From conducting a blood grouping and donation camp, to teaching village women skills to help them earn additional income, to helping local women market their homemade products, and more, I have completed several projects throughout different fields and sectors since joining LEAD.  I work on diverse projects because I believe in overcoming challenge as the best tool for growth.  Working in the same field or sector is easy, but working within different spectrums allows me to be more versatile and learn about different types of people and perspectives.  I always welcome a good challenge, and it was this mindset that led me to join the LEAD program. 

Before joining LEAD, I was always aware about problems in society, but I never really considered them much.  I definitely did not see myself as a potential change-maker to make society better.  I hesitated to take action with anything.  After I joined LEAD, I learned about different projects that were being implemented.  I became more motivated to help people in my community. 

In my most recently completed project, and what I consider to be my best project, I taught women how to earn additional money from making bags out of waste cloth and different crafts out of paper.  With a small monthly investment of only Rs. 250, these women are now earning Rs. 6,000 every month.  I even connected the women with the Deshpande Foundation’s Navodyami program to further market their project. 

LEAD has given me some awesome opportunities.  My communication has really improved through my projects, and also through all of the networking I have done with LEAD members throughout other locations and local organizations and media.  Networking is a strong point I would like to emphasize.  Networking is powerful because through networking, we can share many ideas and form deep connections that can ultimately help people.

 I know that the skills that I have gained from LEAD will help me in my future career also.  My future goal is to become a lecturer. In LEAD, I have learned how to manage groups of people, communicate with people, and mentor people.  These are strengths that I will need to possess in order to lead a successful career. 

 My goal for right now while I am still in college is to build and improve the LEAD network in Sirsi.  I want to form a LEAD group, in which older members can mentor younger members to successfully solve problems.  I want to change Sirsi. 

Being in LEAD has made me very busy, but I enjoy the work.  I am excited and I have lots of energy.  If I spend my free time relaxing, then I help only myself.  But if I spend my time working, then I can help others.