Archive for category: Nonprofit Organizations and NGOs

Information and stories about nonprofit organizations and NGOs

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5 Charities Operating in Madagascar

Charities Operating in MadagascarPoverty continues to challenge Malagasy youth, limiting access to education, health and nutrition services across the country’s rural regions. According to the World Food Programme, in Madagascar, more than 80% of the population lives on less than $2.15 per day, with 38.6% of children suffering from chronic malnutrition. A World Bank learning-poverty brief, using data available as of 2021, estimated that about 94% of children in Madagascar were not proficient in reading by late primary-school age. It also reported that primary education expenditure per child was 77.8% below the Sub-Saharan Africa regional average.

Amid these challenges, a number of organizations are stepping in to close the gaps in education, nutrition and child protection. Below are five charities operating in Madagascar that aim to fight poverty and enhance the quality of life for youths.

Charities Operating in Madagascar

  • ADRA Madagascar: ADRA Madagascar is a non-governmental organization that works to provide every Malagasy child the opportunity to learn and supports sustainable development across the country. ADRA Madagascar has three core aims: expanding access to education through improved infrastructure, increasing school attendance through financial support and enhancing education quality by strengthening teaching capacity. In addition to improved education, ADRA Madagascar also works to improve access to water, particularly in areas closely located to educational facilities. Since 2020, ADRA Madagascar reports that its programs have supported more than 1 million Malagasy people.
  • Learn Achieve Become: Learn Achieve Become (L.A.B.) is a U.K.-based charity dedicated to improving the quality of life for those living in disadvantaged communities by expanding access to quality education and sports. L.A.B.’s main activities involve organizing temporary educational programs, partnering with local schools and hosting sporting clubs and events. In 2023, L.A.B. opened its first educational and support center for people with disabilities in Madagascar, with goals to open more across the island. The organization reports that its centers provide free education to roughly 200 students per week, ensuring disadvantaged youth have access to basic learning opportunities.
  • Save the Children Madagascar: Save the Children is a global organization that aims to end child violence, expand access to basic education and prevent diseases affecting children. Its presence in Madagascar began in 2016 and, in conjunction with a wide range of donors, it has implemented programs combatting health, education, food security and child protection-related challenges. These programs are essential given Madagascar’s strained healthcare and education systems, as well as widespread food insecurity. In 2025, Save the Children Madagascar reported that 12,084 children were reached through its various programs.
  • Skyline NGO Madagascar: Skyline NGO Madagascar is a nonprofit, non-governmental organization, aiming to eradicate poverty and develop vulnerable communities within Madagascar. Skyline Madagascar runs a number of community-driven activities and programs that seek to address the needs of the Malagasy population. These include distributing medical supplies, establishing public libraries that provide educational books, running youth sports programs and partnering with the Phoenix Light Project to expand renewable energy methods and reforestation. Since 2020, Skyline Madagascar reports that its programs have reached more than 300,000 people across 23 regions in Madagascar.
  • Un Enfant par la Main Madagascar: Un Enfant par la Main is a nonprofit, non-governmental organization that works with local communities to ensure the rights of all children are upheld. Un Enfant par la Main places an emphasis on working with communities, rather than working in their place, with a focus on co-constructing solutions and implementing sustainable change that can be maintained by the community. In Madagascar, the organization has implemented two long-term projects in vulnerable regions that aim to provide a comprehensive response to the needs of the children. Un Enfant par la Main reports that nearly 6,500 children and families receive support each month.

Final Thoughts

Madagascar continues to face poverty-related challenges, with many children still facing a lack of education and limited access to food and water. However, these five charities operating in Madagascar provide hope for the future of the island nation, particularly given the strong focus on upholding the rights of all children. Together, these organizations demonstrate how community-driven programs can drive meaningful change for Malagasy youth.

– Xavier Stephens

Xavier is based in Melbourne, Australia, and focuses on Technology and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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5 Charities Operating in Timor-Leste

Charities Operating in Timor-LesteTimor-Leste, a small island north of Australia and east of Indonesia, is one of the lowest-income countries in the Asia-Pacific.

