Close X
Friday, November 29, 2024
ADVT 
International

American India Foundation Raises $200,000 For India's Maternal and Newborn Survival Initiative

Darpan News Desk IANS, 08 Nov, 2015 01:28 PM
  • American India Foundation Raises $200,000 For India's Maternal and Newborn Survival Initiative
American India Foundation (AIF) has raised $200,000 for its Maternal and Newborn Survival Initiative (MANSI), designed to reduce maternal and child mortality in rural, impoverished areas of India.
 
Founded in 2001 at the initiative of then US President Bill Clinton, the community organisation engaged in catalysing social and economic change in India, raised the amount at its annual Washington DC gala Friday.
 
The gala featured Mamta Mahato, a 26-year old health worker from Jharkhand, India. She shared that skills training from AIF's MANSI programme has enabled her to safely deliver over 90 healthy newborns in her village.
 
Over 250 influential guests from US and Indian governments, corporate and entrepreneur leadership, media, and philanthropy of the greater Washington DC area attended the power-packed evening at the historic Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland.
 
Javed Akhtar, noted film writer, lyricist, and poet, was honoured at the event addressed by Indian Ambassador to the US Arun Kumar Singh.
 
"The American India Foundation is steering relations between the world's largest democracy and the world's most powerful democracy," he said thanking AIF for the great work it has done towards supporting important social causes in India.
 
Singh addressed the current development challenges in India and the solutions being implemented across the country, including initiatives to revitalise the economy through entrepreneurship and start-ups.
 
He highlighted the crucial contribution of AIF's initiatives in female literacy and empowerment to this national economic effort.
 
"The effort of the government has to be supplemented by what civil society and people like you are able to do," he said.
 
Praising the involvement and contribution of the American Indian community in strengthening villages and small towns in India, Akhtar said, "What is wonderful about you is that you have not forgotten your connect to India."
 
Teresa Carlson, Vice President of the Global Public Sector at Amazon. Teresa Carlson emphasized the entrepreneurial potential of India.
 
Venkatesh Raghavendra, AIF Senior Director thanked the young leaders of the greater Washington DC area for having taken ownership of the AIF's cause.
 
The gala also recognized the leadership of Neera Tanden, President of The Centre for American Progress, Kumar Barve, member of the Maryland House of Delegates and Aziz Haniffa, managing editor at India Abroad.

MORE International ARTICLES

Police Kill Indian During Nepal Protest

Police Kill Indian During Nepal Protest
Police in Nepal on Monday shot dead an Indian national during protests in the the country's Birgunj city close to the Indian border, officials said.

Police Kill Indian During Nepal Protest

Pakistan Quake Causes Cracks In World Heritage Sites

Pakistan Quake Causes Cracks In World Heritage Sites
The 7.5 magnitude earthquake that rocked Pakistan last week caused cracks in the country's World Heritage sites of Takht-i-Bahi and Jaulian as well as in museums and artefacts of Gandhara Civilization

Pakistan Quake Causes Cracks In World Heritage Sites

Tushy! Indian-American Woman Miki Agrawal's Shoot-To-Clean Unit Could Be The End Of Toilet Roll

Tushy! Indian-American Woman Miki Agrawal's Shoot-To-Clean Unit Could Be The End Of Toilet Roll
The product, called a 'Tushy', is designed to shoot a stream of water to keep people's private parts clean after having used the toilet

Tushy! Indian-American Woman Miki Agrawal's Shoot-To-Clean Unit Could Be The End Of Toilet Roll

Indian Businessman To Hold Food Festival In Melbourne's Suburb

Indian Businessman To Hold Food Festival In  Melbourne's Suburb
Tejas Patel, organiser of the Wyndham Food Truck Festival, said he wanted to hold the festival because there hadn't been anything like it in Wyndham before

Indian Businessman To Hold Food Festival In Melbourne's Suburb

Adani's Coal Mine Nod Evokes 'Morality' Debate In Australia

Adani's Coal Mine Nod Evokes 'Morality' Debate In Australia
The A$16-billion mining project, which is located in Queensland's Galilee Basin, was granted a new approval by Australia's Environment Minister Greg Hunt a few weeks ago.

Adani's Coal Mine Nod Evokes 'Morality' Debate In Australia

All Lives Matter: Prosecution At Cop's Retrial For Assaulting Indian Grandfather

All Lives Matter: Prosecution At Cop's Retrial For Assaulting Indian Grandfather
The defence says the community must respect police, but the police must earn the respect of the community

All Lives Matter: Prosecution At Cop's Retrial For Assaulting Indian Grandfather