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In the US, we’re investing in the next generation through Arogya Clubs, where teens are leading health learning and shaping habits that can travel from classrooms into homes and communities. In the US, South Asians, Hispanic, and African Americans, are at very high risk for diabetes. We need to teach people healthy living long before adulthood, reaching 11-13 year olds before their lifestyle habits are set. This is why we have made reaching out to youth a strategic priority in the US.
Built on the backbone of our proven Healthy Schools program from India, we launched Arogya Clubs as structured offering in the US. Our first club began in Atlanta through a partnership with Agape Youth and Family Center, an organization that supports children from vulnerable Latino and African American communities and runs after school enrichment programs for them. This was forged by one of our big supporters – the Katarya family.
What makes this program special is who is leading it – six high school student leaders – Dev Katarya (leader), Sanay Raghavan, Alok Owen, Jayan Nath, William Mogos, and Kubby Bhatia. They are running the program, and turning health learning into fun activities. And then they have gone over and beyond to ensure the lessons stick by cooking and serving healthy meals as a lived proof of better eating habits. The students leaders aren’t just giving back, they’re growing through it, by internalising the habits first, experimenting with healthier foods, and paying attention to what they eat and drink. They are delivering 10 Healthy School Program activities to forty 6th and 7th graders. So far, the club has already completed four activities. At a recent club activity, we got celebrity Atlanta chef, Asha Gomez, to speak to the students about healthy cooking methods – covering baking, steaming, and roasting.
 The Agape kids run a race as part of the Arogya curriculum.  A student leader makes sure the 6 th grader gets the concepts about healthy living.  Chef Asha Gomez passionately teaches the kids about healthy cooking methods.
Behind the scenes, we are doing what we do best, which is to build a system that makes impact measurable. We have adapted the Healthy Schools program materials for the US context with the help of our student leaders. We have also prepared student handbooks and worksheets, trained the student leaders, and are managing baseline and endline questionnaires along with data analysis. Our partner, Agape, provides the space, access, and continuity to run the program.
We are driving prevention for the next generation of American kids and it is powered by them. |
