UniHawk mentee empowering underprivileged children through education 

Dubai, Oct 14, 2025: A 17-year-old student is proving that empathy can be a powerful catalyst for change, with the launch of an ambitious social initiative to educate underprivileged children in rural India. A senior at GEMS Modern Academy in Dubai and a mentee of university admissions experts, UniHawk, Kashish Sancheti is on a mission to equip children with the skills they need to thrive in the 21st century workforce.  

With support from UniHawk and alongside her co-founder, Yug Sancheti, she established Voices of Vision, a free programme designed to strengthen communication and computer literacy among children aged 8 to 14. The project delivers online mentoring, structured lessons in English and technology, and certifications in Microsoft Office, delivered by professionals preparing students for the increasingly digitised future of work.  

Kashish’s inspiration came during a trip to India, where she was struck by the resilience and untapped potential of children from marginalised communities. She recognised her own privilege and wanted to give back to the community. “I wanted to create a more structured effort to support these children through education and to provide the guidance to build strong academic foundations and to better position them for success,” she explains.  

Voices of Vision has already run two programmes across India, reaching children through a range of workshops. As part of the programme, Kashish and Yug connect with the children regularly online and in person. Beyond skill development, the initiative seeks to instill confidence and foster long-term aspirations. The next phase includes introducing vision boards to help students define their goals and a peer-mentoring network linking them with older high school mentors who share similar interests.  

The programme is also looking ahead to expand. “We hope to secure funding and sponsorships to scale the initiative,” Kashish says. “To see the joy and curiosity with which they want to learn and grow, watching them develop skills and a sense of belonging is a fulfilling experience. Giving back has helped me to grow as a person and pushed me to do more.”  

Outside her work with Voices of Vision, Kashish is a multi-talented athlete, competing in tennis and basketball while volunteering her time for children of determination during the Dubai Schools Games. She continues to balance academics, athletics and her commitment to social impact. Kashish is working with UniHawk to prepare a compelling portfolio for her upcoming undergraduate applications in the US, where she hopes to study architecture. “UniHawk has made the university application journey more strategic and less overwhelming,” she says. “They have supported me academically but also helped me to reflect on who I am and what matters to me. This is what encouraged me to drive and expand my social impact work.”  

For Kashish, the mission is clear: empowering young people, one child at a time, to imagine and build brighter futures.