The meaning behind
Aum
Many have asked, "How is that pronounced?" and we are happy to answer!
Aum (Ohm or Omm). Capital 'A' - lowercase 'um'.
Not to be confused with Auburn University Montgomery or Assets Under Management.
Aum is actually a symbol (and it's the M in our Aum logo). It is a sacred sound that is known generally as the sound of the universe. It is often chanted to bring about empowerment from within.
With that being said, it is only natural that as an organization whose mission is to EMPOWER, our name means exactly that!
The Aum Effect
Aum Foundation is committed to the empowerment of all women. We push our program participants to pursue their definition of success, whether that be attending two-year, four-year, trade school or going straight to the workforce. Our goal is that each of our girls is able to financially stand on their own and will give back to their community all that has been poured into them.
It is in honor of the commitment one woman makes to lend a helping hand to another in need, that we have coined the Aum Effect.
Meet our Founder
Alka Bhargav
Originally from India, Alka Bhargav (BAR-gov), is a social entrepreneur who has become an integral figure in the Huntsville business and nonprofit communities.
Alka’s many years of HR experience gave her keen insight into what companies look for in high-potential employees. For many years, Alka desired to match that knowledge with her own life experiences to empower young women from under-resourced backgrounds to dream big and create a path to achieve generational prosperity.
In 2013, that dream became a reality when Alka and her husband started the Aum Foundation. Through the Foundation, Alka's vision has provided more than 150 girls across the state of Alabama with invaluable resources - like mentorship, life skills and workforce development classes, emotional support, personalized ACT tutoring, and so much more.
Alka also has served on numerous boards including Drake State Foundation, New Futures, the Madison City Disability Advocacy Board, and the North Alabama Society of Human Resource Management. She also served as President of the Women’s Economic Development Council (WEDC) Foundation Board in 2017, and she is completing her term as the Chair of Women’s Business Council.
Additionally, Alka enjoys giving back to the community through volunteer work for Habitat to Humanity, the American Heart Association, Asha Kiran, and more. In 2020, Alka was recognized as the Woman of the Year by the Psi Alpha Zeta chapter of the Zeta Phi Beta sorority. In 2022, Alka was Honored to be recognized as a Change Maker by the Alabama Women’s Foundation.
In her free time, Alka likes to dive into a good book, cook delicious meals, or try out the latest interior decorating trends.