Empowering Youth Through Education

Rohan Satija is a junior at a High School in Austin, Texas.

In 2018, he co-founded the nonprofit, Let's Learn Foundation (letslearninc.org) with his younger sister, Anya Satija, with a mission to "Empower through Education," they do that by donating books to underprivileged schools. Over the years, they have donated over 25,000 books to over 10,000 disadvantaged students in Texas.

In late 2017, Rohan became a new American immigrant when his family moved from Auckland, New Zealand, to Austin. At 10, he felt extremely isolated in a new continent and became overly conscious of his accent and other cultural barriers. He found solace in reading as books brought him much comfort; eventually, they assisted him in making friends, as he bonded with like-minded classmates over their love for reading. Books helped Rohan to develop the confidence to express himself solely due to books.

However, while conducting a school project, he was shocked to learn that countless children in Austin lacked access to their books and the magical world they provided, triggering a burning desire to make a change, and along with his sister, they embarked on a mission to bridge this gap.

They started small - eagerly setting up lemonade stands and tirelessly selling homemade cookies door-to-door. Following that, they ran their first campaign, a book collection drive in their school, and donated these to another school that needed them. In the following years, they have run countless book drives and fundraisers, donating over 25,000 books to 10,000 underprivileged students: Several school districts, businesses, and local institutions like the Dell Children's Hospital support these efforts.

The annual Christmas project remains one of their proudest achievements. Each year, they collect and wrap books with love, ensuring that every student in an entire elementary school receives a personalised gift that opens doors to imagination and knowledge. Witnessing their faces light up with joy is an experience reaffirming their mission's profound importance.