Meet the Youth Volunteer Removing Barriers to Education

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Sahana Solai. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.

Pianist, violinist, tennis player, US Congressional Silver Award winner. Sahana Solai, 15, has only recently gotten her driving permit, but her accomplishments are already extensive. Even without wheels of her own, she’s been able to donate her time at nonprofits across St. Louis. Her volunteerism has already had an expansive reach, even earning her the Gold Presidential Volunteer Service Award.

Five years ago, during the pandemic, Sohana joined People for Urban and Rural Education (PURE) and has since become the chapter director for the St. Louis chapter and the assistant national student director on the national level. The group organizes several education initiatives as well as sponsorships for those facing economic hardship.

Sohana’s ongoing menstrual hygiene drive supports around 50 women each month, and the pickleball fundraiser she put together was the largest in her chapter’s history. The $1,800 raised went to bridge programs in unstable areas abroad for children who might otherwise be unhoused to get an education.

Outside of PURE, Sahana spends three to four hours a week helping people facing food insecurity in her hometown by making sandwiches with Missouri Ganesha Temple’s Sandwich Kitchen. Her volunteer work also extends to initiatives with the American Red Cross Missing Maps Team, the Youth Advisory Council of the West County Interfaith Alliance, Operation Food Search, St. Louis Area Foodbank, Salam Free Medical Clinic and Give Kids a Smile.

What inspires you to volunteer?

At first, volunteering was something I just wanted to try out, something my mom said would be good for me. Eventually, I really started to enjoy it, and I realized it was creating a bigger impact than I thought. The ripple effect is inspiring. It helps me understand how grateful I should be. I come home, and I basically have everything I need. It’s important to be grateful for that, and to develop gratitude and empathy towards others. Volunteering is great experience for developing those things.

What inspired you to get started with this initiative?

We found out about PURE through a family friend. Initially, I didn’t know it had such a broad spectrum of causes that it serves. I joined our St. Louis chapter, and it was a very nice community to be in. Everyone was kind and working together towards the same goals.

Tell us about your volunteer role with PURE.

I’m an assistant national student director. I help coordinate between chapters around the country. I also help organize and lead our St. Louis youth chapter and the service projects we do.

I help mentor younger volunteers and plan national campaigns that address a broad variety of issues—i.e., food insecurity, education inequality and health equity. I assist with communication and coordination for different projects and events. And I support our monthly youth meetings, donations and drives.

One of the projects I’m most proud of is a monthly donation of sanitary pads and hygiene products to support women’s empowerment. It’s one of the biggest causes that we address. I collect sanitary pads and other supplies, assemble kits and deliver them to a nonprofit called Circle of Concern, which serves low-income families in the St. Louis area. Menstrual products are often overlooked but are essential to a woman’s health and dignity.

What is something people might not know or understand about the population you serve through this organization?

Many children don’t have proper access to things, but there are many people with needs beyond that. There are whole families that need help. The causes that we serve are broad and varied. Sometimes, areas aren’t even considered unstable, where people think they’re in a good position but don’t know about having proper access to things like sanitary pads or basic hygiene necessities. Or education. It’s just not a part of their culture. Everyone has a different story. Sometimes we just need to keep an open mind and look out for that.

What are your long-term plans or goals for the organization?

My biggest goal is to expand our reach geographically and by impact. I want to empower more youth volunteers to lead, and I want to develop more sustainable programs that can outlast any one volunteer.

I’m also passionate about creating more toolkits and templates that make it easier for new chapters to start strong. Long term, I’d love to see the PURE Youth programs be more integrated into every high school.

What’s been the most rewarding part of your work?

We’re making a big impact. It’s a very rewarding experience, both mentally and emotionally.

What have you learned through your experiences as a volunteer?

I’ve learned a lot about leadership. It’s all about listening with an open mind, being consistent and showing up, even when things aren’t going right. It can be harder than you think to put together projects and to make sure we’re going in the right direction. It’s important to be aware of the needs around you and to do something about them.

Why is it important for others to get involved with causes they care about?

Getting involved is not always difficult. Sometimes, it’s just requires getting out of your comfort zone. Even small actions, when we work together, can create a big impact. It creates a positive ripple effect.

It also makes you aware of different populations and builds empathy and connections to others. You get a deeper understanding of the world in general. When people help others, it creates a more inclusive community that’s better to live in.

Any advice for people who want to start volunteering?

It’s never too early or too late, regardless of age. Just take the first steps. You don’t have to have everything figured out. I started small, but over time, I found my voice, my purpose and a nice community that was able to grow with me. You make your own opportunities.

What do you want people to learn from your story?

You think of volunteering as doing something for other people, but it’s more of a reward for yourself with the benefit of helping others. It makes you happier to feel like you’ve done something.

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Sahana? Find local volunteer opportunities.