ANJALI GUPTA
UNITED STATES, 18
Project: School for a Village
Basic Human Needs: Education
Anjali grew up watching her family build schools and work to improve education in their home country of India. She frequently visited these schools and witnessed the power of education to lift communities out of poverty. Before Anjali’s grandfather passed away, he founded a school in the village of Bahjoi, India. Inspired to carry on her grandfather’s mission, Anjali founded School for a Village. School for a Village provides technology and educational resources to underprivileged areas and develops targeted programs to help students succeed in today’s world. With an emphasis on STEM education, they work with each village to create a unique approach that maximizes impact for its students. They have equipped 1,000 village students with skills for high paying STEM jobs, and engaged thousands of young people in the United States through their volunteer opportunities, events, online platforms and media outlets. With three student chapters in New Jersey, Virginia and Indiana, Anjali plans to establish an additional 20 chapters in the U.S. this year, and partner with at least five schools in India. Anjali’s ultimate goal is to create a network of student chapters around the world and directly connect them with the students who live in the areas they work. She wants students to have access to a high-quality education and a global community.