(Note: the fundraising total listed above reflects ALL contributions from the start of the campaign in 2023 to present)

Mrs. Bharti Maniar

Update November 2025.

Below are a few pictures and letters of several of the students (written between April and November 2025), expressing their gratitude to all of you!

Prithika, studying B.Sc in Nursing

Monika (center; a student in B.Sc Anesthesiology), with her mother (left) and Jackuline (right, sponsorship coordinator)

Kalairasi (left side, student in B. Sc Nursing) with practical training

Agalya (studying B.Sc- CCT (Cardio Care Technology)), with Mr. Selvam (founder of our partner organization READ in India)

Agalya, a student currently in her 3rd year of Physiotherapy

Update March 2025:

Our students are all doing well! Below are a few recent pictures and letters of gratitude from some of our scholarship recipients. Many thanks to everyone for their continued support towards the future of these deserving young women who via their college education will make such a big impact in their local communities. Please use the donate button if you would like to continue to support these women through their 2024-2025 academic year. Thank you!!

(Agalya, studying Bachelor of Physiotherapy)

(Thenmozhi, studying B.Sc. Nursing)

(Kalairasi, studying B.Sc. Nursing)

Update May 12, 2024: Happy Mother's Day!

As the students are continuing their studies, we are now starting to raise the funds for the coming year to enable more young women to pursue college education. So we appreciate your continued support in honor of Mrs. Bharti Maniar, who through her love and caring support touched the lives of so many people.

Update April 2024:

Sharing an update from our scholarship awardees. These young women sent our partner organization READ letters expressing their gratitude for the scholarship and continued enthusiasm for pursuing their degrees. They have all settled into their respective courses and college life. They are preparing to take their exams in the near future. We also received updated pictures of the young ladies (see the photos below ). READ will be awarding these ladies their "official" scholarship award certificates in the near future and we are hoping to capture those on camera to share in a future update. We will also post updates of their academic progress after we receive their test scores so stay tuned. Meanwhile, if any of you wish to send a few words of encouragement to our awardees feel free to email them to me and I will share them with our program coordinator in India. Once again, thank you for your continued generosity and support.

All my thanks,

Kinjal

(Agalya, studying Bachelor of Physiotherapy)

(Uma Maheswarhi, studying Diploma in Nursing assistant)

(Thenmozhi, studying Bachelor of Science in Nursing)

Akalaya (studying Bachelor in Physiotherapy)

Umamaheswari (studying Diploma in Nursing Assistant)

Sathiya (studying Diploma Nursing Assistant)

Kalayarasi (studying B.Sc Nursing)

Background information on the scholarship program:

This scholarship program is being established in 2023, in the memory of my mom, Mrs. Bharti Maniar. My mom grew up in Mumbai, India as the oldest of 3 children in a studio apartment in Chowpatty. She married my dad, Pankaj Maniar and started a family and together they raised my brother (Chintan) and I. Even though neither of them had a college education, they were adamant that we receive an education and fought to enroll us in a private English school. My mom was a constant source of encouragement and a true role model. When the opportunity arose to immigrate to the United States, my parents decided to uproot from their familiar surroundings, everyday life, and move to a foreign country to give us an opportunity at a better life. Life in a new country was difficult especially when she did not speak the language or have her support system, but she persisted. My mom got a job for the first time in her life in order to financially support our family so that my brother and I could have the freedom and independence to pursue our dreams. Even after being diagnosed with cancer, she fought on. She never complained and faced her struggles head on, always with a smile on her face even though the cancer was taking a toll internally. She truly believed that a college education would lead to great opportunities for us and she made sure that we continued our education despite all the challenges. She exemplified hard work, grit, honesty, and above all moral character.

Through this scholarship program I hope to honor her memory and her ideas about higher education so that we can empower young girls to become leaders in their families and their communities. I hope to continue this program for many years and enable young girls to achieve success and independence through higher education.

This scholarship program is being run by our partner organization READ (Rural Education and Action Development) in India. READ was started in 1994, and is partnered with the volunteer-run USA-based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization Sahaya International (www.sahaya.org). To learn how READ inspired the formation of Sahaya International, watch this short documentary, Sahaya Going Beyond (narrated by actor Jeremy Irons).

Promising college students will be selected based on several criteria, including their scholastic performance (including marks of their 12^th standard public exam), their financial hardship (i.e. from a family that cannot support higher education), and their motivation to study as expressed in a written letter application and an interview. READ will pay tuition/hostel fees directly to the respective colleges. For other expenses (such as books, stationary etc.), funds will be provided to the students, who will provide summaries/receipts of the main expenses. Students will be expected to provide regular updates, including their mark statements (transcripts). We will also take pictures, provide updates via letters/emails and share them here, so you can follow their progress!

Your contributions are tax-deductible in the USA. If you donate online on GiveButter, you will receive an automated e-mail confirmation that serves as tax receipt. 100% of the funds that Sahaya receives are wired over to India to support the students. You can also double your contribution by using your Corporate Match program!

If you would like to pay with a credit card, you can set up a payment with the Givebutter platform (click on the yellow “Donate now” button at the top of this page). The GiveButter platform will automatically add a credit card processing fee so that 100% of your donation goes to the students. If you wish not to be charged a processing fee please donate via check. The system also defaults to a tip for Givebutter, but you can change that amount to $0 by clicking on the drop down menu and selecting Other.

If you would prefer to donate via check, mail your check, payable to "Sahaya International", and mention "Bharti Maniar Scholarship" in the memo. Mail checks to: Sahaya International, 1504 Portola Street, Davis, CA 95616. Please include your e-mail address so we can e-mail you a tax receipt.

Sahaya International is 100% volunteer-based and will not charge any administrative costs. 100% of what is received is sent to India to support the higher education of the scholarship recipients.

If you would like to help with fundraising as a team member, please click the "Fundraise" in the "team members" section on this page. This will allow you to become a team member and make a personalized page that you can send to your friends and relatives.

Please reach out to me (Kinjal at kmaniar@gmail.com) or Koen (koen@sahaya.org) if you have any questions.

Here are some examples of how far your contributions can reach:
- $25: Admission fee to college
- $100: one month of food for college student
- $75: set of textbooks, notebooks, stationary
- $250: Textbooks for Bachelor Degree student for 1 semester
- $400: laptop for student
- $600: one year of tuition for Diploma Course
- $2,200: one year of tuition and hostel fees for B.Sc. in Nursing or B.Sc in Engineering

Many thanks for your support!

Bharti Maniar Memorial Scholarship For Girls Pursuing Higher Education

By Sahaya International Inc

Bharti Maniar Memorial Scholarship For Girls Pursuing Higher Education

Empowering girls from underprivileged backgrounds in India with higher education

Team Members