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Met Emily Say, Emily Do? #atozchallenge

For the A to Z Blogging Challenge, I’m blogging 26 days in April based on the alphabet and bringing you stories from the nonprofit Project Why.

Today,  I bring you a story a beautiful young girl, who saves up each year so she can volunteer at  Project Why. Real and straightforward like most of my other American friends, Emily Fox either has the secret of turning back time, or an army of clones or Ninjas or whatever, because working with her is like: Emily say, Emily do. She delivers on whatever she takes on.

Emily first came to Project Why in 2012 when she was still in her teens.  She was to stay for six months in a different culture and society, but it took her no time to take to Project Why, Delhi and India. Language proved no barrier, nor did the spicy cuisine.

Damyanti Biswas talks about Project Why and the wonderful work this small nonprofit with a large heart does in the slum communities of New DelhiBefore she came to Project Why she had already worked single handed with challenging adults with special needs, and in no time, she bonded with the children and staff of Project Why’s Special Section.

Emily knows where she is needed even before you ask her. She soon began helping with the volunteer programme and fundraising. While being a full time student and working nights to meet her expenses, she still finds time to revamp Project Why’s social media profile and find new funding avenues, despite being thousands of miles away, in the States.

Inspired by Project Why and their grassroots approach, Emily plans to continue working in the non-profit world. She is currently working on establishing an organization in America to aid in sending funds and volunteers to Project Why.  Once she finishes her education, Emily wants to expand this organization to include outreach to teens and young adults so they too can experience Project Why.

Would you like to become a Project Why Ambassador? If you cannot make it to New Delhi, could you donate to bring a smile to a child’s face? What would you say to Emily?

To Donate to Special Section of Project Why, CLICK HERE.
To Contact Project Why, Click Here
 

Please join Daily (w)rite on its Facebook Page if you’d like to be heard by this community. If you liked this post, you can have biweekly posts delivered to your inbox: click the SUBSCRIBE button in the sidebar. The daily posts are only for April: I’m doing 26 posts on the fab nonprofit Project Why for my A to Z Challenge.

 

Damyanti Biswas

Damyanti Biswas is the author of You Beneath Your Skin and numerous short stories that have been published in magazines and anthologies in the US, the UK, and Asia. She has been shortlisted for Best Small Fictions and Bath Novel Awards and is co-editor of the Forge Literary Magazine. Her literary crime thriller series, the Blue Mumbai, is represented by Lucienne Diver from The Knight Agency. Both The Blue Bar and The Blue Monsoon were published in 2023.

I appreciate comments, and I always visit back. If you're having trouble commenting, let me know via the contact form, or tweet me up @damyantig !

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40 Comments

  • Damyanti I really respect souls like Emily who believe in goodness and be a change in society:)

  • macjam47 says:

    It is wonderful meeting Emily today. Such an inspiration.

  • Shalzzz says:

    Feels good to know of such a beautiful soul! Emily is wonderful.

  • It was wonderful to know about Emily. We need more Emily’s to inspire the others to do the good work that she is doing to help others.

  • It was wonderful to know about Emily! We need more people like her so that there are more role models to inspire others!

  • Kalpanaa says:

    Hats off to Emily. It’s been quite a few years since I visited Project Why even though I live in Delhi. Anuradha Bakshi is an amazing woman specially because she can rope in all these wonderful volunteers. Greet going Damyanti.

  • hilarymb says:

    Hi Damyanti – what an inspiring young lady Emily is .. that was amazing to read … and I shall remember … cheers to you all – Hilary

  • jlennidorner says:

    J here, stopping by from the #atozchallenge – where I am part of Arlee Bird’s A to Z Ambassador Team.
    April is here and I’m excited about it. Best of luck to us both on meeting our goals of posting and hopping to other blogs.
    My blog has a giveaway. There’s a bonus a to z challenge each day to encourage people to visit more stops.
    http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com
    That’s a wonderful story. I’m sharing it on social media. Best of luck on spreading the word for this great cause!

  • Peter Nena says:

    Another angel at Project Why.

