Worth Green
Regardless of the culture or country, education is a key to success. When I first traveled to India in 2007, it was surprising to see the wide economic gap between the more affluent population in the cities and the much less educated people in the farming villages. There are many ways to help the economically disadvantaged. While simply donating money for food, clothes, and housing may solve short term problems, it does not solve the long term needs created by the historically low income opportunities available to rural populations.
During this initial visit to Hyderabad, I learned about the Fortune Fund and its goal to educate economically disadvantaged children so that they could one day obtain higher paying jobs than could be gained through subsistence farming. When my wife, who is a teacher, and I met with a small group of Fortune Fund students, we both knew the Fortune Fund was the best way to make our financial donations count the most, not only for today, but for many years into the future.
We are very pleased with the Fortune Fund Program and strongly support its objectives. As a member of S2Tech’s executive management team, I am proud that our company matches our employees’ contributions dollar for dollar, rupee for rupee. And, I am especially proud of our Hyderabad employees who volunteer their personal time to encourage our Fortune Fund students and serve as their mentors.
– Worth Green
Brenda Yockey
I remember my first visit to our Hyderabad development center 7 years ago, it was also my first visit to India. The first afternoon a large number of young boys and girls came visiting our office. It was the first time for many of them that they had been in a large city. For most it was the first time they had touched a computer and had a chance to see what computers can do. What I saw was the excitement and wonder and the enthusiasm that this might be a future for them. When their mentors shared their experiences with them, they could see how education had been the key to their mentor’s success and that they too could do these things if they studied hard and applied themselves. It was at that moment that my heart was won over and I have been an active member contributing and speaking about the Fortune Fund ever since that day. It makes me very happy to know that all the money I contribute to the fund goes to the betterment of young lives as tuition, or as fulfilling special needs for their schools. One of my most rewarding benefits as a member of the S2Tech company is my position as a board member for the Fortune Fund.
– Brenda Yockey
Polly Bermingham
I knew from the moment I saw the children… and the integrity of S2Tech team it was an exceptionally worthy cause. After one look in the eyes of those enthusiastic children, I knew the Fortune Fund was something we wanted to support. Seeing their vision and commitment at such a young age was an inspiration… and the talent and intellect that shown in their faces! All they need is the education and opportunity to skyrocket to a position to help others in their country. It’s not about the money to them. It’s about their mission.
We pledge our support to the Fortune Fund for the growth of these young people and consider it a privilege to watch their progress.
– Polly Bermingham
Dr Samudrala
Growing up, I saw and experienced the difficulties the economically disadvantaged face. I grew up in a small village in India, where the local school only went up to the fourth grade. In order to achieve an education and eventually go to college for a medical degree, I had to move to a larger town.
I truly believe that education is the key to success in life and if we are able to help one child in a family to become educated, in turn they will be able support their family, helping the whole family economically and socially. Others in the community look forward to and are inspired by the success of the child. Once he/she is educated they are able to become self-sufficient. I was able to understand Day’s goals of achieving success through education and wanted to be able to help these students in discovering their goals and achieving them.
In the early days of my practice, I worked in small community hospitals where I saw the difficulties that the children faced and that the facilities and villages needed help. I was also very impressed with the expansion of the program to the US and Day’s adoption of Bevier High School in MO by providing broadband internet services and giving scholarships to the children.
This inspired me to become involved in the education of children through another organization NRIVA-Adopt a Student and N-BAT. These two organizations help the students in India and educate students in inner cities in the US. N-BAT is in the early stage in the US and we want to develop it into a larger scale program.
– Dr Samudrala