WELCOME TO SAYVA
Northern VA, MD, DC
SAYVA TEENS: 8th - 12th Grade
JUNIOR SAYVA: 3rd - 7th Grade
Learn more about SAYVA from our Executive Team
SAYVA'S MISSION
Service. Awareness. Leadership.
With small, and sometimes large, acts of kindness, everyone can make a difference!
WHAT IS SAYVA?
South Asian Youth Volunteer Association
(residing in VA, MD & DC )
SAYVA is a nonprofit, community service organization (501 c3) founded and led by teens serving others in the community to make a difference. "Seva" is a Sanskrit word meaning to serve selflessly and with dedication. SAYVA teens & ambassadors make a difference in their community through service and advocacy.
Cofounded in 2011 by former director Sumedha Mongia, MD.
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
UPCOMING EVENTS...
Our graduates interviewed dozens of applications from the incoming juniors and seniors who applied for a leadership position. We are excited to announce our 2025-2026 leadership team below. Congrats to everyone!
This summer these leaders will be busy getting ready for the following year planning events and activities that give back while having fun! So stay tuned for dates and events coming soon.
In the meantime:
1. Please REGISTER TODAY! The 2025/2026 Ambassador form is now open and will close July 31st. NO EXCEPTIONS.
2. SPONSOR US! SAYVA teens have a large South Asian based community with our newsletters and social media reaching over 3000+ viewers in the DMV area. It's a great way to reach this amazing supportive and connected audience.
3. PRESIDENTIAL VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD: Submit your hours HERE.
4. Need SSL service hours for your school? Send us an email
our 2025- 2026 executive team
OUr CEO's
CEO: Alisha Durbhakula
COO: Avni Patel
COO: Shaan Khanna
CAO: Riya Wedam
CAO: Shreya Kella
CMO: Jaiden Bhargava
CFO: Kanav Kachoria
OUr Committee leaders
VP Director of Fundraising: Aarav Chawla
Editor & Chief SAYVA Speaks Blog + Website: Tara Bansal
VP Senior Friends: Diya Khetan
VP Party Project: Sohan Kilaru
VP Social Media Marketing: Aarav Shah
VP Advocacy Committee: Saanvi Lamba
VP Health & Wellness: Aakash Reddy & Arjun Jain
VP Cultural Committee: Nina Krishnan & Aashna Shah
VP Community Service: Kushi Rangnath & Malvika Patel
VP SAYVA JUNIORS: Neera Vyas & Asha Kolluri
Thank you to our 2024-2025 Sponsors!
PAST 2025 EVENTS:
JANUARY 9 (6-7 PM): Senior Friends Indian food tasting
JANUARY 25 - Game Day - Vine Church 2501 Gallows Rd, Dunn Loring, VA
FEBRUARY 20 - Party Project Valentine's Day Celebration: Crafts & Cupcakes!
MARCH 1 - Vienna Community Center Rise Against Hunger
APRIL 26 - HOLI - Cabin John MD
MAY 18 - End of year banquet & Senior Send-off
JUNE: TBD 2025-2026 planning meeting for all rising seniors
Sept 2024-May 2025: NCFF Cares Birthday Parties for children in homeless Shelters (once a month)
Sept 2024 - May 2025: Senior Friends (events held with Teens + Elderly (once a quarter)
OUR IMPACT 2023-2024
SEPTEMBER 2023
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Collected Supplies and donations for homeless at The Lamb Center
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SAYVA Juniors Made 304 SANDWICHES, of which 182 sandwiches went to Martha's Table, and 122 sandwiches went to So What Else.
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SAYVA Teens Volunteered at the World Cultural Festival in DC.
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Thank You to Ledo's Pizza Falls Church, North Italia in Tysons, & Bollywood Bistro
OCTOBER 2023
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SAYVA Alumni College students mentored teens on the college admissions process, study abroad programs as well as Q&A about the college experience.
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SAYVA Giving Day: National Center for Children and Families (Bethesda). Teens organized a Halloween birthday themed party for 30 children and their mothers who are currently living in a shelter.
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51 SAYVA teens, juniors and families participated in the Race For Every Child, raising a whopping $5311 towards research and treatment of childhood diseases. Congrats to top fundraisers J&J Dayal, Aria & Jaya, Alisha and Asha. Congrats to Jaiden B. (15 yrs old) completed the race in 21 minutes coming in 4th place for boys aged 15-19 yrs. So proud of team SAYVA!
NOVEMBER 2023
SAYVA Giving Day:
National Center for Children and Families (Bethesda). Teens organized a special Bollwood Diwali themed party for 30 children and their mothers who are currently living in a shelter at the National Center for Children and Families. We donated South Asian clothes, played games, taught dance, had Henna tattoos, made Diya lamps, and tasted new Indian sweets with the children at the center.
DIWALI MOCK WEDDING:
This year's Diwali Mock Wedding was an incredible celebration! It was filled with decorations, speeches, food, dancing, and celebrating this joyous event! 🎉 We learned how to dance garba, learned about the different parts of an Indian wedding, and developed an understanding of the celebration of Diwali. We are so incredibly grateful for all of the sponsors and families for supporting this event to help us raise funds for Rise Against Hunger. Thank you to to all of our sponsors for making this event possible. (see images below and on IG!). Funds from this years event will go towards feeding 16,000 families with food insecurity.
DECEMBER 2023
SAYVA Ugly Sweater, Cookie Making, Gift Wrapping Holiday:
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This year, we had our annual holiday party, cookie making, and gift wrapping holiday celebration. This year, SAYVA was able to donate, wrap, and deliver 60 gifts for Children at NCCF. Additionally, we made and delivered 220 snack treat bags for Seva Truck at the SAYVA Holiday party. SAYVA's holiday party was a great success and we are so grateful to all the families and sponsors that helped organize this event.
FEBRUARY 2024:
SAYVA GIVING DAY
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Valentine's Birthday Party at NCCF
SAYVA Pajama Party Game Night + Shoe Drive
- Thank you Aryana Bajaj for organizing!
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We learned how micro-enterprises help alleviate poverty in developing nations from student ambassador Jaiden Bhargava.
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We learned from our guest speaker Dr. Bajaj how radiation masks were turned to works of art to help cancer patients.
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We collected 250 lbs of shoes for Funds2orgs and St. Jude's Children's Hospital.
MARCH 2024:
SAYVA Rise Against Hunger Flagship Event
Thank you to Community Service leader Riya Budhrani for organizing!
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SAYVA Teens packaged 15,120 meals!
APRIL
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SAYVA GIVING DAY COLOR THEME: HOLI/EASTER Party at NCCF
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Annual Holi Event + Olympic Games
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Raised $TBD towards the National Center for Children and Families shelter.
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Leaders organized Olympic events for all attendees. Members learned about the importance of sustainability and Earth Day.
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MAY
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05/19/2024: 11:30-1:30 pm SAYVA END OF YEAR EVENT
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We honored our graduating seniors, and announced next years leaders and CEO's.
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PAST EVENTS
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Over 116,000+ meals packaged and sent to impoverished countries
$152,800 raised
for our community partners
20,000+ teen service hours and counting!
SAYVA'S COMMUNITY PARTNERS
