Jeweled bracelets and earrings are carefully displayed across the table. All around, women coo at the carefully crafted creations. A woman in the front, dressed in a flowing, teal sari with gold accents, takes a picture with her phone and texts it to someone she’s talking to on the phone.

“It’s pretty, no?” she says with a smile. “And for a good cause, too.”

 Last Sunday, Ashwini Iyer (11), president of the Rising International chapter at the Harker Upper School, and vice-president Roshni Pankhaniya (11) hosted a fundraiser to raise money for Rising International, a non-profit organization founded by Carmel Jud. Rising International helps women in third world countries by selling their goods overseas and shipping back the profits.

“I believe Rising is the perfect way to bring the plight of poverty-stricken women and children to light,” said Roshni.  “Living in the Bay Area we’re surrounded with so much and sheltered from many of the horrors these women face and its important that we do our part in giving to others who do not have the same opportunities as we do.”

Boasting a 10 percent overhead, it also aids women in countries such as India and Africa, especially single mothers in bad financial situations.

“Most charities only help people globally or locally specifically,” Ashwini said. “But here we’re able to help both. The people who bring the good here and who help do the checkout and manage the Rising International products at home parties get a small percentage of the proceeds. They’re single women and they’re also struggling. It gives everybody a little microenterprise.”

Some Rising supporters even donated their own artwork and jewelry for the home party merchandise. The majority of the artwork was created by Veena Subrahmanyam, mother of Ashwini.

In the middle of the party, shopping was interrupted for a set of speeches from Carmel Jud, Ashwini, Roshni, and Saratoga city council candidate Pragati Grover.

Gallery • 8 Photos

Meilan Steimle

Bead bracelets for sale are on display in a decorative, hand-made bowl. By vending goods like these, the home party was able to raise more than $4,500.

“I think it’s wonderful that Rising International has partnered with the Harker kids,” Pragati said. “I have a background in social work, so when I was working in India, I could see that there are so many young girls and women who need so much of our help. We all need to do something, and not just today.”

After the speeches, guests, old and young, shared their opinions on the cause.

“Other people get money and a chance to get food if they don’t have enough,” said Aria Jain, a third grader at the Harker Lower School who is considering joining Rising International.

Other older guests had a more somber view.

“There is a lot of sadness and difficulties in life that girls go through, and it (Rising International) gives my daughter mainly an opportunity to help, and also learn how to organize things, and learn management skills and things like that. At the same time it is towards a good cause. Good for being such a good cause, but also a good learning experience for my daughter,” said Veena Subrahmanyam.

As the afternoon winds down, so does the party. The scents of rich food fade, the music dims, and few items are left unsold. Before leaving, a few attendees gave their final thoughts on the event.

“The more the women here are prospering locally,” said Carmel Jud, CEO of Rising International, “the more they’re going to change the world. And part of that is going to be ending human trafficking.

“It means hope,” said Rising International Party Organizer Shereen Manalani Jarrett. “It means hope that there will be a better world in the future. [It’s] shocking that even young people are thinking, ‘hey I can make a difference in the world.’ So for me, Rising International is about hope, and seeing young people involved is just opening my heart.”

At the end of the day, the home party was able to raise $4,500 through sales and donations.