From the snowcapped Himalayans to tropical beaches, India is truly a nation of contrasts. It boasts a rich history spanning tens of thousands of years. In fact, the earliest known civilization in South Asia once called India’s fertile Indus Valley home. Today, with the world’s second-largest population, India includes a staggering variety of ethnicities, languages, religions and cultures. Its wealth of natural resources and vibrant cultures, however, belie the abject poverty in which so many of India’s citizens live. The small town of Yadagiri, located in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, is no exception to these maladies. Drought is a constant threat in this agricultural community, and employment opportunities are severely limited. Field laborers earn an average of only forty cents a day and struggle to provide even the most basic necessities for their children.

Moreover, with shorter life expectancies, much lower literacy rates and markedly inferior social and economic status than males, young women in India begin life at a disadvantage. For this reason, the Lou Ann Long Girls’ Hostel serves as a beacon of hope. It provides boarding, nutrition and a quality education for area girls who come from impoverished families. Here, these deserving young women receive the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty and rise above the difficult socioeconomic circumstances they face.