“As far as my future plans are concerned, I want to continue my work. I will continue with the projects I have started with the help of my mom and dad. They are my pillars. I will continue to work hard to make sure I do my part well in keeping children in schools. Again, this is an important mission. Abdu’l Baha, the eldest son of Baha’u’llah, the Founding Prophet of the Baha’i Faith, more than 100 years ago said, “the education of women is of greater importance than the education of men, for they are the mothers of the race, and mothers rear the children. The first teachers of children are the mothers. Therefore, they must be capably trained in order to educate both sons and daughters.”

When I reach the age that I can comfortably travel alone, I promised myself that I will go and visit all the libraries I was instrumental in starting and see the differences we have made.

I hope one day:

• That all children in the world, especially girls, will remain in school.
• Everyone, especially men, will take responsibility to work towards the equality of men and women.
• That we will live in a society where there will be only one race, where there will be no prejudices against color, caste or nationalities.
• That all people in the world will believe in the oneness of religion, where Jews, Palestinian, Hindus, Muslims and Catholics can live together as one family.
• All youths will become the light that will illuminate the world to bring forth changes.
• There will be one common language, so when we visit a remote village or city anywhere in the world, we can communicate in one language – thereby we can create unity among mankind.
• There will be no extreme poverty or extreme wealth – and to see no child begging on the streets.

I pray each day to God to give me strength and power to make my dreams come true. The time we spent with the children of Asia during the past few years will always remain fresh in our minds.

by Natascha Yogachandra

My little friends in a refugee camp in Sri Lanka

My friends in an orphanage in Cambodia

This girl is same as my age when I met her in Cambodia (14 -years old). She is not attending school but lives in a remote village working in the field with her parents.