What sparked your interest in charity work?

I come from a pretty humble background, so I see the world a little differently to people who may have spent their whole lives in a developed economy like the United States. I was born in India and moved to the US as a child. Over the past 30 years, I've had so many opportunities to grow and advance. But it all started with access to education – from great schools to world-class universities.

At IMC, our giving back programs have a strong focus on learning and education, which resonates with me on a personal level. Coming from the Global South, I was particularly interested in the IMC Foundation's role in Africa. A few years ago, I even spent time on a personal project to help build a school in Sierra Leone, so when the opportunity to volunteer with the Room to Read project came up, I jumped at it!

Talk us through the trip – where did you start?

We flew into Johannesburg. The first stop was the Room to Read headquarters in Pretoria, where we spent time talking to the regional program managers who coordinate the charity’s activities across Africa. As a data engineer, my instinct was naturally to dive into the numbers – for example, the tangible impact of IMC's investments and specifically how literacy rates in Room to Read schools have improved since the company first came on board.

They also had questions for me about my work with IMC – it made for a lively back-and-forth discussion!

What were the schools visits like?

Though I’d worked on projects before that involved constructing the schools themselves, being able to visit them in action was a totally different experience. It was a chance to see the students learning and developing their knowledge in real time and to see how education and literacy can make a tangible difference to people’s lives.

We visited four schools in total: two in South Africa and two in Tanzania. In each case, it was clear that a huge amount of work had gone into preparing for our visit. It felt like the whole community had turned out to welcome us – from students and teachers to the children's parents and even members of the local education authority. For a humble data engineer, it was very flattering to have such an impressive welcome!

After the initial introductions, we had the opportunity to observe a lesson, visit the school’s library, and talk with the teachers as well as local Room to Read representatives. As a result, we were able to build up a strong understanding of exactly how IMC's contributions to the program are being invested in each school.

Of course, we also spent time with the students themselves. I loved hearing about their passion for learning and how the program has helped them make strides with their reading and general education.

Did you have any major takeaways from the visits?

After each school visit, the rest of the IMC team and I took a step back to take stock and share our observations. It was interesting to hear what others thought about the program and the work being done.

We all found the visits hugely enlightening, but one thing we noticed was that the poverty level in Tanzania was significantly lower than in South Africa. This meant that the children might face different challenges in life to their South African counterparts, which is why the Room to Read program is uniquely tailored to the needs of each region, and even the schools themselves.

What was your personal highlight from the trip?

During one of the school visits, we had a chance for a one-on-one with some of the students’ parents. What really stuck in my mind was hearing from mothers and fathers talk about the progress their children were making through Room to Read.

For example, one father told me about the conversations he was having with his son each night at dinner. Since having access to the school’s new library, all the boy wanted to talk about was books. The father remarked how incredible it was to see this change taking place in his son.

It underlines the far-reaching impact that education can have – not just on children, but also on families and the wider community. Taking this one step further, research shows that children who learn to read well at a young age are more likely to excel at school and reach their potential. So they can give back to society and help break the poverty cycle in their local communities.

You’re now back in Chicago – what’s next?

I want to stay involved with Room to Read in the long term and be an unofficial ambassador for the program here at IMC Chicago. This basically means taking any opportunity to tell colleagues about my experiences in Africa.

It’s important that all IMCers understand the impact that our support is having on the ground. Our donations are being used to support amazing initiatives thousands of miles away. It means that a percentage of the revenue generated by every hour worked by every employee is actively helping to change lives. Even if people don’t see the final results of their contribution in person, they should still feel good about the contribution they are making.

In the Chicago office, we’ve also set up a mini library to replicate the ones Room to Read is helping to create across Africa. While I was in Tanzania, I visited some local woodworking artists. I brought a few pieces and my plan is to donate them to the office to help people feel more connected to the project.

What would you say to other IMCers looking to become involved with Room to Read?

I’d really encourage anyone to take the opportunity to visit the projects themselves and see the great work being done with their own eyes. One of the things I really like about Room to Read’s approach is the charity supports students from all backgrounds, regardless of their faith, where they are from, or what language they speak.

The underlying goal is simple: improving child literacy and creating opportunities through education. It resonates with the work we do here at IMC, and I’m proud to be associated with such a worthy cause.

Stay tuned for the next blog in our Room to Read series, featuring Stephan Teran.