Spamming the World for Social Change

College of Engineering Assistant Dean Ray Umashankar and his daughter, UA alum, Nita Umashankar, have made it their mission to help child victims of India's sex trafficking. Not with silent auctions or charity dinners, but with spam. Ray Umashankar trolls business articles for Indian names he plugs into possible email addresses, sending blindly until they land requesting money and more business contacts. Together they support ASSET India Foundation, which teaches these children English and IT skills. While fear of AIDS and India's caste system legacy have traditionally blocked these refugees from school or work, ASSET trumps those social forces. The children bridge directly to good jobs, giving them a blank slate and keys to a brighter future. The Umashankar family’s solicitations are unconventional. But since 2006, that tenacity has netted $325,000, proving that sometimes breaking a cycle of poverty means breaking the mold.