Despite having only eight per cent vision, Sakshi Srivastava is committed to giving underprivileged kids
a better life, finds Hemchhaya DeU
nstoppable! This
best describes
Sakshi Srivastava,
a Delhi based
social entrepreneur. The
27-year-old lost 70 per cent
vision at 19, owing to an
autoimmune disease
that affected her optical
nerves and retina. She was
forced to quit pursuing
BSc in computers at
Delhi University, but
Srivastava didn’t let
adversity trump her.
Following this episode,
Srivastava researched
courses that wouldn’t need
her to bank on printed
texts. She also started
using assistive technology
including screen readers.
“I have a pair of headphones
round my neck 24/7. I use
the voiceover assistive
technology. Whenever I tap
on something on a device,
it reads that bit out,” she
informs. Eventually, her
hard work paid off, and she
graduated with a BA in
event management.
Soon after, Srivastava
began her career as
a content writer. “When
I was in school, I loved
reading, but I never thought
I could write. My English
language skills were decent
so writing happened
smoothly,” she says. The
reader in her did not give
up on books due to her
condition, but switched toaudio books, which have
kept her hooked.
While Srivastava had
a stable career in creating
content, she was inclined
towards social work for as
long as she can remember.
And on a certain day in
2015, she resolved to devote
herself to underprivileged
children. “My friends and
I hung out around
a corporate building in
Delhi’s Jasola area, and
befriended the kids living
under the flyover there.
One day, we asked them
what would feature on
their individual bucket lists.
Their innocent answers
left us with a lump in our
throats. A few said they
would want to taste ice
cream, while others wantedto ride bicycles just for one
day—they didn’t even want
to own the bicycles!”
Srivastava’s childhood
friend, Rida Ali, who’s
trained in social work, made
up her mind that she’d set
up an NGO and work for
these children. Srivastava,
despite no professional
training was keen to join
in, and the two kick-started
Bucket List.
The organisation focuses
on overall development of
underprivileged children by
helping them get enrolled
in schools, and inculcate
life skills through sports and
arts. It also raises awareness
about children’s rights.
Just as things were
coming along, the disease
struck again. “At 25,I further lost vision. Now,
I have eight per cent left,”
Srivastava informs. She
confesses, however, that
Bucket List ensured she
doesn’t give up on life.
“During the first month of it
striking again, I was confined
to my house, couldn’t eat
on my own, or see the food
on my plate. It was my
colleagues’ support that kept
me going, and I realised that
no matter what, I couldn’t let
go of these kids.”
Srivastava hopes that
Bucket List would soon
become a “self-sustainable”
organisation. She also hopes
to travel the world and do
rock climbing. What are her
dream destinations? “Japan
and Venice, without a doubt,”
she concludes.Light of her life
“When the disease struck
again, it was my colleagues’
support that kept me
going, and I realised that
no matter what, I couldn’t
let go of these kids.”a be
t
Bucket List works with
underprivileged childrenDespite having only eight per centvision,Sakshi Srivastava is committed to giving underprivileged kids
s Hemchhaya DeU
nstoppable! This
best describes
Sakshi Srivastava,
a Delhi based
social entrepreneur. The
27-year-old lost 70 per cent
vision at 19, owing to an
autoimmune disease
that affected her optical
nerves and retina. She was
forced to quit pursuing
BSc in computers at
Delhi University, but
Srivastava didn’t let
adversity trump her.
Following this episode,
Srivastava researched
courses that wouldn’t need
her to bank on printed
texts. She also started
using assistive technology
including screen readers.
“I have a pair of headphones
round my neck 24/7. I use
the voiceover assistive
technology. Whenever I tap
on something on a device,
it reads that bit out,” she
informs. Eventually, her
hard work paid off, and she
graduated with a BA in
event management.
Soon after, Srivastava
began her career as
a content writer. “When
I was in school, I loved
reading, but I never thought
I could write. My English
language skills were decent
so writing happened
smoothly,” she says. The
reader in her did not give
up on books due to her
condition, but switched to
audio books, which have
kept her hooked.
While Srivastava had
a stable career in creating
content, she was inclined
towards social work for as
long as she can remember.
And on a certain day in
2015, she resolved to devote
herself to underprivileged
children. “My friends and
I hung out around
a corporate building in
Delhi’s Jasola area, and
befriended the kids living
under the flyover there.
One day, we asked them
what would feature on
their individual bucket lists.
Their innocent answers
left us with a lump in our
throats. A few said they
would want to taste ice
cream, while others wantedto ride bicycles just for one
day—they didn’t even want
to own the bicycles!”
Srivastava’s childhood
friend, Rida Ali, who’s
trained in social work, made
up her mind that she’d set
up an NGO and work for
these children. Srivastava,
despite no professional
training was keen to join
in, and the two kick-started
Bucket List.
The organisation focuses
on overall development of
underprivileged children by
helping them get enrolled
in schools, and inculcate
life skills through sports and
arts. It also raises awareness
about children’s rights.
Just as things were
coming along, the disease
struck again. “At 25,I further lost vision. Now,
I have eight per cent left,”
Srivastava informs. She
confesses, however, that
Bucket List ensured she
doesn’t give up on life.
“During the first month of it
striking again, I was confined
to my house, couldn’t eat
on my own, or see the food
on my plate. It was my
colleagues’ support that kept
me going, and I realised that
no matter what, I couldn’t let
go of these kids.”
Srivastava hopes that
Bucket List would soon
become a “self-sustainable”
organisation. She also hopes
to travel the world and do
rock climbing. What are her
dream destinations? “Japan
and Venice, without a doubt,”
she concludes.Light of her life
“Whenthediseasestruck
again, it was my colleagues’
support that keptme
going, and I realised that
no matter what, I couldn’t
let go of these kids.”abe
t
Bucket List works with
underprivileged children