The word Satya, of sanskrit origin, was born out of the belief that thoughts and actions can bring about positive change.
The organization, Our Satya, was founded by Shobha Sharma after her own traumatic birth story. Haunted by the fear and uncertainty of childbirth and yet grateful to recover with a healthy new baby, Shobha could only think of the young women she had worked so intimately with in Rajasthan, India. Women who live miles away from medical facilities, are poorly educated and are unaware of interventions necessary to assist in complications arising from pregnancy or childbirth. It was these women living on the margins of society, discriminated against because of their cultural and economic background, that Our Satya came into being to assist.
Today, Our Satya calls the global community to support women in positions of distress, poverty, and unequivocal socio-economic and political conditions. Through community based health education, awareness, and medical training, Our Satya is committed to helping women in India reclaim their voices and protect the health and livelihood of their children.
Our Satya believes in a holistic response to developmental challenges for women and infants. Furthermore we measure change by our ability to impact one life, as we know that small changes create great differences. Our development model encompasses the following informants:
Social Awakening: One of the greatest struggles for the women in India is overcoming cultural and economic hurdles to women’s empowerment, self-worth and wellbeing.
Indigenous Worldviews: If an intervention does not begin with understanding the worldview of the beneficiaries, we know that development will not be sustainable. The Our Satya team depends on indigenous worldviews and experiential knowledge in raising awareness, generating alternatives and impacting change.
Global Community: As a global community, we believe in the necessity of helping to balance the worldwide health pendulum. To share and care forward our resources, knowledge and expertise.
After completing his MBA from Cardiff University, Sagar began Caravan O Herbs, an agriculture-based company with the vision of combatting unethical business practices and unreliable supply chains through corporate social responsibility projects within communities in India. Eventually Caravan O Herbs carved a niche for itself within India, Europe and the United States. In 2014, Sagar shifted to Canada and joined the University of Northern British Columbia’s Research Office focusing on Partnerships and new initiatives. In late 2016, Sagar started working at School District 91 as Community Engagement & Partnerships Officer. While promoting and nurturing new national and International synergies for SD91 – Nechako Lakes, Sagar is committed to exploring and nurturing models of sustainable economic growth within remote communities of northern British Columbia.
SAGAR SAXENA – Partnerships and Development
Purnima was born and raised in British Columbia, Canada. Her M.A. in International Studies heightened her sensitivity to the plight of women around the world, and also sparked her desire to contribute to the wellbeing of women. Specialized as a Shiatsu Therapist and Reiki Master, Purnima has had the opportunity to develop her practice by providing services to women in India, Qatar, Jordan, and Japan. Despite cultural nuances and resource scarcities, every treatment serves as an opportunity to help women reclaim their emotional and physical health and return to their roles as pillars of strength and vitality within their home and communities.
PURNIMA SHARMA-DAVID – Sustainability
Linda Van Pelt has worked as a health care professional for over 30 years in BC, Washington State, Yukon, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. She currently works as Family Nurse Practitioner in Prince George B.C., providing health care for clients with chronic pain, addictions and mental health conditions, and has a specialized practice in youth and adult transgender care.
Her current research and service work includes examining the barriers and facilitators to primary health care access as perceived by those with mental health, addictions and chronic pain conditions, as well as issues related to primary health care access experienced by marginalized populations globally.
Linda has recently begun supporting Our Satya by consulting related to primary health care access, and is currently assisting to develop a global field study course for health professions students at UNBC.
LINDA VAN PELT – Community Health
Javier is an entrepreneur passionate about using business as a vehicle to drive positive change in people’s lives. Javier is currently Co-Founder & CEO of CadMakers Inc., a Vancouver, BC based virtual construction startup. Prior to starting CadMakers, Javier spent eight years as a professional football player in the Canadian Football League and Javier gained valuable experience in operations finance and project management within the real estate development and mining industries. Javier has an MBA from Simon Fraser University and a BA from the University of British Columbia.
JAVIER GLATT – Business Development
Saurabh Vyas is a graduate of communication design from Symbiosis Institute, Pune. With a background in advertising, Saurabh continued his education in film and video communication at the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad. Saurabh’s love for storytelling has propelled his career in films. From Ad films, documentaries, short fiction films, and music videos for both web and cinema media, Saurabh’s work has gained national and international acclaim. Saurabh believes that in today’s world, individual thoughts shared are part of the bigger process of change-change that has no limitations.
