Meet the passionate young leaders who started YouthCare Connect and are driving its mission forward.
Our Story
How YouthCare Connect Began
YouthCare Connect was founded by students who witnessed firsthand the gap between healthcare and compassion — and decided to do something about it. What started as a small comfort kit drive grew into a full nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth, educating communities, and humanizing healthcare for everyone.
Leadership
Meet the Team
Kaavya Bajaj
Co-Founder & President
Kaavya Bajaj, who is a high schooler at Bridgewater Raritan Highschool, co-founded the non-profit organization YouthCare Connect in her freshman year. Kaavya wants to make an impact on patients and students in her community through education and care. To her, hands on attention and care is one of the most impactful ways of expressing ideas and emotions. Away from YouthCare Connect, Kaavya spends her time dancing competitively, socializing with friends, and studying leisurely.
Adhya Balaji
Co-Founder & President
Adhya Balaji, a high schooler at Bridgewater Raritan High School, co-founded the non-profit organization YouthCare Connect in her freshman year. She aims to spread the message of keeping medicine humane, especially in a time where artificial intelligence threatens to take over parts of the medical field. Writing to her is a way of expressing her beliefs and impacting others. When she isn’t working on YouthCare Connect, Adhya enjoys reading leisurely, editing her novel, singing, and playing the violin.
Anushka Khedlekar
Social Media Manager
Anushka Khedlekar, a high schooler at Bridgewater Raritan Highschool, is the social media manager of YouthCare Connect as a freshman. Outside of this organization she puts her energy towards a career in film acting. She spends her time doing what she loves most, theater, and loves to take up random hobbies (face-painting, hula hooping, dancing, etc…). She wants to impact young learners and inspire them to join her in following their passion!
Lesandu Wickramasinghe
Intern Blog Writer
Lesandu Wickramasinghe, who is a high school junior from Edison, NJ, has a strong interest in technology and writing. He enjoys writing articles and expressing ideas through his work. Outside of YouthCare Connect, he likes playing cricket, working out, and exploring how AI is shaping the world.
Simrah Chhipa
Intern Blog Writer
Simrah Chhipa, a freshman at Noor-Ul-Iman School in Monmouth Junction, NJ, is a blog writer at YouthCare Connect. She has a strong passion for biology and healthcare-related studies. She hopes to one day study oncology and cancer research to make a meaningful impact in the medical field. She is a dedicated honors student who enjoys learning, writing, reading, and challenging herself academically. Outside of school, Simrah loves playing and watching soccer and basketball, as well as spending time with her friends and family. Through her writing, she hopes to raise awareness about issues in healthcare today and inspire others to create positive change in their communities.
Rachel Prince
Intern Blog Writer
Rachel Prince, a freshman at South Brunswick High School, is a blog writer at YouthCare Connect. She has had a strong passion for anatomy since elementary school and hopes to become a neurologist, to make an impact and become a pioneer in the medical field. Through her writing, she hopes to be able to inspire others about the field of medicine and how it’s constantly changing. Outside of school, Rachel enjoys dancing and playing her violin, and singing.
Mohamed Samy Saafan
Intern Blog Writer
Mohamed Samy Saafan is a third-year medical student at Mansoura University Faculty of Medicine in Egypt and a blog writer at YouthCare Connect. He has a strong interest in cardiothoracic surgery and is actively involved in clinical training and medical research, particularly in cardiovascular topics. Mohamed has obtained certifications from institutions including Johns Hopkins University and Harvard University. He is also a medical student member of the American College of Surgeons, the American College of Cardiology, and the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
What We Stand For
Our Core Values
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Compassion
We put humanity at the heart of everything we do.
📚
Education
We empower communities through knowledge and health literacy.
🌱
Service
We lead with action, showing up for those who need it most.
🤝
Community
We grow by lifting each other and building lasting partnerships.
YouthCare Connect 