Priyanka Senthil ’24 grew up witnessing a tale of two cities. She was born in Trichy, India, where poverty was evident, but grew up in Roseville, California, where luxury was abundant.
“Whenever I would go back to India with my family, I would witness this stark contrast between the privileges that I grew up with in the United States and the difficulties many families faced in rural areas of India,” Senthil said. Those trips to India left a nagging impression, and she wanted to help and do her part in alleviating the dire poverty. During winter break her sophomore year, Senthil and her family went to India. It was then that Senthil took action. Through donations she collected from the Indian community, she raised enough money to buy thousands of menstrual pads, which she donated to women’s shelters, orphanages, underserved schools and mutual aid organizations.
“After I came back from India, I was like, wow, that was really fulfilling and something that I want to continue,” she said.
In 2023, while majoring in health science and minoring in medical humanities, a rigorous academic program, Senthil recruited three Rice undergraduates, senior Elsabet Samuel, senior Sowmya Viswanathan and junior Pankti Mehta, to create Life Basics, a nonprofit organization “dedicated to empowering underserved communities with essential resources and opportunities to promote self-sustainability.”
“As the daughter of Ethiopian immigrants, I’ve always been aware of the unique privileges and opportunities that come with living in the U.S.,” said Samuel, who is now in charge of fundraising. “I knew I wanted to be part of an organization dedicated to giving back to under-resourced communities.”
Mehta said that she previously worked as a volunteer in rural India and witnessed firsthand the need for menstrual products. That experience inspired her to use her skills to help people as well, and the organization gave her the ability to do so.
“Life Basics offers the ideal platform to turn that vision into meaningful change, and I absolutely love contributing.”
Viswanathan, the organization’s secretary, said she decided to join Life Basics because it aligns with her values of empowering communities with the essential resources to move forward. “I truly believe that if everyone is given a fair opportunity in life, they will thrive with a strong support system.”
Life Basics consists of four initiatives. The first, Periods of Power, focuses on providing menstrual products in Houston and India to people who can’t afford them. So far, the group has donated more than 56,000 menstrual products to orphanages, homeless shelters, underserved high schools and mutual aid organizations. More than 2,500 people have benefitted from these donations.
“We couple these donations with educational campaigns to teach people about menstruation because many people in India and other countries don’t discuss this topic,” Senthil said. “We use infographics to teach people about the different phases of the menstrual cycle and how to use menstrual products such as tampons and menstrual cups.”
Cozy Covers, the second initiative, seeks to repurpose gently used bedding from hotels and distribute them to homeless shelters. “It’s a way to give these items a new purpose, helping individuals experiencing homelessness find comfort,” she said. The initiative is still in the early stages, but Senthil said she is talking to hotels in Houston and Boston as potential partners.
The third initiative, Sewn for Success, provides sewing machines to women in India so that they can build a sustainable livelihood. “Oftentimes, women PRIYANKA SENTHIL Continued from Page 1 with disabilities or who are from disadvantaged backgrounds aren’t able to sustain themselves and depend on males for their income,” Senthil said. “This is a way for us to empower them.”
This December, Senthil will be working with the Rehabilitation Centre for Blind Women in Trichy, India, to provide sewing machines to expand their vocational training program. Up to now, the group has been able to buy only one sewing machine but hopes to increase that number by raising more funds.
H2O for Humanity, the fourth initiative, seeks to construct water pumps in rural communities in India to increase access to clean water. The initiative, however, hasn’t been implemented because of lack of funding. “Each bore well costs about $2,000 to build and to install, so it’s definitely our biggest investment,” she said. “So we’re waiting for donations to build the wells.” To defray the cost, Senthil hopes to partner with other organizations that build wells.
In the next five years, Senthil has plans to expand Life Basics by establishing chapters at other universities. “We have a team of four who are really passionate about the nonprofit, and I’m sure that there are students at other universities who would like to get involved and feel drawn to our mission.”
Senthil, who is now executive director of the American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative in Boston, also plans to attend medical school and continue going to India to help under-resourced communities.
“Even though I grew up in the U.S., India is my culture and my identity. I really want to stay connected with my roots, and by doing this work, it helps me stay connected,” she said. “I believe it is my responsibility to give back to my community.”
David D. Medina
Director, Multicultural Community Relations
Public Affairs