In Conversation With Meenakshi Verma

LokVani - Nirmala Garimella: "Meenakshi Verma is a volunteer for AVSAR, a non profit that was founded in late 2003 through the initiatives of Dr. Ashish Goyal. Inspired by the service experience he had in the slums of Mumbai in December 2002, Dr. Goyal made a bold journey back to Mumbai by taking a year off after medical school to start his own NGO in India. Through his perseverance and drive, AVSAR India was established to help community-based non-profits working to improve the healthcare of the underprivileged, especially children. In its primary programming, AVSAR brings 4-6 highly skilled students and young professionals to partner with an NGO that has identified a specific skill gap in their services. Since the launch of the program in February 2004, AVSAR has recruited over 30 volunteers who have completed over 3 years of free service work for their partner NGOs. New Englandvolunteers include Gunjan Kamdar, Alexander Kay and Anand Dholakia.

As a Program Director, Meenakshi Verma is currently in working in the slums of Mumbai. In an email to Lokvani she outlined AVSAR�s mission and her experience in working in the slums. "