Today we’d like to introduce you to Alka Subramanian.
Hi Alka, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
It was the year 2000. The AIDs epidemic was at its peak, and ARVs were very expensive, so that they were unaffordable for most people in Sub-Saharan Africa. Pediatric doses were not available. Children living with HIV had a life expectancy of less than five years without intervention. We (the three founders) had young children at that time, and we strongly believed that good quality health care should be available to all children irrespective of where they live. A friend of ours who had experience in the non-profit world, my husband, who was a business executive, and I quit our jobs to start Power of Love with the goal of providing health care to children living with HIV, to empower women, and strengthen families.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has been bumpy, for sure. In the initial years and even now, potential donors often ask why the need to go halfway across the world when the need is equally great close to home. We know that in a global economy, everyone is connected and hence no group can be empowered or safe unless everyone around the globe is. We conveyed this message to potential donors, and they came forward to support women in countries as far as Zambia and India. The second challenge was to keep costs low, as all funds raised from private donors are allocated towards programs. This meant that we could not hire the services of web developers and professional fundraisers. However, it has been a huge learning process, and we are happy with the journey and where we are today.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The mission of our organization is to build strong and vibrant communities by ensuring no child is born with HIV, provide healthcare HIV+ children, and empower vulnerable women. We believe that our approach of finding solutions that take advantage of the culture and knowledge that exists in communities, empowering the ground team to implement solutions, and the training and education provided has been critical for our success. Our main challenge was the time commitment needed to gain the trust of community leaders, church pastors, and community residents.
I would like our readers to know that change happens one child/one woman/one family at a time. Second, both Zambia and India have a rich culture, and the people are hardworking, friendly, and honest. We can learn a ton from them. My personal experience is that I have gained more than the investment made on my part.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I consider myself blessed as I have had the unconditional support of my family in all my ventures, some feasible and some not so feasible. I grew up in a well-off family in India and received a good education and health care. As a teenager, I became aware of my privileged status and the difficult circumstances of most people around me. After high school, my major in both undergraduate and graduate schools was development economics. My educational background and subsequent teaching and research at the University of South Dakota cemented my belief in social justice and equality for everyone.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.poweroflove.org
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/poweroflove
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/polfoundation
