Maya Ajmera
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Maya Ajmera is the Founder and President of The Global Fund for Children, a nonprofit organization that makes small grants to community-based organizations helping children around the world. She is also the author of several children's books, including Children from Australia to Zimbabwe: A Photographic Journey Around the World and Raising Children to Become Caring Contributors to the World.[1]
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Early life and education
Raised in eastern North Carolina by Indian immigrants, [1] Ajmera holds a B.A. from Bryn Mawr College and an M.A. in public policy from the Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy at Duke University. Ajmera was the recipient of a Rotary International Graduate fellowship to study in South Asia. She was also the recipient of the 1993-1997 Echoing Green Public Service Graduate Fellowship and the William C. Friday Fellowship for Human Relations of North Carolina.[2]
[edit] Career
Ajmera founded The Global Fund for Children in 1994 after a trip to India. While waiting for a train she saw a group of children being taught by a teacher on a train platform. Ajmera learned that these children were students in the Train Platform School for impoverished children who could not attend school. Inspired by what she say, Ajmera applied for and won a seed grant from Echoing Green.
Today, The Global Fund for Children has given more than 1,600 grants valued at more than $9 million. These grants have served 304 community-based organizations in 65 countries. More than a million children have been served by The Global Fund for Children. Outside of The Global Fund for Children, Ajmera is also serves on the board of directors for Echoing Green and the Washington Area Women's Foundation[3]. She serves on the advisory board of New Global Citizens, the American India Foundation, Global Philanthropy Forum and the Emerging Markets Foundation. [4] [5]
[edit] Marriage and children
Maya Ajmera is married to David Hutzler Hollander Jr., a staff lawyer at the International Trade Commission[6].
[edit] Accomplishments
In October 2007, Maya Ajmera was featured on CNN's Heroes segment. Actress Mira Sorvino named Ajmera as her hero. Watch the video
[edit] Published works
- Xanadu: The Imaginary Place Edited by Maya Ajmera and Olateju Omolodun. Charlesbridge 1999.
- Extraordinary Girls By Maya Ajmera, Olateju Omolodun, and Sarah Strunk. Charlesbridge 1999.
- Let the Games Begin! By Maya Ajmera and Michael J. Regan. Charlesbridge 2000.
- Children from Australia to Zimbabwe By Maya Ajmera and Anna Rhesa Versola. Charlesbridge 2001.
- Come Out and Play By Maya Ajmera and John D. Ivanko. Charlesbridge 2001.
- To be a Kid By Maya Ajmera and John D. Ivanko. Charlesbridge 2001.
- Back to School By Maya Ajmera and John D. Ivanko. Charlesbridge 2001.
- A Kid's Best Friend By Maya Ajmera and Alex Fisher. Charlesbridge 2002.
- Animal Friends By Maya Ajmera and John D. Ivanko. Charlesbridge 2002.
- To be an Artist By Maya Ajmera and John D. Ivanko. Charlesbridge 2004.
- Be My Neighbor By Maya Ajmera and John D. Ivanko. Charlesbridge 2004.
- Children of the USA By Maya Ajmera, Arlene Hirschfelder, Yvonne Wakim Dennis, and Cynthia Pon. Charlesbridge 2008.
