The EdGift Foundation was founded in 2013 by Keerthi and Adithi Jayaraman, who are passionate about empowering young girls around the world.
From a young age, they have been taught that an education is the most important gift because it gives one the ability to do anything. Needless to say, it hurt them to acknowledge that so many girls were unable to go to school. The adversity some girls face when trying to get an education motivated them to do something to promote change in the gender gap for education. As outspoken students, they were given opportunities to channel their energetic personalities into becoming leaders. Then it dawned on them that many girls must have this drive within but no means to channel it into something more. They chose to focus on leadership skills because such abilities can be applied to any field or area that students would like to pursue. They were empowered (or empowHERed!) to start EdGift Foundation after learning about their mother’s own struggles as a female student in India. EdGift Foundation helps all girls who have a drive within themselves reach their full potential. EdGift Foundation started with just 13 students in a summer camp in Newark, New Jersey. From there, the organization has grown to reach over 2,700 students in 12 schools in India and New Jersey. In addition to the useful skills girls who attend our workshops/camps receive, our work with EdGift Foundation is extremely important for us because this work has truly taught us what bliss is. Our hearts have never been so full as it has been when we see a young girl realize for the first time that she, too, can be a leader and do whatever she sets her mind to.