From August 29–31, 2025, we (TALA) had the privilege to partner with  Eklipse for a meaningful partnership to raise funds for underprivileged children in India. Hosted at the Jewish Community Center in San Diego, this opportunity was made possible through the generosity of IFAASD and Dr. Shekar Viswanathan (President of IFAASD) during their annual Youth Festival. Both TALA and Eklipse are student-run nonprofit organizations, and IFAASD is also an entirely volunteer-run nonprofit organization. 

TALA (Traditional Arts and Learning Association) seeks to make Indian music and traditional arts accessible to everyone. Firstly, TALA is entirely run by students across the nation, who are all passionate about the Indian Classical Arts. Through concerts, cultural showcases, and our podcast series “Talk With TALA,” we try to connect with people about the richness of Indian heritage while also encouraging collaboration. Additionally, we love to share virtual projects that involve teamwork and cooperation, allowing us to share our arts and passions with a broader audience. From hosting sessions at universities like Stanford, Texas A&M, and USC, to partnering with local and global organizations, TALA continues to expand its mission of sharing the beauty of Indian art forms. 

Similarly, Eklipse aims to help educate children in India and was founded after Isha (the CEO)’s life-changing trip to India, where she witnessed the realities of underserved communities. She saw children playing barefoot on rocky ground, some unable to join in because they didn’t have shoes. That moment, simple yet powerful, sparked the creation of Eklipse, an organization dedicated to empowering children with the tools, education, and opportunities they need to thrive. Now, Eklipse is a multi-chapter organization, with seven school chapters in San Diego, and even a new chapter in the Bay Area. Eklipse hopes to expand even further in the near future and is very happy to continue fundraising through partnerships, volunteering, and hosting community fundraising events.  

IFAASD (Indian Fine Arts Academy of San Diego) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting Indian classical arts and culture within the San Diego community. IFAASD is a core organization in San Diego, which has been promoting Indian classical music, dance, and arts by hosting world-class performances, supporting local talent, and fostering cultural appreciation among youth and the broader community. Through its educational programs and charitable initiatives, IFAASD also preserves and shares Indian culture within San Diego and beyond. Through their annual Youth Festival, IFAASD also provides a platform for young artists and organizations across the USA to share their work, celebrate creativity, and engage in meaningful community initiatives. TALA and Eklipse were honored to be part of this event and to collaborate with IFAASD.

Over the three-day event, TALA and Eklipse raised more than $500, connecting with families, students, and supporters across the nation. Student members from both organizations collaborated to run the booth, speak during the festival, and share their missions with the community throughout the purposeful weekend. We are also grateful to all the student members who took time out of their schedules to help us spread the word about raising funds for our mission. These funds will be allocated to support underprivileged children in India, providing them with essential resources and educational opportunities. Our initiatives aim to offer not only basic necessities such as school supplies, clothing, and nutritious meals, but also to improve access to quality education and resources. By investing in their learning environments and offering scholarships, tutoring, and extracurricular activities, we hope to make the most positive impact on these children's lives. Overall, the whole experience was so cultivating and enjoyable for all of us, and we are so grateful to IFAASD for the opportunity and for their continued commitment to nurturing cultural exchange and youth leadership.

We look forward to continuing fundraising through additional efforts and collaborations. Together, TALA and Eklipse were incredibly joyful to unite young talent and students in celebrating culture and giving back to our community.

This summer, Riddhi, Avi, and I teamed up for a fun and meaningful project: a bake sale fundraiser for the Westview Eklipse Club. With determination, creativity, and a lot of sugar, we turned a sunny day into a rewarding experience of community engagement and teamwork.

Our day began early in the kitchen, where we baked around 70 sugar cookies from scratch. We spent the entire morning mixing, baking, and carefully packaging the cookies to make them look as delicious as they tasted. Each cookie was priced at $2, and we had done a cost estimation to ensure we would make a good profit for the club.

Our first stop was our neighborhood. Our branch’s fourth member, Sanjeev, joined us as we went door to door, introducing ourselves and offering cookies to residents. Despite our enthusiasm, sales were slow — we sold only about a dozen cookies. It became clear that we needed to adjust our strategy if we wanted to reach our goal.

So, we regrouped and decided to visit a nearby, more active community. The area had more foot traffic, and people were out enjoying the summer weather. This change made all the difference. The hot, sunny afternoon didn’t stop us — we came prepared with hats and water bottles to stay cool and hydrated. Thanks to the new location, we sold most of our cookies and raised about $150 in profit.

