledge economy), professional college education alone can help our youth get decent jobs or be properly self-employed.
• Alarming high drug use among the youth due to despair from lack of opportunities.
• The highest rate of farmers’ suicides in Punjab, compared to any other state in India due to financial pressures.
• Threatened agriculture due to deteriorating soil and water quality has deprived many of a secure livelihood.
• There are many, many promising and motivated students in Punjab and neighboring states who can achieve success despite penury if higher education for them is supported.

How did SHDF start?

In 1999, six professionals from the Washington Metro area learned about the disappointments and lack of opportunity felt by a large number of bright but poor students in Punjab to pursue professional college education. More so, most of the female students coming from low-income families were being denied higher professional education due to lack of family financial resources. Inspired by Sikh Philosophy the spirit of Sewa, these six professionals took the initiative and set up Sikh Human Development Foundation to provide scholarships to such disadvantaged children. The Foundation was registered as a non-profit tax-exempt organization. For the first time in 2001, 22 scholarships were awarded to children from families whose incomes were below the poverty line.

How does SHDF operate in India?

SHDF has been awarding scholarships since 2001. From the beginning we have partnered with Nishkam Sikh Welfare Council, a well-reputed non-profit organization based in New Delhi, to help implement this program. Nishkam headquarters houses the SHDF Division where full-time staff are engaged in running this program. SHDF-Nishkam has eight enters in Punjab, one in Delhi and one in Haryana, which maintain direct and regular contact and communication with a large number of educational institutions and potential recipients to implement the program effectively and efficiently.
SHDF determines the rules and procedures, application formats, as well as selection criteria.
Nishkam officials invite scholarship applications. A written test is conducted followed by interviews and recommendations are then sent to SHDF. We review scholarship applications in detail and allocate the amount of need-based scholarship for each applicant.

Who are the scholarship recipients?

Scholarship recipients include orphans, children of widows and of terminally sick parents, farmers who committed suicide, agricultural laborers, domestic servants, female tailors, Gurudwara sewadars and other economically disadvantaged families. Most are from rural areas living in extreme poverty.

What are the eligibility requirements for SHDF scholarships?

The applicant should be maintaining a good academic performance with a minimum of 60% overall marks in the last 2 semesters/year. Household income per year should be Rs. 250,000 or less.

Is the amount of scholarship the same for all students? If not, how do you determine the amount of each scholarship?

It is a need-based scholarship. The amount of each scholarship is calculated by taking into account the student’s education expenses, family income, number of college-going siblings and the financial assistance received by the candidate from other sources.

What is the cost of one scholarship?

The cost to sponsor one student is $550. This is reviewed each year and may change based on inflation and fee structures.

Is the scholarship program only for the Sikh students?

SHDF scholarships are granted to all eligible students irrespective of religion, caste or creed.

What are the current scholarship demographics?

The recent scholarship distribution is: 70% Rural and 30% Urban areas; 75% Female and 25% Male.

What about your overhead expenses?

Compared to most other non-profit organizations, SHDF overheads are quite low. All Board members travel to India on their own expense to supervise implementation of the program. Ten SHDF Center in Punjab, Delhi and Haryana are manned by volunteers (college professors, college staff and some students).

How do you raise funds?

Apart from holding an annual fund-raiser in the USA, SHDF makes fund appeals in community centers and Gurdwaras. Due to its transparency and open approach , SHDF is fortunate to have loyal support from a group of major donors in the USA. Donors have also come forward from the UK, Australia, Canada and a few other countries. We have also formed Chapters in Richmond and Cleveland, with more to be formed in other cities.

What are your major accomplishments?

SHDF’s accomplishments to date are as follows:

  • Number of Scholarships Granted since inception: 11,000+
  • Amount of funds dispersed for scholarships: Over 4 million dollars
  • Conducted multiple leadership and soft-skill development workshops for the graduates to help build competency.

The scholarship recipients have found good professional jobs in varied fields including architecture, engineering, healthcare, information technology, medicine among others. This makes the SHDF program unique in providing youth the opportunity to become economically independent, thereby helping secure their future, the future of  their families, and often  he future of their whole communities.

What are your future plans?

SHDF will continue to provide over 1400 scholarships every year. It will also continue to hold soft-skill development training workshops for the scholarship recipients. Additional steps have been taken recently to form a Student Alumni forum, encouraging past graduates to become engaged in helping new students and also supporting SHDF’ financially.

Why should I choose SHDF to support?

  • We are the premier organization outside of India that provides funding to young women and men who have ability and aspiration to go into higher education and yet their poverty does not allow them to do so.
  • Our operating principles are based on transparency, accountability, and low administrative cost. Our accounts are audited every year and are available to donors.
  • Education is the only sustainable solution to the challenges facing the youth particularly in Punjab (including a rapid rise of drug addiction) but also elsewhere in India.
  • Your contribution is critical for the struggling youth. Their futures, their family and communities’ futures are dependent on education. They must not remain excluded from the economic opportunities. With your contribution, you can help transform lives.

 

How can I support SHDF?

Our funding is based on voluntary donations, and potential needs for scholarships far exceed our financial resources. Please donate one scholarship for $550, or five, ten or multiple scholarships. No amount, whether it be $50, $100 or $5,000 is too small or large.

Please also consider volunteering, and helping open Chapters in other major cities.

Are donations tax deductible?

All donations to SHDF are tax deductible as SHDF is a tax-exempt charitable organization under section 501(c)(3). Our federal tax ID number is 52-2171746

Whom should I contact if I need more information?

Visit our website at www.SHDF.org

 

Our mailing address is:

10504 Rivers Bend Lane,

Potomac, Maryland 20854, USA

 

Email: [email protected]
facebook.com/SHDFInfo

 

Phone: (240) 780-1530