A stitch in time
It’s not every day that you come across a teenager who knows how to sew, let alone use that skill for the betterment of the community. Meet Parth Gaba, a San Jose, California resident, who not only did both during COVID-19 but also scaled his efforts to establish an organization that now serves communities across 10 countries. Parth is the young CEO and founder of WeKare.
Parth feels a deep connection to India, which has shaped his sense of family bonding and community values while growing up in the U.S. has instilled in him key leadership qualities such as hard work, goal-setting, and time management.
Parth’s journey with WeKare and commitment to serving society is an inspiring testament to the power of youth-driven social change.
WeKare‘s mission to make a difference
From a young age, Parth was engaged in community service, which taught him the value of empathy and giving back. “Whenever I traveled and saw people from low-income backgrounds, I really just wanted to help them. But when I was a child, I couldn’t do much, though I always wanted to help out.”
The opportunity to make an impact came during one of the world’s most challenging health crises – COVID-19. Parth was quick to act, turning his passion into action. Recognizing the critical shortage of masks, Parth and his sister put their sewing skills to work.
“When I started out, I just wanted to help the community. I thought that I don’t have anything to do during the COVID lockdowns, but had more thinking capacity, so might as well do something like helping the community. I was inspired to do something using a skill I already knew to help people. So, that’s how it started and then it became bigger and bigger from there.”
What started as a neighborhood initiative soon grew into WeKare, a global, non-profit organization staffed by young, motivated volunteers. Today WeKare operates across 23 cities in 10 countries, supporting low-income schools, homeless communities, farmers, and veterans.
Establishing a presence in ten countries soon after becoming operational is no small feat. Parth explains how he did it. “If we travel somewhere as a family, I try to find a contact there and make donations,” His approach to building a network involves emailing homeless shelters or low-income schools in a particular area about his mission. “I begin by explaining that I want to help out and then ask communities what they really need. I make a list and go from there.” Along the way, Parth has built a network of like-minded young individuals who volunteer with WeKare.
Machine-learning model
WeKare’s efforts extend beyond supplying hygiene kits and basic provisions. For instance, Parth has developed machine-learning models to optimize crop yields for farmers. “Before the season starts, the farmers can input all their data and get the best crop yield. I’ve also been working on a smaller robot that’s kind of like a rumba for outdoors so it detects weeds and it pulls them out so farmers don’t have to go out and actually pull them.”
The organization’s support for army veterans takes a more personal approach. “Many times, I’ve just listened to them because they have so many stories to tell. So I have listened and just understood their point of view,” says Parth.
A team of volunteers
Currently, WeKare’s 13 members include family members and friends Parth made during his trips to other countries. Its volunteers include people who speak different languages which helped Parth communicate with WeKare’s beneficiaries.
Parth uses a methodical approach to managing his widespread not-for-profit. He conducts regular meetings with volunteers to build a sense of community within the organization, based on the simple principle that “everyone knows each other and has a community they can go to as well as help this community.” His leadership style is to ensure everyone enjoys their work. “If there are things that some people want to do or don’t, we discuss it or make a pros and cons chart.”
A balancing act
Juggling academics, a passion for AI, and community service is a balancing act that Parth has figured out with planning his time management. “I usually have a list in my notes about all the stuff I have to do for a WeKare and school. That really helps.”
His three key ingredients for success? Hard work, creativity, and a committed vision. “You need something in your mind that can make you keep going during hard times. You can just think of that vision and you know that you should keep going.”
His people skills have developed from effective communication with WeKare’s volunteers and beneficiaries. “You need to tell people about your vision so they know what you’re working on and why it’s important. Secondly, you should be able to talk to them just how you would talk to a friend. And lastly, becoming a good listener is very critical.”
Ambition & Inspiration
Parth is a firm believer that technological advancements can lead to better lives. He’s already teaching AI basics in libraries and senior centers and has developed a board game that teaches AI in an engaging way.
His ambitions for WeKare are clear: “I hope to expand WeKare as much as possible and maybe start a company to help the community even more with my skills.”
Parth’s approach to fundraising for WeKare’s operations is both innovative and inspiring. “You should really be able to inspire the people that want to fund you. They are giving away their money so they should know that the cause is worth it.”
Apart from these community-driven fundraising efforts, Parth’s also writes grants and emails prospective donor organizations, a strategy that produced a grant from Costco. “It means they see our vision, and understand that WeKare could become successful. So that’s really inspiring and motivates me to keep going,” says Parth.