According to World Bank data, approximately 44% of the population lived on less than $3 per day in 2014. Food insecurity remains a key challenge for the people of Timor-Leste. A 2020 UNICEF report indicated that about 64% of households rely on agriculture for income, while 87% use poor cooking fuel and 25% lack access to safe drinking water.

Children younger than five are most severely impacted. A 2018 UNICEF report noted that one in two children younger than five suffers from stunting. Child undernutrition is the leading risk factor for death in this age group. Addressing multidimensional poverty requires local and international support. Here are five charities operating in Timor-Leste to combat poverty, build resilience and improve livelihoods.

Oxfam

The first of the five charities operating in Timor-Leste is Oxfam, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting inequality, poverty and injustice. The organization believes lasting solutions require working with local organizations, allies and communities. In Timor-Leste, Oxfam Australia has been working alongside local organizations for more than 40 years to strengthen land rights, expand economic opportunity and build disaster preparedness.

Oxfam partners with the Australian government and local organizations to carry out the AHP Disaster READY program, helping Timorese communities strengthen local planning, emergency coordination and early-warning systems to prepare for extreme weather events like floods, cyclones and landslides. Additionally, its HAKFOUN II project empowers young voices in rural development by bringing together government, civil society and development partners in inclusive dialogue.

Plan International

Plan International is a global humanitarian organization that works to advance children’s rights and build a world where “equality for girls leads to progress for all.” The organization has been working in Timor-Leste since 2001 with young girls, boys and their communities to challenge discrimination and ensure every child grows up safe, healthy and educated.

The organization’s work focuses on keeping girls in school, nutritionally healthy and provided with access to clean water and hygiene facilities. Plan International also works with communities to protect girls from violence, support female leadership and strengthen climate resilience to protect children’s futures.

Empowering youth advocacy and leadership is central to its mission. In March 2025, Plan International Timor-Leste supported Lilerita, a youth delegate, as she represented her country at the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York. There, she advocated for girls’ rights and grassroots change to international decision-makers.

CARE International

CARE International is a global nonprofit organization working to save lives and defeat global poverty. Its work prioritizes women and girls, driven by the belief that girls both face specific barriers and have unique potential to change lives.

CARE International has been working in Timor-Leste since 1994. Following Timorese independence in 2002, CARE expanded its focus beyond emergency aid to help communities overcome poverty, especially in rural areas. Today, the organization empowers women and girls by strengthening economic opportunities, improving access to education and health care, supporting girls in community leadership roles and building resilience against environmental and economic crises.

A key part of CARE’s current work is the HATUTAN program, which works to ensure children in rural schools are provided with nutritious meals. CARE also publishes its Lafaek magazines, distributed three times per year to pre- and primary schools, providing vital information about health, hygiene, nutrition and agriculture.

Blue Ventures

Blue Ventures is a marine conservation charity working in 11 countries across Africa and Asia to strengthen local marine management and restore ocean life. Since 2016, the organization has worked with Timorese communities to improve coral reef management and restore seagrass ecosystems. This work includes supporting the revival of traditional local governance practices called Tara Bandu, which utilize seasonal fishing closures and community-led monitoring of marine ecosystems to support conservation.

According to Blue Ventures, these efforts have helped nearshore fish stocks recover in project areas, contributing to improved nutrition, food security and income stability for local families. This stability motivates communities to continue protecting marine resources, establishing a self-sustaining cycle that supports the local economy and provides more nutritional food for generations to come.

RAEBIA

RAEBIA Timor-Leste is a local nonprofit organization founded in 1997 that uses conservation agriculture to support rural communities. Its name combines two words from the local Kemak language (rae, meaning land, and bia, meaning water) to represent the two elements needed to grow something.

While national figures indicate around 64% of all households rely on agriculture for food or income, RAEBIA estimates that in its rural project areas that figure is closer to 80%. The steep slope and poor soil quality of the land can make farming difficult. To address this, RAEBIA runs three key programs to support sustainable agriculture: community seed banking, seeds of survival and natural resource management.

Through these programs, RAEBIA works to strengthen community seed security, restore soil health and boost crop diversity, while empowering women and youth as “champion farmers.” The organization reports that these interventions help eliminate the seasonal hunger period for participating farming households and build climate-resilient, self-sustaining communities.

