Tavishi and Yash's story: Cookies and Books for Pratham

Like many kids their age, brother and sister Tavishi and Yash Lal love to read. They also enjoy baking with their family. This spring, they decided to combine these two passions for the benefit of Pratham.

Tavishi, a third grader at Highland Lakes School, and Yash, a seventh grader at Basis Peoria, were familiar with Pratham’s work from their parents’ involvement in the Phoenix chapter. Having watched their mother and father, Nandini Sharma and Amit Lal, compete in the “Dancing with the Stars” competition at last year’s gala, the two wanted to do their own part to help educate less fortunate children in India.

Taking inspiration from the Girl Scouts, and with a little help from their aunt Chandni Sharma, the siblings set out to bake and sell treats. They made cookies and Murukku – a popular South Indian snack made with rice and gram flour – and assembled an array of used books to sell at kick-off parties for the Pratham USA Readathon in the Phoenix area.

The annual Pratham USA Readathon encourages children in the United States to read books to bring attention to the poor quality of education in India, with the money raised going toward Pratham’s literacy and learning programs.

Tavishi and Yash raised $130 from the sale of the books and snacks. Now, building on that success, they are looking forward to a summer of reading, with the hope of bringing the total to $250.