In the summer of 2016, I was taking a three week course in Law and Politics, at Johns Hopkins University. One Wednesday afternoon I was in class when my father called to inform me that my ailing grandfather had passed away and that he was going to fly out to India immediately to attend the funeral services. Unfortunately, I couldn’t go because it was the peak of the summer travel season and we could only get one ticket at such short notice. I felt really bad about not being able to attend, as my grandfather was a very special person to me. I knew I had to do something to honor his memory, but I didn’t know what to do.
When my father returned from the funeral services, we discussed some of the great things my grandfather did, and boy, we talked for a while. One thing that stuck out to me was that he was a man who changed the lives of the people that he knew. Once, in the early 90s, my grandfather gifted an Apple LISA to a teen who was planning to drop out of school. While this may have seemed like a bad decision at the time - considering that my grandfather was certainly not a man of wealth and that this boy obviously was not motivated to learn if he had wanted to drop out of school - this was a very good idea in retrospect. What was amazing is that this reluctant scholar took the LISA computer and taught himself to code. After I heard that story, it dawned on me: I needed to follow in my grandfather's footsteps. I needed to do what my grandfather did, on an exponentially larger scale. On that day, Project LISA was born.
The goal of Project LISA is to provide computers and wireless routers to academically gifted and financially needy students in the village and surrounding areas of Kuravilangad, located in the state of Kerala, India. Our goal is to raise $50,000 U.S dollars, which will allow us to donate computers and routers to numerous students. If we reach our goal we will be able to provide the students with 150 laptops with wireless routers.
We are a federal tax exempt organization under Internal Revenue Code(IRC) Section 501(c)3. Donors can deduct contributions they make to Project LISA under IRC section 170.
I knew that I couldn’t do this by myself, so I reached out to three of my closest friends who I have always admired for their reliability, generosity, and willingness to work hard. I’m proud to announce that Mason Thomsen(far left), Ben Grossman(center left), and Griffin Massing(far right) will be joining Project LISA as VP Fundraising, VP Social Media, and Treasurer respectively. I look forward to collaborating with them to achieve our goals.
If every child in the world had complete access to a computer and the internet, what potential could be unlocked? Maybe there’s a future scientist who is going to discover the cure for cancer, all because they began by studying medical articles on the internet. Maybe there’s a future Shakespeare that’s going to learn that they love reading by perusing the plethora of literature available at their fingertips. Maybe there’s a future entrepreneur who is going to be inspired and given a sense of purpose by reading stories about all of the successful start-up companies. Maybe, just maybe, Project LISA will reach one of these kids in India, and we’ll have changed a life.
We are planning to travel to India during the April school vacation to deliver the computers and routers if we collect enough donations. Any amount you are willing to donate to Project LISA would be extremely appreciated. If anyone has any questions, feel free to reach out to me or any of the officers listed above, by email or social media. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, and together we will change the world.
- Kevin Kurian, President of Project LISA 501(c)3
When my father returned from the funeral services, we discussed some of the great things my grandfather did, and boy, we talked for a while. One thing that stuck out to me was that he was a man who changed the lives of the people that he knew. Once, in the early 90s, my grandfather gifted an Apple LISA to a teen who was planning to drop out of school. While this may have seemed like a bad decision at the time - considering that my grandfather was certainly not a man of wealth and that this boy obviously was not motivated to learn if he had wanted to drop out of school - this was a very good idea in retrospect. What was amazing is that this reluctant scholar took the LISA computer and taught himself to code. After I heard that story, it dawned on me: I needed to follow in my grandfather's footsteps. I needed to do what my grandfather did, on an exponentially larger scale. On that day, Project LISA was born.
The goal of Project LISA is to provide computers and wireless routers to academically gifted and financially needy students in the village and surrounding areas of Kuravilangad, located in the state of Kerala, India. Our goal is to raise $50,000 U.S dollars, which will allow us to donate computers and routers to numerous students. If we reach our goal we will be able to provide the students with 150 laptops with wireless routers.
We are a federal tax exempt organization under Internal Revenue Code(IRC) Section 501(c)3. Donors can deduct contributions they make to Project LISA under IRC section 170.
I knew that I couldn’t do this by myself, so I reached out to three of my closest friends who I have always admired for their reliability, generosity, and willingness to work hard. I’m proud to announce that Mason Thomsen(far left), Ben Grossman(center left), and Griffin Massing(far right) will be joining Project LISA as VP Fundraising, VP Social Media, and Treasurer respectively. I look forward to collaborating with them to achieve our goals.
If every child in the world had complete access to a computer and the internet, what potential could be unlocked? Maybe there’s a future scientist who is going to discover the cure for cancer, all because they began by studying medical articles on the internet. Maybe there’s a future Shakespeare that’s going to learn that they love reading by perusing the plethora of literature available at their fingertips. Maybe there’s a future entrepreneur who is going to be inspired and given a sense of purpose by reading stories about all of the successful start-up companies. Maybe, just maybe, Project LISA will reach one of these kids in India, and we’ll have changed a life.
We are planning to travel to India during the April school vacation to deliver the computers and routers if we collect enough donations. Any amount you are willing to donate to Project LISA would be extremely appreciated. If anyone has any questions, feel free to reach out to me or any of the officers listed above, by email or social media. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, and together we will change the world.
- Kevin Kurian, President of Project LISA 501(c)3
Organizer and beneficiary
Joe Kurian
Beneficiary