A group of children at the Lotus Home for Destitutes and Orphans in India crouch around a tablet, their tiny fingers swiping the screen to catapult a redbird into a wooden structure. Junior Ezzy Sriram stands above them, beaming.
During winter break, Chief Operating Officer of Youth Inspire Ezzy Sriram travelled to India to visit family. Along the way, he dropped off seven tablets at various hospitals on behalf of Youth Connect.
“The experience was phenomenal. Many of the welcoming aspects which we take for granted here were not present in these hospitals,” said Siriam.
Youth Connect, an extension of Langley nonprofit organization Youth Inspire, is a program created to donate tablets to underprivileged hospitals. By holding community fundraisers in front of grocery stores and collecting donations, Youth Connect purchased seven Klu Andriod tablets, about $100 per tablet. Youth Connect refers to these tablets as “connectors because they provide a connection to Youth Inspire, which in itself is designed to be predominantly a support group for these patients,” according to junior Courtney Cuppernull.
The “connector” is preloaded with Skype and Google Translate, allowing patients in third world countries to connect with the modern world. The “connectors” can be used for fun with preloaded games like Temple Run and Angry Birds.
While spending time in India, Sriram got to learn more about the hospitals’ history from the hospital deans. One particular story stood out to him. He spoke with the dean of the Lotus Home for Destitutes and Orphans, Sister Celine Augustine Mary, and learned she herself had fought a difficult battle with cancer and previously lived in Germany where she was a nun. While in India, she created the Lotus Orphanage.
“Not only did she donate properties and money which were bequeathed by her family when forming the orphanage, but she also tirelessly searched the streets of India in search of those in need of help,” said Sriram.
Sister Celine Augustine Mary currently feeds, shelters, and educates 88 orphans.
Junior Jason Cui, president of Youth Inspire is proud of Youth Connect’s success. “I think that the entire experience was unique and eye-opening. Not only did we get to assist our fellow youth in impoverished areas, but we also saw our funds put to good use,” said Cui.
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Photos courtesy of Jason Cui