Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.
I grew up visiting family in India often, but it was not until my most recent trip that I noticed the hardships many people faced. I saw people begging for money on the sidewalk every ten feet, mothers with young children struggling to keep them calm while pleading for money. I saw older women sitting in mosquito-infested areas asking for the slightest amount of change. I saw a one-legged man struggling to take care of his kids. This harsh reality moved me, causing me to brainstorm ways to help those impoverished people live more comfortably. Once I arrived back in America, I brought these ideas to my friends. We then decided to start a non-profit, Karisha, with the mission to provide orphans in India with resources ranging from basic health and safety needs to books and toys.
When we first started fundraising, we had no idea what to do. My friends thought that a fancy event would easily get donations. However, I realized that we did not need to impress the rich with a gratuitous display of destitution because all that mattered was being able to help. For a newer organization like ours, simplicity was a better way to fundraise. I suggested a one-day garage sale, which I believed would be easier to arrange and promote during the summer. My friends agreed, and we got to work. We gathered items in our houses we did not need, made posters, and decorated the boxes and tables we were to use.
Through the funds earned in the sale, Karisha sent supplies to orphanages. Following the success of our first fundraiser, we set up several other fundraisers to continue the support. As the organization moved forward, my partners and I were able to use our creativity to solve other problems, such as how we would purchase and send the materials. Our creativity was the most important factor in Karisha’s development into the organization it is today.