ABOUT US

We empower vulnerable people across the world through essential support initiatives.

‘Avasara’ is the Sanskrit word for opportunity. We are a family and friend run charity with a vision of a world where everybody has an opportunity to forge a better path.

Our primary focus is in India, East Africa, and the UK where we take on sustainable projects targeting education, sanitation and financial empowerment. Where necessary, Avasara also stands ready to provide emergency relief, like during the COVID-19 global pandemic

CREATING SCALE WITH EVERY POUND

Each project is collaboratively constructed alongside local communities, such that Avasara’s project management experience is combined with the community’s lived experience to create the most impactful solutions.

We undertake projects with relatively low financial requirements, but which have scale to produce a significant impact for beneficiaries. By partnering with grassroots organisations, including small charities and schools, we keep costs low so that over 90p of every £1 donated goes to the communities.

OUR CORE TARGET ISSUES

Emergency Relief

Vulnerable communities are often the hardest hit by global crises as supply chains break down and economic recessions spread. Where appropriate, Avasara will seek to assist these communities during these difficult periods by providing essential relief.

Education

At Avasara, we believe that education should be accessible to everyone. We are focused on providing educational opportunities to young people, regardless of their circumstances of birth. Avasara will look to create impact through equality programmes, scholarships, and essential school supplies.

Sanitation

Lack of access to basic sanitary facilities can be inhibiting for communities across the world, not only due to the spread of disease and illness, but also through restrictive female hygiene, resulting in girls leaving school. Avasara will focus on projects to facilitate education and access to basic sanitation.

Financial Empowerment

Across the Global South, providing an opportunity to women to earn an income through micro-entrepreneurship has been shown to have had a positive impact for whole communities. Avasara will look to contribute to this work by providing access to capital, as well as guidance, to women who show the commitment and focus to provide for themselves.

Our trustees

Meenal Patel

After graduating from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) with a BSc (Hons) in Economics, Meenal went on to spend 12 years in the banking industry working in leadership roles at both J.P. Morgan and Barclays.

After deciding to transition out of banking, Meenal returned to LSE to complete an MSc in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship to help bridge the gap between financial knowledge and social development. Currently, Meenal is working as an early-stage founder of her own social enterprise with the ambition of bringing social impact to for-profit business.

Amit Patel

After graduating from the London School of Economics and Political Science with a BSc (Hons) in Economics, Amit spent 8 years in financial services working at Pricewaterhouse Coopers where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant.

From there, Amit transitioned to real estate where he has spent the past 8 years in property development. Seeing how the world has been struggling in the face of global crises has given Amit the focus to try to make a difference in any way possible. Now, he is relishing the opportunity to bring about change from his position as a Trustee.

SONIYA Patel

Soniya Patel leads US Real Estate for UK pension insurance specialist, Rothesay. She has over 15 years of experience in commercial real estate finance in both the UK and the US having worked at S&P Global and Prudential prior to joining Rothesay. Soniya holds bachelor’s degrees in Economics & Psychology from Northwestern University.

Soniya seeks to apply her institutional business experience to develop sustainable solutions that address challenges faced by vulnerable communities around the world. She is particularly passionate about ensuring children have access to education so that they can reach their full potential.

Joanna Wilson

After graduating from King’s College London with a BA in French and German, including time spent studying in Paris and Munich, Joanna started working in public relations.

Starting off in the press office at King’s, she now works as a Senior Media Manager at Imperial College London. Joanna is passionate about social and gender equality, and hopes in her role as a trustee to empower communities worldwide.

Hollie Hewitson

After growing up in Dublin and graduating from University College Dublin (UCD) with BSc (Hons) in Psychology, Hollie moved to London, for what was to be a temporary move, but where she now lives with her husband and two young boys.Hollie went on to spend the next 10 years working at a grassroots level within the NHS and the charity sector advocating for, and working therapeutically with, some of the most vulnerable children and adults in our society.She has also undertaken charity work in Madagascar, working in a children’s refuge for girls 0-18 years. There she experienced the complexities of working within a different culture and witnessed the positive impact of an empowering, child-led organisation.