Faces of Daya - Aparna

Aparna Asthana is a dedicated volunteer, Daya board member, and philanthropist among the many other roles she takes on. Aparna has always had an interest in furthering the rights of women and children. From teaching English as a second language to refugees to supporting the local food bank, she strives to make a positive difference in her community. Before she became a Daya volunteer, Aparna was a CASA (Court Appointed Child Advocate) worker for children in the foster care system in Harris County. She worked with young children, who as a result of abuse and neglect, spent years in foster care trying to get to a place of long term stability. Through this work, she reached out to Daya to understand what happens to South Asian children who experience domestic violence in their family lives. She met and talked to several of Daya's staff members and became impressed with the survivor centered support of South Asian survivors of abuse and their children. She quickly signed up to become a volunteer. As a Daya volunteer she supported outreach activities, fundraising, and client services. 

After being a dedicated Daya volunteer, Aparna became a Daya board member and co-chaired two fundraising galas. She is a tireless advocate for Daya. She continues to be involved in outreach and fundraising for the organization. In her own words, Aparna has this to say about Daya and her role with the organization.

“I am privileged to be part of an organization that is doing valuable work for the South Asian community here in Houston. It's been exciting to be a part of Daya and see us increase our capacity in client volume, community outreach and education initiatives.  In my time at Daya, I have worked directly with clients, case managers and our board to make decisions that help our clients gain safety and stability in their lives. One of the most surprising things I discovered is the diversity our clients bring in terms of background, ethnicity and religion and our staff's ability to work with them in navigating complex social, legal and psychological challenges. Our staff work hard to deliver our mission of empowering South Asian survivors of domestic and sexual violence and to educate the community about abuse. My job on the board is to support their work so they can do the best job for our clients.”

We really can’t do it without the support of the community and Aparna is a shining example and an invaluable part of Daya. She is a unique face of Daya.