Foundation Project Manager, Sam Tiwari welcomed Members of Parliament and Peers to an event on 1st December 2009 in London's Westminster marking the establishment of the Foundation
"Call me Sam"
My name is Sambhawana. You can call me Sam. I am from India. I come from a humble background but my parents were determined to give me a good education, despite poverty and several hurdles. I had that one opportunity to realise my true potential and that has brought me to where I am. This year I graduated from the London School of Economics with a masters’ degree in development studies. I feel very proud and grateful that my own circumstances illustrate what can be achieved if the battle to secure education is won.
Enrichment and fulfilment
I have had a long association with the development sector in India. I have been involved in several campaigns for social justice. I worked closely on development projects like financial inclusion for rural communities, education and employment for the poor and corporate social responsibility towards education and environment. I also worked with the millennium campaign in India which sought to hold the government to account for its progress towards achieving the MDGs by 2015.
All this has been a very enriching and fulfilling journey for me. I feel now so fortunate to be able to bring that experience to the work that The Steve Sinnott Foundation is setting out to do.
Every child's right
The Foundation has been established to work towards achievement of the second MDG – Universal Primary Education. 
For me education is a need that cuts across countries, cultures, religions and boundaries. I believe it is every child’s right and provides a beacon of hope for all our futures. And yet, as our knowledge of the world around us grows by leaps and bounds, apparently without limits to scientific and technological advancement, still more than 70 million children worldwide are denied education because of poverty and the restrictions and demands that it places on them.
We must seek new ways to reach out to those millions of children who pick rags or clean tables instead of going to a school and we have to harness every available means for that. As 2015 draws closer and we take stock of the situation, we see that, despite all the progress made so far, we are still far short of the goal.
Heartening support
It is very heartening that, throughout the world, people are working hard on projects and campaigns in support of the second MDG. The work of the partners in the Global Campaign for Education inspires them. Despite the economic downturn and crisis, financial as well as human capital support to these campaigns has only increased.
Yet, there is still a long way to go. It is the Foundation’s aim to make a major contribution to the achievement of the MDG 2 within this global campaign. The respect which Steve earned provides us with the opportunity to make that contribution in his name. I believe that if all of us feel that whatever contribution we can make, governments, communities and people, no matter how big or small, all will count towards fulfilling that one objective. Then we can really achieve it.
Our priorities
Our immediate priorities at the foundation are to bring together teachers, people in the education sector, like minded individuals and organisations together to share expertise and innovative ideas in education and create a strong worldwide community committed to MDG 2. We also aim to support related initiatives in the developing world, promoting local knowledge and solutions in making primary education possible for every child. We need the collective strength of people as well as resources to be able to achieve this.
I did not know Steve, but I understand his inspiration and his values. His relentless work and his commitment to education and to MDG 2 are our inspiration and guiding force. I am determined to manage the Foundation’s projects to play a full part in the great international effort to reach that stage where every child will stand a fair chance of realising his or her potential through education.
No effort is too small
No effort is too small to make a difference. When millions take the responsibility to contribute their bit in this endeavour, then as Steve Sinnott had it, together we can win. I look forward with enormous enthusiasm to working with you all and with millions of others in this initiative.