In just under a month Jananie Baskaran, photographer for 3D media, will be hosting her 3^rd annual charity fundraiser, Palm Roots.

Photography started off as a hobby for Jananie because of her interest in film and creative work. It turned out to be the ideal way to express herself outside of sketching.

“My friends realized that I had an interesting perspective and ability to capture images in a unique way before I did.”

With her friends’ encouragement she decided to start pursuing photography as a part-time gig while she searched for a job in the healthcare field.

Jananie’s photography is inspired by trying to find beauty in simple things, whether it be a song, a piece of clothing or nature. Jotting down ideas as they come to her, she tries to make note of those which have the potential of flowing into an idea for a photoshoot.

Her fundraiser, Palm Roots, was one of these ideas and came about after a life changing visit to Jaffna in 2013. Though Jananie had always been interested in charity work, and makes it a priority to give back to those affected by the war in Sri Lanka, she realized that she could play a bigger role during that trip.

After meeting school aged children in Jaffna and seeing how much of an uphill battle they faced when trying to access resources and supplies she was driven to find more ways to support access to education, especially in Northern Sri Lanka. She became determined to partner with likeminded organizations to create an initiative that could support this cause.

The result was Palm Roots, a fundraising event like no other by a female Tamil entrepreneur and photographer, featuring photographs from Jananie’s travels. Jaffna, as the place where ideas started coming together for it all, was highlighted in her first fundraiser. The Middle East was the theme behind the second fundraiser, when she traveled back to visit her old home last year. And this year, several locales in India (including Trichy, Tanjavur, Madurai, Kerala, Agra, Delhi) are to be showcased. All proceeds from the sale of the photographs will go towards scholarships for children in the Northern part of Sri Lanka through Ideal Hope.

“My auction has become a bridge to connect Tamils in Toronto with Tamils in Sri Lanka to provide them with the support and care they need, while spreading my travel diary through photographs at people’s offices and homes.”

The choice of charity each year is based on several factors; Jananie’s primary focus is working with organizations that ensure that children have the best opportunities to become educated and confident leaders. The other factors considered include the services organizations provide, how donations are used, overall credibility and location.

With a full time day job in healthcare and pursuing her passion for photography at all other hours of the day, there are many challenges Jananie has had to face in trying to get her career and this initiative off the ground. For starters, trying to connect with the right people to raise awareness about the organizations she is trying to support and to gain the resources to make this a sustainable event. This year, she is hoping to partner with more businesses and organizations, like Ideal Incubator, that can help expand the scope and reach of the fundraiser.

“Ideal Incubator, a newly developed platform supporting young Tamil entrepreneurs has chosen to power my event this year and is playing a significant role in executing the event and supporting the ideas I’ve implemented. In collaboration with their driven team, I’m positive that this year’s event will be an unforgettable one!”

Another challenge she faces as a female Tamil entrepreneur is breaking stereotypes around accepted and expected career paths for Tamil women. She’s found that careers in the Arts are unfortunately still not regarded as being on par with others. And so she continues to work hard to prove that a career in the Arts can be as influential as any other field through the projects she has taken up.

“The bigger the obstacles you face the bigger the rewards you receive. Pursuing your own business and finding success in it is not an easy task to do with the competition that exists already. But the key to being successful is finding something you are passionate about and focusing all your energy towards working hard and achieving your goals.”

The 2015 Palm Roots fundraiser will take place on Sunday, November 15^th from 6:00-10:00pm at the Scarborough Convention Centre.

You can get your tickets here to support this initiative and look forward to an evening of great company, entertainment and delicious catering! Check out the Palm Roots Facebook page for more information and if you would like to support the event further, please contact: palmrootsinfo@gmail.com.

Feature image courtesy of EXSO Photography. Event images courtesy of Viknesh Srinivasan and Senduran Bhakthakumaran. Palm Roots 2015 poster designed by DesignsbyT.