History

SARSA is a relatively new organization at USC, but it has already earned a reputation for being one of the most organized South Asian groups on campus. A group of six driven and qualified students founded SARSA last summer for two purposes:
• creating a sense of duty to the community and service among the South Asian student population
• giving students in rural parts of South Asia an opportunity to get an education


Community Service

SARSA is accomplishing this mission is by hosting community service events such as Adopt-a-beach Day, where students are taken to a nearby beach to help clean it of litter, refurbishing used wheel chairs to be sent to children in third-world countries, and more.


Sadhana Village

In July of 2007, SARSA established a partnership with Sadhana Village, a non-profit organization based in the Pune Valley. Sadhana Village aims to help poor families in Mulshi Taluka educate their children. Under their Child Sponsorship Program, sponsored children get services like monitoring of the child’s health and educational progress, remedial measures, clothing and equipment, and access to after-school activities. For only Rs.4800,
approximately $120, a child can be sponsored for a full year! SARSA adds value to Sadhana Village’s work by creating mentorship ties between the students and SARSA donors in the United States.


Fundraising

Because it is committed to sustaining its success, SARSA is working towards creating an endowment that will continue to sponsor children every year. The way SARSA intends to build

such an endowment is through the collective efforts of caring students and members of the South Asian community. By hosting benefit parties and dinners, collecting donations and organizing a wide assortment of fundraisers, we hope to get the community involved in achieving SARSA’s mission.


Donations

So, why donate to SARSA? By donating to SARSA, you can have the benefit of knowing that

• Your donation is going towards a great cause
All donations can be specifically earmarked for direct transfer to children in need, direct use in community service events for South Asians, or both.

• Your donation is in the hands of caring and professional students with a passion to make a difference
SARSA’s executive board takes its mission very seriously. Overhead costs, such as promotional materials and start-up costs have been entirely absorbed by the founders. Furthermore, SARSA’s organizational structure allows for many checks that ensure SARSA does not spend any of its funds on things that do not directly accomplish the goal of service. At any point, donors are welcome to make inquiries into SARSA’s finances, and SARSA will fully disclose all requested information.

• You can be sure that your donation goes significantly further
Being a registered student organization at USC, SARSA receives funding to supplement its budget. For every dollar that SARSA spends of its own money on an event, it generally qualifies for several more dollars from the University. SARSA is also in a unique position to be able to start a grassroots movement for the coming generation. By instilling a sense of community responsibility among students, they will be more likely to continue their service in the future.