June 2024 Newsletter

Dear Friends of U-Go:

You might wonder what a 13-year-old attending middle school in Irvine, California and a college student from Andhra Pradesh, India would have in common. More than you might think.

Last month, Shayna Brenner celebrated her Bat Mitzvah at Temple Bat Yahm in Newport Beach. As her service project, Shayna chose to raise money for U-Go with the goal of supporting one young woman for the entire four years of her university journey.

Though still a teenager, for Shayna, U-Go holds a special resonance. “Having been born in Hong Kong and being exposed to so many cultures around the world, U-Go speaks to me as I want to go to college someday too.” To raise money toward her goal, Shayna set up a JustGiving page to promote her campaign, asking family and friends to donate to her fundraiser in lieu of gifts. She also made and sold bracelets adding the proceeds to her total. The response was overwhelming.

On the other side of the world, Jahnavi A., a young Indian woman with her own entrepreneurship drive, is attending university with the help of U-Go.

Having watched the closure of her father’s business during the COVID pandemic, Jahnavi leaned into her determination to help her parents financially while not giving up on the dream of education. By 12th grade she started two businesses, running them out of a small family home side-by-side with her mother’s tailoring business.

Even with the extra income, the financial strain on the family eventually became too much. Jahnavi sought financial support and was eventually selected for a U-Go scholarship through our Indian partner, Buddy4Study. Today, Jahnavi is training her dedication and passion into a degree in Aeronautical Engineering that she plans to use in service to others as a member of the Indian Air Force.

Back in California, Shayna blew through her initial fundraising goal with enough raised to support two scholars – passionate, service-oriented, dedicated young women like Jahnavi – for the entirety of their university education.

Talent is universal, opportunity is not. We say this a lot at U-Go. I think these stories demonstrate that these intrinsic drives to service and success can exist no matter the circumstances of birth. As applications for U-Go’s 2024-2025 cohort of scholars opens up these months, I hope the stories of Shayna and Jahnavi motivate all of us to see that one person can make a difference in her own life, and forever change the lives of others.

Thanks to Shayna for supporting the university dreams of two young women and congratulations on your Bat Mitzvah. Please read on for Jahnavi’s full story. I encourage you to watch the video as well, to be inspired by Jahnavi’s story in her own words.

For those off on summer holidays, wishing you safe travels and wonderful memories with family and friends.

With gratitude,

John WoodSchola Spotlight

Scholar Spotlight

The Airforce Pilot of Andhra Pradesh

Meet Jahnavi A. Jahnavi and her younger sister sit in a compact kitchen, in a quiet town in western Andhra Pradesh, doing their homework. In the corner, their mother sews at a makeshift workstation, the only part of her tailoring business shewas able to bring with her after moving away from their beloved Bengaluru (Bangalore). Their father, a barber, is doing what he can to rebuild the family finances after the forced closure of his former busy salon in Bengaluru, during the height of the Covid-19 global pandemic.

Jahnavi’s parents had always supported their daughters, prioritizing their education in the hopes of giving them better lives with careers that provide dependable income. Looking around this modest house, with its one tiny bedroom and small living space, Jahnavi can see her parents are working as hard as they can, and yet, they struggle to pay for the family’s daily needs and the girls’ school fees. She is only three years from university. If she wants to fulfill her parents’ dreams for her, she will need to find a way to help.

Taking inspiration from her industrious parents, Jahnavi launches herfirst business in 10th grade. Called “Wrap Your Memories”, she collaborates with local gift shops, crafting custom gift boxes for her clients. With savvy use of social media and dedication to hard work, the business is a success – she pays for all additional educational expenses for herself and her sister. A year later, she starts an event management company. “The challenge of balancing work and studies is formidable, but with the unwavering support of my parents and friends, I will persevere.”

By 12th grade, with university only a year away, it is no longer possible for Jahnavi to study and run her two businesses out of a small, shared family home. She makes the crucial decision to outsource the operations of her businesses and move into a hostel so that she can fully focus on her academics. Although concerned about her living independently, ultimately, her parents are supportive; their worries transform into pride seeing their daughter navigate her new environment with confidence.While balancing her studies and her new responsibilities of living independently, she keeps tabs on her event management company. Three friends execute the events on the ground, while Jahnavi oversees financial matters and client relations from afar. Her enterprising spirit and financial acuity continue to soar!

With university on the horizon, Jahnavi considers her options. When her school principal asks if she has ever thought about joining the Indian Air Force, she is immediately interested. Instilled with strong values of hard work and service by her parents, she sees contributing to national security and safeguarding the country’s skies as a privilege. “The Indian Air Force boasts a distinguished reputation for professionalism,” she says. “The combination of service, prestige, and dynamic professional growth makes the Indian Air Force a truly intriguing and fulfilling career choice for me.”

After secondary school, she enrolls at Nitte Meenakshi Institute ofTechnology in Karnataka to pursue a Bachelor of Technology degree, specializing in Aeronautical Engineering. Despite a demanding course load of physics, mathematics, and engineering, Jahnavi is thriving in her studies. Still, financial distress is never far from her mind. Though she still manages the event management company, most of her time must now be spent studying in order to succeed. “The mounting costs of my education threaten to overwhelm my family, potentially forcing them into burdensome high-interest loans.” She looks for another path to contribute to her tuition.

The U-Go scholarship, in partnership with Buddy4Study, a leading scholarship portal in India, arrives just when she needs it most. Her financial strain eased; Jahnavi now has the confidence to excel in her studies. “I am profoundly grateful for this scholarship. In gratitude, I am resolute in my commitment to serve our nation as an Indian Air Force officer, endeavoring to sustain the kindness bestowed upon me through this scholarship."Currently, studying the fundamental principles behind aircraft design and construction, she is on course to become a pilot in the Indian Air Force, embarking on a purposeful career in service to her country.

Thank you to Buddy4Study who partnered with U-Go to capture the inspiring story of Jahnavi. For more inspiring stories, visit U-Go’s Youtube page or click the links below.