By Mykah Briscoe | Reporter
The Zeta chapter of Delta Kappa Delta sold South Asian snacks and offered henna art Thursday afternoon on Fountain Mall in order to raise money for Akash’s Libraries. The event was part of the organization’s HOPE week, which stands for Helping Others Pursue Education.
According to the Delta Kappa Delta website, Delta Kappa Delta is a “South Asian interest, but not South Asian exclusive, nonprofit service sorority.” The sorority hosts HOPE week — a nationwide event — every fall semester. Each charter is focused on educating and raising money for a nonprofit organization.
This fall semester, the beneficiary of the fundraising is Akash’s Libraries — a nonprofit organization that builds school libraries in economically disadvantaged areas across developing countries.
Dallas senior Ruqayyah Rehman, Unified Greek Council delegate and alumni chair, said the goal for this week is to spread awareness on children’s education and to share a part of themselves with the Baylor community.
“[Akash’s Libraries is] our main big national outlet for what we fund into, what we try to support,” Rehman said. “Just getting kids’ the education that they deserve and need and especially to communities that may not have those resources.”
Carrollton junior Preethi Potluri, Delta Kappa Delta secretary, said she had firsthand experience, having briefly lived in India.
“There’s a lot of underserved communities in India just because it’s an up-and-coming system,” Potluri said.
In India, Potluri said parents have a mindset according to which they must take their children out of school for them to start working at a young age, taking away the opportunity for them to live a better life.
“They can’t go out of that mindset, and they stay in the social level that they’re in,” Potluri said. “By getting an education, they’re able to get better jobs and get their family out of those places.”
Potluri said having that experience made her view American society differently.
“It really made me appreciate just the value we have in school here,” Potluri said.
By the end of the semester, Potluri said Delta Kappa Delta will be told how much money was fundraised by each charter and the impact.
“100% of the profits — all the money that we raise — goes to the national board, and they donate it to Akash’s,” Potluri said.
In the spring semester, Delta Kappa Delta will host CHILD week, which stands for Changing Hope Into a Lasting Difference.
“HOPE Week is geared toward education, and then CHILD week is geared toward our other part of philanthropy, which is child abuse awareness,” Rehman said.
Rehman said members of the organization enjoy giving back to their communities.
“We truly like to give back to our community — which Akash’s Libraries started I believe in South Asia, where we are all from,” Rehman said. “So it’s kind of close to our home, special place on our hearts, things like that.”