Looking Ahead

These five charities operating in Timor-Leste are some of the many global and local organizations that work alongside Timorese communities to combat poverty, gender inequality and educational barriers. By addressing root causes through community-led solutions, these programs are helping local families build long-term economic stability and improved livelihoods for the future.

– Ruby Straker

Ruby is based in Edinburgh, UK and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pixabay

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5 Organizations Helping Fight Poverty in Comoros

poverty in ComorosComoros, an island nation off the southeastern coast of Africa, has a multidimensional poverty rate of 19.2%, with an additional 19.4% of the population considered vulnerable to falling into poverty, according to the United Nations Development Programme. Multidimensional poverty measures overlapping challenges people face in health, education and living standards, rather than income alone. Between 2004 and 2014, multidimensional poverty declined due to improvements in living conditions. Today, many organizations are helping fight poverty in Comoros, aiming to lower poverty levels throughout the country and its communities.

Role of the Government

Although many organizations help improve living conditions, the Comorian government also plays a major role in fighting poverty. The National Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction currently works to prevent disasters and strengthen the country’s resilience. The strategy ensures rapid and effective responses to emergencies, which helps reduce the amount of damage and impact on communities. However, most support comes from outside groups and organizations, and without their assistance, poverty levels would increase.

World Bank Group

The World Bank Group is one of many organizations helping fight poverty in Comoros. It supports the Regional Emergency Preparedness and Inclusive Recovery Program (REPAIR), which enhances financial readiness to respond to environmental disasters in Comoros, Madagascar and Mozambique. As a participating country, Comoros will now benefit from financial tools that will deliver funds to the country within seven days of a disaster. This support will help reduce the damage to communities.

REPAIR aims to preserve jobs and support all enterprises and livelihoods in areas facing climate shocks and climate disasters. These disasters cause major economic losses and often affect poorer communities, further worsening poverty. Since the introduction of REPAIR, Comoros has received aid in its water supply through the supply of water tanks and pipelines, after the Tropical Cyclone Chido that affected villages on Anjouan Island.

Agence Française de Développement

The Agence Française de Développement (AFD) is also a notable organization that works to reduce poverty in Comoros. The islands off the coast of Southeast Africa face significant vulnerability to the changing climate because of their location. As a close neighbor of Mayotte, a French overseas department, Comoros maintains strong historical and cultural ties with France.

Through the AFD, Comoros received grants to help strengthen the government, aiding economic development and social sectors. Remittances from the large Comorian diaspora living in France account for nearly 20% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). As agriculture remains a major part of the country’s economy, climate change impacts the country on a significant level. Through its 60-year partnership with Comorian authorities, AFD has reinforced health, education, economic development, and economic diversification.

Muslim World League

The Muslim World League is another one of the many organizations helping fight poverty in Comoros. Cataracts remain a leading cause of preventable blindness in the country, and the organization has funded surgeries and other medical services to help address gaps in eye care.

As part of their humanitarian mission in Africa, the organization has carried out several health aid programs in Comoros. These programs include the construction of medical facilities throughout many under-resourced communities and funding of cataract surgeries.

Comoros Red Crescent

The Comoros Red Crescent helps communities respond to emergencies and address long-term needs. These needs include disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, and development through volunteering. The organization relies on community engagement and financial sustainability to support its programs, operating through three branches and 224 local units staffed by more than 3,200 volunteers across the islands.

MAEECHA

MAEECHA, also known as Mouvement Associatif pour l’Éducation et l’Égalité des Chances, is a nongovernmental organization based in the Union of Comoros and focuses on education. Many children in the country are unable to read and understand age-appropriate texts by the age of 10, which contributes to the country’s learning crisis. MAEECHA has supported children’s education since 2005.

