Saratoga Patch Whiz Kid of the Week—Mahir Jethanandani

Saratoga High School sophomore Mahir Jethanandani, 15, has began an online petition on change.org to remove bank account opening fees, reduce minimum balance requirements and increase saving accounts' interest rates as part of his work with the nonprofit Child and Youth Finance International.

The organization helps promote financial education and literacy for youth across the world. It also provides financial opportunities and access to financial services to all children. 

Jethanandani has also created a survey petitioning financial institutions in the United States to help every child have access to financial services, financial awareness through education and a reliable source of income and the will to save and build assets to promote their future stability.

"Together we can ensure that every child can wave goodbye to debt and inter-generational poverty and enjoy a high quality of life," says the nonprofit about its mission on its website.

Jethanandani petition will go live Friday, March 15 to kick off CYFI's Global Money Week.

The Saratoga youth has also written to President Barack Obama and Treasury Secretary Jack Lew about his efforts.

Accomplishments:

• Worked on numerous projects with CYFI
• Has been nominated for the CYFI Youth Champion Award
• Youth entrepreneur, bank investigator, financial promoter and financial techie for CYFI
• Attended CYFI first annual Youth Summit in Amsterdam last April
• Attending second annual CYFI conference in Istanbul, Turkey
• Presented his financial background and summary of the conference last year in Amsterdam
• Presented his projects and background in finance at the G20 Summit last October in Mexico City
• Working on his youth movement in United States, helping gain supporters for the Netherlands-based CYFI
• His future goals are to publish his work with CYFI to spread its cause 
• Member of Saratoga Chamber of Commerce Youth Council

Key to Awesomeness:

"Mahir has always been interested in finance and wanted to use his interest to help people," according to proud mom Pragati Grover, a member of the Saratoga Planning Commission.

When Mahir met CYFI founder Jeroo Billimoria and learned what the organization was doing, he jumped at the chance to help kids, Grover explained.

"As a parent I have always believed that helping others cannot be forced. It has to come from within. Mahir puts his heart and soul into not just this organization but I see that he is always kind and helpful to everyone around him," she said.