When Rachel Moser chose to double major in child studies and cognitive studies at Peabody, she didn鈥檛 yet see the path of service that would unfurl before her, but she felt confident she was moving in the right direction.
“It just kind of hit me, 鈥業f you feel so passionately about this, why wait?鈥�”
鈥擱achel Moser
She was right. After Peabody, Moser returned to her home in New York City and enrolled at New York University to pursue a master鈥檚 degree in social work. During that time, she spent a summer working at a one-room school in Tanzania.
鈥淭here were about 35 children, ages 2 to 7, who came without pencils and paper, sometimes without shoes,鈥� she said, 鈥渂ut they always had an uplifting and positive attitude. Seeing the juxtaposition of poverty with a love of learning and sheer happiness鈥攊t really affected me.鈥�
After she finished her master鈥檚 and earned her clinical license to practice social work, Moser began her search for a job.
鈥淚 always thought when I was older I would start some kind of organization to help people, and then it just kind of hit me, 鈥業f you feel so passionately about this, why wait?鈥欌��
Moser created , a volunteer-run nonprofit organization devoted to empowering people by providing educational resources to impoverished regions of the world. Her fundraising efforts have paid off in remarkable ways. A social media partnership with Cultivate Wines raised $10,600 for The Uplifting project in just a few weeks.
鈥淲ith social media, the world is smaller, everything is more tangible,鈥� Moser said. 鈥淭hanks to our generous partners, The Uplifting Project is helping to build self-sustaining schools that are run by local people.鈥�
Moser also works full time at a nonprofit youth center in the south Bronx. She serves at-risk 16- to 24-year-olds in need of mentorship, educational services and employment guidance.
鈥淚 have been able to put into action what I have learned and experienced, and as a result, my life has been very rewarding and fulfilling,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 fortunate that I鈥檝e found my purpose, and that I鈥檝e had such supportive friends and family along the way.鈥�
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