Two Indian-American Kids Raise Funds to Help India Fight COVID-19

Nine-year-old Aanya and her 6-year-old sister Shyla hosted a bake sale and raised $4,400 for India.

Aanya Kumar Sapra and her sister, Shyla.

(Photo: The Quint)

Video Editor: Shubham Khurana

When Aanya Kumar Sapra came across the news of India's COVID-19 surge and the devastation triggered by it, she wanted to help.

The 9-year-old decided to use her baking skills to good use, and roped in her 6-year-old sister Shyla Kumar Sapra to initiate a fundraiser.

"I heard what’s happening in India because I was reading many newspapers. I have heard that many people are dying and I wanted to help them," Aanya told The Quint.

Aanya chalked up a plan and told about the initiative to her parents, who encouraged both the sisters to go ahead.

"I came up with the plan because I thought I can bake. I love baking and I am good at baking so I can earn money by baking," said Aanya, a self-taught baker.

With the help of her parents, she printed flyers for her bake sale and put them up at her apartment and school, winning support for her fundraiser.

Aanya and Shyla collected US $4,400 from selling brownies, cupcakes, chocolate chip cookies, double chocolate chip cookies, and cakes.

Asked how she plans to help India with the money, Aanya said, "I am sending it to a charity that I trust because they get oxygen, they are building more hospitals, and they’re giving a lot of money to different hospitals."