I strongly believe that education is one of the most important things in life. It would be very hard to live a good life without education. If you don’t know how to read, write and do math, how could you get a job and provide food and shelter for your family.

One day, my mama was talking to me about an organization called “Pennies for Education and Health” (PEH). I was very interested in how this organization raises money to provide healthcare and education to children in India. I really wanted to do something to support this organization because I think it is very unfair that my family, my friends, and I can get education, why can’t all children?

As a hobby I make cards so I thought I could make cards and sell them and 100% of the profits could go to PEH. I started making all sorts of cards using different techniques, like rubber stamping, embossing, paper crafts and stickers.

The name of my organization is "Children Helping Children". So far I have sold over 200 cards to family and friends and raised over $600 for PEH. My mama sent this money to PEH and they sent me the names and photographs of eight boys and girls who I am helping to support. My goal is to support these children year after year until they graduate from college, InshAllah.

Working on this project makes me feel really good because I am helping children my age get two of the most important things in life -- education and healthcare.   Please click here to view Saanya's letter published in the July 24, 2006 issue of Newsweek.

About Saanya

Saanya Hasan Ali lives in Potomac, Maryland and is in the fourth gradeat Carderock Springs Elementary School in Bethesda, Maryland. She loves to read, write poetry and short stories, play soccer, and do arts and crafts. Her favorite subjects are science and reading. Saanya loves to travel and learn about different cultures. She has been to more than 25 countries including Morocco, Equador, Turkey, Sweden, France, Bahrain, Pakistan, and Mexico. Saanya believes that every child in every country should be able to go to school and get a good education. In addition to helping raise money for PEH, recently she also began making and selling cards for the children affected by Hurricane Katrina as well as for the children hurt in the Pakistani earthquake.

Please click here to read Saanya's speech "Children Helping Children: Making Cards That Care" given at the World Children's Festival that took place on June 23-25, 2007 at the National Mall in Washington D.C.