You founded SpunkGo. Tell us more about it.
SpunkGo is an all-girls global organisation I started about two years ago. My inspiration to start this organisation was when I took a course from a university online and realised the power of online learning. I realised the reach and impact of technology and how we could use it for better means such as education. SpunkGo holds monthly life-skill webinars on various topics to provide diverse exposure to our audiences. We’ve had speakers from big companies and start-ups as well as non-governmental organisations. The whole point of these webinars is to empower and broaden the horizons of young women across the globe, specifically in developing countries in Africa and Asia. The feedback and support we are getting is so encouraging that we feel our impact is real, tangible, and useful.
How has the journey been?
While I started SpunkGo myself, I got help growing the idea from my father, crowdfunding via a New York organisation and a tie-up with KeyNote Women Speakers, who provide us with accomplished global speakers. I wanted to start something relevant globally, makes best use of technology, and makes a positive impact on the community. My Instagram friends in different countries helped me a lot in establishing SpunkGo, and it’s amazing to look back and see we are in over 20 countries today with local chapters. The main motivation to start was the educational attribute of SpunkGo. I’ve grown up in an area where I’ve always had access to education. I, however, realise that in many parts of the world, young women don’t have that type of opportunity. and I wanted to help people utilise the resources they had access to, which in some cases is the Internet. I want to live in a world where anyone, irrespective of background or circumstances, has equal opportunities.
Why did you particularly focus on educating girls?
I am aware that in some parts of the world girls really can’t have the same opportunities as boys, and I wanted to break that gender barrier. I wanted to empower these women so that they felt they could do anything they want to too. It’s not just the mindset that’s holding them back but also the lack of opportunity and mentorship. This is the community I wanted to help fulfil their potential.
What do you want SpunkGo to achieve in five years?
In five years, I really hope SpunkGo has grown to 1,00,000 young women members and is in many more countries than today. We have had a lot of support, awards, and media coverage, and I think all this will help us achieve this goal. I’ll probably be in college, so I know I need to build a team that can run
How do you manage time between school work and social responsibility?
This is a great question, and I think a really important aspect is that my parents both work so they understand the need to balance work and family. They give me support the right values, and that little bit of strength to go about my work. At times, I need to calm down and reflect on the tasks at hand. In terms of management. I think that this is a really important aspect to stop and take stock of what has been done and what is required. I like to break tasks into smaller tasks and go about doing each so the entire job gets done. Coordinating with 30 other girls around the world in different time zones is not always easy but it’s also the fun part of SpunkGo. Looking at the big picture is also very helpful. I’m really busy when it comes to academics at school so I need to sometimes give myself a break. Playing with my younger sister is the best way to relax. At times, it does get busy as apart from school work, I am also working on my Property Tech start-up. But as long as you are passionate about what you do, time gets made for these things.
What are your other hobbies?
I’ve been playing tennis for about nine years now, and I can get lost in the world when I play the piano. Since I live outside India, to be connected to my roots, I have been a Kathak dancer for over 10 years. When I am not doing all this, I binge-watch Netflix!
Picture Credit :Google