  • WriterlySam says:

    What an amazing gift and heart Emily has! Making a positive difference is the most rewarding job there is! Bravo!

    The AtoZ of EOS
    #TeamDamyanti

  • Emily Fox says:

    Wow, thank you for the beautiful post, Damyanti. I’m humbled. I consider it an honor to work with Ptoject Why and know without a shadow of a doubt that I have received more from them than I’ve given. The student’s selfless nature and boundless love is my inspiration and that is a gift I work everyday to return. I look forward to my future becoming even more intertwined with Project Why.

  • jazzfeathers says:

    Another remarcable member of this beautiful organization. I applaude your courage 🙂

  • So many beautiful giving individuals gives us all HOPE FOR THE WORLD. Thank you Emily!

    • We’re reminded everyday to have hope- from our students, teachers, and volunteers- we’re so blessed at Project Why. When we are in need we always have supporters to step up and donate or volunteer their time. Just as Emily and Damyanti have been doing.

  • Diana Krauss says:

    I am sure that Emily finds her volunteering as valuable as Project Why finds her participation. She should be an inspiration to all.

  • fenster says:

    All these amazing people doing amazing work. I look forward to reading about them each day. Thanks for sharing these stories with us.

    • Damyanti Biswas says:

      Thank you for reading them! A few kind souls are donating to Project Why: I hope you’ll join them– the Project needs to raise funds from compassionate individuals because they don’t spend any money on advertising.

  • What an amazing person! The world needs more Emilys—imagine if we all lived with this kind of integrity, this kind of commitment. Brava, Emily!

    • Lucky for Project Why, there are more people like Emily. She is just one of our super volunteers! Without all of their support Project Why wouldn’t have the same spirit.

  • I’d say ‘Way to go Emily’. It is amazing how much people can achieve when they put their minds to it. Glad to have read about her.

  • Nice profile of Emily. I love the picture of her and her friend – they both have such sweet smiles.

    Cheers – Ellen |

    • That was a bitter sweet day for us; it was Emily’s last day at Project Why after her first time with us. We immediately started counting down the days to her return.

  • What a super person, Emily is. Just what the project needs. Thank you for showing us that there are some wonderful people in the world.

  • cleemckenzie says:

    You’re introducing us to some pretty fantastic people. Thanks Damyanti.

  • Dan Antion says:

    Thanks for this uplifting introduction. What a wonderful young woman.

    • Damyanti Biswas says:

      Each time I hear about Drumpf, I think of Emily, you and other American friends. I feel better about your great country, simply because people like Emily are part of it.

      • Dan Antion says:

        I’m glad there are people like Emily. these days, the people in the news from this country aren’t exactly our best and brightest. Unfortunately, we’re going to elect one of them President.

  • Vidya Sury says:

    What a lovely person Emily is! Thank you for introducing her, Damyanti!

  • That’s cool she’s working here to raise funds for the project! Maybe she is part Ninja…

    • Damyanti Biswas says:

      I suspect she is. She certainly has the strength and tenacity of one. I hope her fundraisers are successful: Project Why needs all the help it can get.

    • We at Project Why definitely think she is part ninja!

  • jdubj says:

    Glad I had the pleasure to meet Emily, the second time I visited Project Why. We certainly had a few laughs and scrapes. A very determined young woman, the nicest American I have met.

  • Susan Scott says:

    What a lovely lady is Emily! Bless her, and Project Why is blessed to have her. Thank you Damyanti!

  • franklparker says:

    Project Why? has an inspiring crew supporting its work. And you are doing a brilliant job in showing them to the blogosphere.

    • Damyanti Biswas says:

      Project Why will shine with their own light for the wonderful work they’re doing. I’m jut sharing a few of the positive stories and people out of the thousands they have been part of in the last 15 years.

      Please consider donating to them: a small amount goes a long way in this no-frills org.

  • projectwhy says:

    Emily is an absolutely amazing soul. We at Project Why are blessed to have her with us.

  • What a gem. You are blessed to have someone like her.