SAURABH VYAS – Filmmaking
In addition to an undergraduate degree from the University of British Columbia (UBC), and a Masters degree in Indigenous Governance from the University of Victoria (UVIC), Shobha has over 10 years of experience in non-profit organizations, international development and indigenous self-determination. Shobha has dedicated her professional career to community development both nationally and globally. Her passion for human rights has led her to not only engage in indigenous dialogues responding to globalization and governance within India and North America, but to plan and implement international programming in Africa and India, around the social and economic empowerment of women, capacity building, youth leadership, cross-cultural understanding, resource distribution, and infrastructural development.
SHOBHA SHARMA – Founder
A storyteller by trade, Victoria is Our Satya’s director of communications. She is responsible for helping to share the organizations message of compassion and global responsibility. She manages the media relations aspect of the organization, and consults on all communications related projects. Victoria brings an array of experience to the role, she spent several years working in journalism in Northern BC and Ontario. She worked hard to tell untold stories of underserved communities. She now resides in Vancouver, working in the Public Relations Industry.
VICTORIA LEVY – Communications
A young professional and UNBC Graduate with a knack for thinking outside the box, Michelle Sandu followed her passion for Marketing and tested that passion by finding niches in the UNBC community and becoming a member of the UNBC JDC West Marketing Team. While having experience in Social Media Advertising, Michelle has come to a crossroads on a lifestyle that aligns with the word ‘Satya’. She wishes to use her marketing knowledge in hopes to start conversations and create a brighter future for all.
MICHELLE SANDU – Social Media
While completing his Bachelors of Arts in History and Political Science from MohanLal Sukadia University in 2007, Hemant gained a deeper understanding of the simplicity and the culture of the surrounding villages of Mewar. With strong family roots in rural India, and over 10 years of rural development experience, Hemant shares his skills of affective communication while understanding the needs of the communities Our Satya serves, and his passion and talent for art helps to guide our RozGar initiative. Hemant feels privileged to be able to connect with the hearts of the community members. He is passionate about improving rural education and women’s health and empowerment.
HEMANT PALIWAL – Community Mobilizer
After completing her Bachelors of Dental Surgery from Rajasthan University of Health and Science, for the past three years, Neha has been organizing public health camps all over India for various corporate social responsibility initiatives, While volunteering her time to Our Satya in order to mobilize students and health professionals like herself, she is currently studying for her post-graduate degree in MSC Medical Microbiology. Neha is passionate about finding ways to provide better public health care and supporting rural development, as she believes that these communities have much fewer opportunities to obtain the services they need and deserve.
NEHA SAXENA – Human Care Coordinator
Nausheen completed her graduation in Dentistry from Rajasthan University of Health Sciences and also gained an All-India recognition in Research Work and Methodology while working under the Indian Council of Medical Research. Through her volunteer work in rural communities with Our Satya, Nausheen has discovered her passion for applying her knowledge to improving oral health and overall general health and wellness in families across different villages in India.
NAUSHEEN SALODA – Community Health Mobilizer
Aleakie has been involved in various capacities of international education for over a decade. Upon graduation from the University of Victoria, she put her Bachelor of Arts Degree to use, travelling overseas to teach English. After a year, she transitioned from her role as an educator, to an entrepreneur, taking on ownership and management of her own English language institute. A firm believer that knowledge is power, she spent the next five years instilling students with the knowledge and tools necessary to reach their educational and personal goals. Aleakie and her family have since returned to her hometown of Prince George, BC. Presently she works in International Admissions at the College of New Caledonia where each day presents her with the opportunity to use education to evoke positive change on students globally. Aleakie has been lending her expertise to Our Satya by coordinating local events and campaigns.
ALEAKIE NTAPAS – Volunteer
Born and raised in British Columbia, Kellie is full-time Administrative Assistant in the Accounting Industry. While also being the mother of one little girl, balancing work, family life and a healthy lifestyle, Kellie spends much of her spare-time weightlifting as well as volunteering for Our Satya. With a background in Psychology and Administration she brings a new outlook for Our Satya’s team when coordinating events and communications.
