Oklahoma Universal Human Rights Award Honorees
Organizations are underlined.
Happy World Foundation
Biographical Info
Nominated by Sunil Phuyal.
Happy World Foundation Inc. was created by Oklahoma twins Akash and Anand Happy Patel after the tragic passing of Happy in a plane crash. The Foundation promotes cross-cultural understanding, citizen-to-citizen diplomacy and global citizenship education in schools and communities worldwide. The Foundation’s Global Connect program has connected thousands of students virtually allowing them an opportunity to meaningfully engage and learn about the world. The International Day program has hosted tens of volunteers in Oklahoma schools to teach them about the world. The Happy Nonprofit Clinic has helped over 15 nonprofits in the last two months to file for and attain exempt status from IRS. The Happy School to College Pipeline Initiative has mentored hundreds of inner-city youth and provided them scholarships to attend college. The Happy Meals projects provides warm meals and clothes for the homeless in inner-city communities in Oklahoma and Texas. The Foundation’s professional development program has trained over 5,000 educators in multicultural and multilingual education. The Global Ambassadors Leadership Institute has trained Oklahoma high school and college students to become active global citizens. Overall, the programs at the Foundation have allowed expanded educational and economic opportunities for all Oklahomans and enabled them to experience and live in a world free of bigotry and racism.