MAEECHA works to provide families living in poverty more opportunities to send their children to school. The organization aided in the development of primary public schools and built the first community school in the village of Adda. By providing specialized training needed for children’s education, their support in schools and for teachers has directly helped more than 9,952 children and another 4,900 indirectly

– Jacquelyn Orr

Jacquelyn is based in Philadelphia, PA, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Musicians Without Borders in El Salvador

El Salvadorian third-grade students engaged in a classroom activity. Musicians Without BordersIn El Salvador, hundreds of thousands of children face vulnerability to gang recruitment, labor exploitation and corrupt police forces’ unreasonable detainment. The dropout rate for the first year of high school, around age 16, surged dramatically from 7.6% in 2019 to 31% in 2022. In the same year, the Central American University of El Salvador found that 37% of 25-year-olds who did not complete primary education experience poverty. Without stability, whether through the routine of school or financial security, gangs lure children into recruitment. Reports have recorded La Mara Salvatrucha, better known as MS-13, promising improved clothing, shoes and even cigars, in exchange for unyielding loyalty.

With the help of global nongovernmental organization (NGO) Musicians Without Borders, Salvadoran children are discovering pathways away from gang influence through music. Whether for stress relief or to boost self-confidence, music provides a way to interpret the complex feelings that arise in one’s developing years. Furthermore, a study from the National Library of Medicine demonstrates the positive correlation between a long-term commitment to music and educational achievement. Creative outlets offer a crucial alternative for those at risk, demonstrating music’s ability to break cycles of poverty and reduce gang recruitment in El Salvador.

Musicians Without Borders

Dutch-American musician and peace activist Laura Hassler founded Musicians Without Borders in 1999. Alongside a group of talented musicians, Hassler traveled to refugee camps in Kosovo, believing music has the power to engender positive change. Observing the transformative effects of community, Musicians Without Borders registered as an NGO a year later. The group currently partners with local organizations in six different countries, though their reach spans the globe.

Musicians Without Borders customizes its peacemaking tools to fit the demands and social context of each partnership. They offer training programs for music leadership founded upon three pillars: practical working principles (safety, inclusion, etc.), principles of nonviolence and the positive, holistic effects of music.

Additionally, individualized band coaching fosters creative thinking and collaborative skills between peers. Music therapy improves not just mental health, but physical, cognitive and social health.

In El Salvador, Musicians Without Borders partners with two different community-based organizations: Armonia Cuscatleca and Soy Música. These partnerships are essential to their strategy to reduce gang recruitment in El Salvador.

Armonia Cuscatleca

Inspired by his work with the Harmony Project, Salvadoran-American musician Pablo Méndez Granadino decided to take action. In 2015, he founded a music education program in his hometown of San Pedro Perulapan, a municipality in central El Salvador. Since 2017, Musicians Without Borders has partnered with the program, enabling them to grow their lessons beyond San Pedro Perulapan.

Armonia Cuscatleca welcomes all children, providing music lessons and safe spaces for rehearsals. Through participation, children comfortably develop their artistic identities, strengthen their work ethic and boost self-esteem. Many people are unaware of music’s ability to change lives. In a study of students in the United Kingdom (U.K.) and Germany, 50% of those surveyed dropped out of music lessons by the age of 17. However, in El Salvador, people are dedicating time and energy to cultivating rewarding habits and reducing gang recruitment. Armonia Cuscatleca has touched the lives of 214 children since 2015, and held 650 classes, rehearsals and concerts each year.

Soy Música

Launched in 2017, Soy Música is a collaborative initiative between United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Salvadoran Ministry of Education and Musicians Without Borders. The program aimed to train a strong team of educators and community leaders and develop a context-specific music leadership curriculum. Between 2017 and 2022, Soy Música introduced its methodology to more than a thousand educators across the country. The COVID-19 pandemic brought with it mobility challenges and limited student access, yet Soy Música adapted its learning model by creating engaging children’s television, curated by local trainers.

Soy Música has trained 626 educators since its opening, nurturing leadership skills based on nonviolent principles. In addition, more than 61,000 children have been reached through music. This impact is particularly critical given the goal to reduce gang recruitment in El Salvador. Ultimately, Soy Música’s innovative approach reinforces music’s profound ability to unite communities and cultivate a foundation for lasting peaceful coexistence across the country.

Despite the profound vulnerabilities children in El Salvador continue to face, the work of Musicians Without Borders and its local partners highlights an important pathway to positive development through music. In 2023, one in five Salvadorans was between 15 and 24 years old. Demographically, El Salvador has the potential to reap the rewards of a determined, talented youth community. In the age of artificial intelligence (AI), music-related “soft skills,” like leadership, problem-solving and patience, are incredibly valuable to employers.

