Having discovered the charm of baking, Rupika T.L., a Std. XII student, started making cupcakes, muffins and cakes to raise funds for charity. The proceeds from her initiative, Sugar Rush, is part of her Happinest Mission. “The money I make goes to making specs, physio-balls, hip-braces, leg-braces, crutches, hearing aid, nappies, and other requirements for the differently-abled,” says Rupika.
“I was baking cakes as a hobby but, on my sister’s suggestion, Sugar Rush was born. From supplying cakes to friends’ birthday parties, I started taking orders for events in other cities too,” says Rupika who enjoys the encouragement she gets from people given that she is still in school.
Rupika started baking cupcakes for friends and events in and around Palakkad. But word spread and she began receiving orders for events and parties from places like Coimbatore, Thrissur, Salem, Erode and Chennai. Sugar Rush also celebrates New Year’s Day, Vishu, Onam, Diwali, Christmas and Children’s Day by organising programmes, carrying sweet treats and giving away prizes.
According to Rupika, the hot-selling favourites are blueberry, strawberry, Oreo, lemon, apple cinnamon, rose, peanut butter, mint, mocha, and assorted nuts. She takes requires 48 hours notice for her orders. “Once the baking is done, the presentation brings out my creative side and is also quite challenging when it comes to pleasing young children,” she adds.
Rupika’s Happinest Mission aims “to bring happiness into the lives of vulnerable children by ensuring basic necessities of health care, protection, nutrition and education.” Rupika visits maternity and childcare wings of district government hospitals and District Early Intervention Centre (DEIC), where differently-abled kids, and newborns with challenges are treated.
Rupika sees Sugar Rush and Happinest Mission as two sides of the same coin “where compassion follows passion in my journey.”
To contact Rupika, call 9349136599
Published - November 17, 2016 04:22 pm IST