To make the most of our remaining cookies, we got even more creative. I brought a dozen to sell at my symphony orchestra rehearsal that evening, where supportive fellow musicians and their families gladly contributed. Meanwhile, Avi took a couple dozen more cookies to sell in his neighborhood. With these extra efforts, we successfully reached our fundraising goal for the day.

The bake sale was more than just a way to raise money — it was a lesson in planning, adaptability, and teamwork. We were proud not only of the funds we raised for the Westview Eklipse Club, but also of the way we problem-solved and worked together to make it happen.

When I was younger, I thought education was something you simply had to get through. A series of tests, grades, and expectations. But somewhere along the way, it became something else entirely. It became the reason I wake up excited to learn. It became the door that opened into rooms I never knew existed; rooms filled with neurons, synapses, and the mysterious ways the brain can heal or harm.

My path wasn’t straightforward. I moved from Turkey to the United States in middle school, carrying with me a love for science and a mind full of questions. At first, everything felt unfamiliar. I struggled to fit in, to find the words in a new language, to keep up. But in every classroom, I found something steady. Teachers who saw potential. Subjects that challenged me. Books that gave me a voice when I didn’t know how to speak.

It was during this time that my sister became seriously ill. She was diagnosed with acute cerebellitis, and I watched her struggle to walk, speak, and even smile. I felt helpless. But then, I saw the neurologists and neurosurgeons work—how their knowledge brought order to our chaos. How their understanding of the brain gave my sister a second chance. That was the moment I realized I wanted to dedicate my life to this field.

Education gave me the words to describe what was happening. It gave me the science to understand it. And most importantly, it gave me hope. The more I learned, the more I wanted to know. I started volunteering in hospitals, interning in labs, and reading research papers late at night, scribbling notes in the margins. Every opportunity I’ve had—from shadowing a neurosurgeon in Turkey to volunteering at UCSD, has deepened my belief that education is not just about learning facts. It’s about unlocking purpose.

To me, education is the most powerful kind of freedom. It allows me to choose who I want to become and how I want to impact the world. I don’t just study neuroscience because it’s fascinating. I study it because I’ve seen what happens when the brain fails and what’s possible when we understand how to help it heal. I study it because I want to be the person who brings that kind of hope to someone else’s family.

And so, I keep learning. Not just because I have to, but because education is the tool that turned my fear into direction, and my questions into passion. It’s not just important to me; it’s everything.

Education is more than just learning to read, write, and add—it is arguably the most powerful tool for breaking the cycle of poverty. For millions of underprivileged children, access to quality education is the difference between a life of struggle and one full of possibilities. From the slums of India to underserved communities worldwide, education provides more than just hope, but a ticket to creating a brighter future for generations to come. 

Some key facts that highlight the impact of poverty include: 

• A single year of primary schooling increases a child’s future wages by 5% to 15% for boys and is typically higher for girls

• For each additional year of secondary education, expected earnings rise by 15% to 25%

• No country has EVER achieved continuous and rapid economic growth without first achieving a minimum 40% literacy rate

Source: ttps://lumierededucation.org/why-education-is-the-key-to-breaking-the-cycle-of-poverty/ 

The numbers speak for themselves, proving that education is a game-changer, for individuals as well as entire communities. 

But for millions of children, access to education–quality or otherwise—is still a distant dream. Many families in underserved communities are struggling to survive and cannot afford to prioritize schooling. When parents are uneducated and forced to focus on daily survival, their children remain trapped in the same cycle, perpetuating the disparaging effects of poverty. Sin intervention, the cycle repeats for generations. 

In India alone, millions of children are classified as “out-of-school,” and about 50% of all children have no access to quality education beyond primary school (Khan, 2023). Lacking education, these children face a future of uncertainty, unable to access better job opportunities, improve their living conditions, and provide for their future. However, when we provide them with education, we give them the essential tools to break free. 

Education does more than just change individual lives—it has the potential to change entire communities at a systemic level. Children equipped with knowledge, skills, and confidence have the ability to uplift themselves and those around them. A child who receives an education today becomes an adult who can support their family tomorrow. 

If your goal is to make a lasting impact on the world, invest in education. It is the gift that keeps on giving—empowering not only one child, but entire generations to rise above poverty and create a brighter future. Your donation plants the seed that blossoms into a nation of children empowered to build their own futures.

Here at Eklipse Education, our mission is to build the foundation for a better future by investing in quality learning centers in impoverished West Indian communities. Our program highlights the necessity of delivering competent education at a fundamental systemic level, ensuring accessibility without regard to socioeconomic status.