SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business undergraduate Manorama Singh was initially apprehensive about carrying out such overseas fund-raising projects. After chancing upon a recruitment drive for an overseas community service project in school, she changed her mind. With the help of the Singapore Red Cross Society, Youth Expedition Project and a three-day fund-raising campaign in SMU, Manorama helped to raise $28,000. With that prior experience, Manorama decided to pursue her fund-raising efforts in Varanasi. She also credited her professors and SMU's Centre for Social Responsibility for directing her to "relevant contacts, contributing to the cause and cheering [her] on from the start".