Meet Disha Varkala | Founder and CEO of largest youth-led 501(c)3 non-profit organization for assisting rural small businesses

We had the good fortune of connecting with Disha Varkala and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Disha, what do you want people to remember about you?
I want individuals around me to remember to give back to their community. Through starting an international youth-led non-profit organization, Hand a Chance, I have realized the importance of supporting my direct as well as global community. I want people to remember that I helped my own community and that they should do the same. I hope to inspire those who view my legacy to start their own initiatives to assist rural communities or underrepresented groups of people. I also hope that the future young generation gets involved in their own local communities whether that is through doing internships or participating in volunteering. This is what I want my legacy to be, one that inspires and motivates individuals to better their local and international communities.

Another important aspect that I want people to remember about me is that I used my own passions to create change. I want to instill this quality in others as well. For instance, for my own 501(c)3 non-profit organization, Hand a Chance, I used my passion for debate and creating discourse to raise money. I hosted debate competitions for middle school and high school students to develop their public speaking skills while also raising money to help people in rural areas start their own small businesses. I hope future generations remember this about me so that they also look forward to developing their passions into tangible change.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I believe that the quality that sets me apart from others is having the ability to take initiative on problems that I want to fix in my community by utilizing my people skills. Whenever there is an issue that I witness, I put forth my best efforts to create a solution by employing the resources I have and can find.
My 4th and 5th grade, I lived in Hyderabad, India. Every day, as I went to school, I would see huge fruit and clothing markets where individuals from rural communities would sell fresh produce and hand-made clothing to make a living for themselves. However, there were also others who simply did not have the resources to start their own small businesses to support themselves and their families. I quickly realized that these individuals simply only needed one more resource to effectively make a living for themselves: one food cart, one sewing machine, or just the smallest amount of financial help could get them started. After I moved back to the United States, I started thinking about whether there was a way I could donate money to these families in Hyderabad who only needed a couple more resources. As I became older, I decided to start my own non-profit organization to help them, this is when “Hand a Chance” started. Till today, I fundraise by using my own passion for debate. I hold debate competitions for middle school and high school students, and the money I raise goes to donate sewing machines, sewing machines, and rice to families and Hyderabad, India, and Western Cape, South Africa. In order to get these debate competitions started, I had to talk to adults, children, and local community leaders to spread the message. Soon enough, I had already raised over $100,000+ in donations, 60 units of sewing machines and produce carts, helping a community of 250+ people in the two continents get employment.
Starting Hand a Chance as a registered non-profit definitely was not an easy path. It was hard to contact individuals and gain all the resources needed as a teenager. However, I put in work every day for a period of time to get the organization up and running. The lesson that I learned from putting in these efforts is that everyone should be persevering when having a big goal in their minds. Since I wanted to help a large community of people, I had to stay confident even when I was not getting results, especially when fundraising. I overcome this challenge by expanding the way that I fundraise. I started partnering up with other local non-profit organizations and businesses to help us fundraise for our mission. For instance, Hand a Chance has partnered with Double Good popcorn and pizza restaurants to help us fundraise through food chain fundraisers.
I want the world to know that anything is possible when putting in the time and effort to achieve that goal. Although I started my non-profit organization Hand a Chance when I was young, it has been one of the projects that I am most passionate about. My own story and background is what led me to start Hand a Chance and I want people to know this. Overall, I want individuals to use my own story to start their own initiatives and set their own large goals to achieve successfully.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend came to visit, I would be planning an entire week at Wildwood Beach. It would be replete with adventure, mixing relaxation with thrills. Every day, we first had breakfast from Duffinetti’s, an Italian place in the locality that provides gigantic portions, then we hit Wildwood Beach and stake our spot. The morning would involve swimming, sandcastle building, and long walks on the beach. We’d go down to the boardwalk for lunch, snacking on classic boardwalk treats like Curley’s Fries and Mack’s Pizza, or stop for a mid-afternoon treat at Kohr Bros. Frozen Custard.

As the sun set, it would be time to spend part of the evening at one of the boardwalk amusement parks. We’d soar high above the beach on Morey’s Piers’ towering Ferris wheel, zoom through the air on roller coasters like the Great White, and test our skills in carnival games. One day we would rent the jet skis and just fly across the water, and for a real adrenaline charge, we would sign up for parasailing, getting that great aerial overview of beach and ocean. Finally, after all that excitement, we would wind down over dinner at Beach Creek Oyster Bar, having fresh seafood while enjoying a perfect view of the sunset.

We would also dedicate one day to the exploration of Cape May: a walk along the Victorian streets, a visit to the Cape May Lighthouse, and dinner on the dock at The Lobster House. On the last evening, we would embark on a dolphinarium sunset cruise to round out the perfect mix of relaxation and adventure.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The people who have motivated me to preserve and continue to contribute to creating change are my mentors. In my own community, I have always looked up to our local community leaders such as our mayor, congressmen, and state senators. The initiative and time that they put into bettering our New Jersey community has inspired me and motivated me to continue to be a hard worker for a good cause. Through talking to these leaders and having discussions with them, I have realized how important mentorship is and how it drives individuals to become successful in a space. Similarly, I have used the stories and journeys of these figures to continue my own path to continue assisting those around me.

Website: https://handachance.com

Instagram: handachance

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/handachance/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMxKXNh3Uh-YHhZDyoqqN2w

Other: Tiktok – @handachance_
Linktree – https://linktr.ee/handachance

Image Credits
All of the images were taken by Disha!