Texan With Character: Sarosha Hansraj

Here is a good story about a Muslim girl who is challenging the false perceptions about Islam through real work - A Muslim should be identified by serving humanity; God's creation. Thank God, Sarosha Hansraj, a Shia Imami Ismaili Muslim is setting that example. Isn't this what Islam is all about?
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http://cbs11tv.com/local/Sarosha.Hansraj.afghanistan.2.800889.html

Yes, she is only 10..
Texan With Character: Sarosha Hansraj

ReportingTeresa Frosini (CBS 11 News) After learning about girls in Afghanistan needing education, 10-year-old Sarosha Hansraj became inspired and knew she had to make a difference. That idea spark turned into an organization named it Children Care for Children. Sarosha's organization provides shoes, backpacks and basic school supplies to the Darnami Girls' School in Afghanistan. "For a long time, the Taliban didn't allow any girl to go to school. And so now that there are laws (allowing) for girls to go to school, I feel it is our responsibility to support them." The 5th grader has helped more than 340 girls who attend the school and hopes to be able all of them and more. "There are over a 120 million children and they don't have any access to primary education so I know I need to help as many children as I can," the Grapevine girl said. Her efforts have gained her recognition as one of the 10 national winners of the Kohl's Kids Who Care scholarship program this summer. She has some advice for other young people wanting to help: "Everybody can make a difference and it doesn't matter how young or old you are, or how rich or how poor you are, because even $1 can make a difference."
(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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Sarosha Hansraj from Texas, found us, P.E.C.A in Minnesota. Her parents Sarfaraz and Seema migrated to the States from Pakistan, and she is helping young boys and girls reach their potential in Khost, Afghanistan. This rather improbable full-circle reaches astonishing proportions when we add this fact – Sarosha is ten years old.

Sarosha was eight when her father told her a bedtime story about an underprivileged farmer and his children. A troubled Sarosha woke the next day; and asked her Mom if there was something she could do to help the kids in this family. Her Mom explained to her that the story she heard was common for many families around the world and that children usually become the victims of such hardships.

Sarosha knew that she alone could not change the world and prevent stories like this from happening. But she thought that if the children around her were to join in and share her vision, together they could make a huge impact by changing the story of one child at a time. She asked her parents’ help to find an organization that worked with children and found us, and the rest as they say, is history.

Sarosha organized a hula-thon as her first fund-raising event and sent P.E.C.A all of the money raised. For the last two years she has organized various events to raise funds. As she turned ten, in an extraordinary act of grace, generosity and compassion, she sent a letter to her friends stating that she had everything and could they make out a check to P.E.C.A instead. P.E.C.A is humbled by these donations. Today, Sarosha has her own non-profit organization called Children Care for Children. You can find more information at http://www.childrencareforchildren.org/.
With her help, we’ve been able to buy all of the boys in Da Dornamio School in Khost a pair of good quality shoes. In addition the funds have been used for school supplies. As I head for Afghanistan, Sarosha is sending with me additional monies AND a stack of English magazines appropriate for elementary school children. The magazines are delightful and appropriate for the Afghan culture.

I talked with Sarosha and her father recently. I found a poised and articulate young girl who is giving presentations about her program and inspiring other children to get involved and reach out to their under privileged brothers and sisters both here and abroad. Her efforts are being acknowledged and she has just been declared a national winner in the Kohl’s Kids Who Care® Scholarship Program that recognizes and rewards young volunteers (ages 6-18) who help make their communities a better place. TEN kids are chosen from a slate of 1900 regional winners.

More information is available at http://www.kohlscorporation.com/CommunityRelations/scholarship/2008NationalWinners.asp. We are very, very, very proud to know Sarosha.

I asked her what motivates her. She told me that she is inspired by her religion (Islam) in which generosity is considered a divine virtue, she is encouraged by her parents and by her community, and she is driven by the fact that 30,000 children die each day – mostly due to poverty.
I asked her if she wanted to see something specific in the article. She said that she wants people to know that giving can bring more joy than receiving and that any amount is good. In countries like Afghanistan, where most people earn less than two dollars a day, a donation of one dollar goes a long way. Sarosha, we salute you and all of our best wishes are with you. We hope your story is heard far and wide and that you realize your hopes and dreams