WRITTEN BY: PARINITA GUPTA
(July 29, 2023) “You ought to make your decisions successful, rather than saying you took successful decisions.” This lesson was given to Samir Desai, founder of System Resources Corporation and Aditi, Inc. by his father. At a very young age, Samir took charge of his life, traveled to the US to study, worked with various companies, and finally, he found one of his own.
But after many years, Samir had a strong desire to give back to the communities in the US and India that helped in shaping his and his family’s life. That is when The Desai Foundation came into the picture in 1999. The Foundation’s primary goal is to uplift the health and livelihood of the broader community, with a particular emphasis on empowering women and children for long-term and sustainable growth.
Samir Desai, founder of The Desai Foundation.
“Our uniqueness is that we don’t focus on one aspect only, for instance, hunger or health. We think that the only way you can uplift a community is through a holistic approach, where many elements are combined together to empower an individual or communities,” informed the Global Indian.
The foundation directed its efforts toward communities in New York City, Boston, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan. Their mission was to empower underprivileged individuals, enabling them to lead their lives with dignity and uplift those in their surroundings. The foundation’s core focus has been on building resilient communities and empowering women and children. They strongly believe that by educating and equipping children with the necessary skills, families can rise above their current circumstances and pave the way for a better future.
Samir Desai and the President of The Desai Foundation, Megha Desai.
They also focus on alleviating health issues that prevent women from working and children from attending school and provide vocational training to increase household income. “My father has been giving back his whole life. He is now known by a lot due to The Desai Foundation, but he has been giving back since the minute he stepped foot in America,” said Megha Desai, President of The Desai Foundation.
Currently, Samir and his family have expanded the foundation’s impact significantly by implementing various programs, including health camps, vocational training, health services, entrepreneurship skill development, and women empowerment initiatives. The foundation envisions a society where individuals utilize their experiences and resources to support those in greater need. Their goal is to continue enhancing the foundation’s efforts and achieving greater impact in the future.