By providing an alternative to gang involvement, community, peace and artistic appreciation guide children to flourish. Music helps children build lives they define on their own terms, instead of the cycles of violence they may be fighting against. Due to the hard work of these organizations and the power of music, those cycles may one day be broken.

– Julia Sanders

Julia is based in Fitchburg, WI, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pixnio

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FIVB Volleyball Foundation: Where Volleyball Changes Lives

FIVB Volleyball FoundationThe problem of school absenteeism and dropout is significant, especially in developing countries. Completing studies there can make a significant difference in the long term, giving new generations the possibility to break the poverty cycle. In 2024, the FIVB established the Volleyball Foundation. Since then, it has utilized the power of volleyball to support and develop local communities worldwide. According to the FIVB Volleyball Foundation’s official website, the mission of the foundation is to create “a Greater World Shaped by Volleyball.”

What Is the FIVB Volleyball Foundation?

The FIVB Volleyball Foundation provides funding and resources to drive projects aimed at enhancing the social well-being of communities through the power of volleyball. The foundation promotes values such as collaboration, communication and teamwork, reflecting everyday life. It emphasizes a shared goal, encouraging local communities to work together to achieve outcomes. The no-contact, non-violent nature of volleyball promotes problem-solving through communication rather than violence.

The FIVB Volleyball Foundation focuses on achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as SDG3, good health and well-being at all ages; SDG10, reduced inequalities within and among countries; and SDG11, promoting sustainable cities and communities.

The Foundation’s Projects

The foundation is a new organization, currently running five projects focused on youth development, education access, gender equality, community cohesion and inclusion. Former India national team captain Abhijit Bhattacharya founded the Brahmaputra Volleyball League (BVL) in Assam, India in 2020 to promote diversity and inclusion. In 2025, the FIVB recognized BVL as the world’s largest community grassroots volleyball league. That year, the league also began a formal partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The partnership uses volleyball as a platform for child development, gender equality and the prevention of child marriage.

Today, the league continues to grow. Through the UNICEF partnership, dozens of participants have trained as community ambassadors who advocate for education, equality and social change in their villages. Bhattacharya was named the International Olympic Committee’s 2025 Global Winner for Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for his work with the league. The BVL has also enhanced community safety by creating infrastructure, including centers where participants train and learn.

The Githurai Kimbo Volleyball Academy in Kenya provides a safe environment offering education, mentorship and volleyball training in the suburbs of Nairobi, where poverty and crime are prevalent. The FIVB Volleyball Foundation allows spots in the boarding school and many more for regular participants attending an integrated sport and education system. These programs can create life-changing opportunities for children. As one example, a girl enrolled in the program improved her grades and overall well-being within a year, according to the Foundation.

Generations for Peace (G4P) is a project that addresses the mental health and social inclusion of displaced youth in Jordan. As of July 2026, the program reports that 97% of participants have improved their psychological conditions, particularly confidence and emotional awareness. This improvement comes through volleyball training and mental support during an eight-month cycle. These outcomes, the Foundation says, result in stronger social connections and integration.

Beyond the Net is a project integrating volleyball into school programs to strengthen cooperation and community development in Ethiopia. The foundation provides teacher training on leadership, gender equality and inclusion, using volleyball as a practice tool. Teachers then impart life skills, confidence, teamwork and social inclusion to students. This project currently reaches more than 3,000 children in Ethiopia, according to the Foundation.

The last approved projects, in Tanzania, are Volley4Change and She Wish To Play. These projects foster inclusion in education, sports and leadership for girls and children with disabilities. Volleyball training is affiliated with workshops on nutrition and inclusion, skills needed in sport and everyday life. Para-volley and adapted volleyball formats accommodate various disabilities.

Sport in Education and Social Contexts

Studies conducted in 2010 by the World Health Organization (WHO) confirm the positive impact of sport on education, particularly school attendance, social integration and interaction. Research by Marsh and Kleitman shows that sport and physical activity benefit educational aspirations, college applications and enrollment. These factors also produce positive outcomes in self-esteem, well-being and future expectations.

Sport education promotes values such as fair play, respect for others and self-responsibility, key characteristics shared by sport and real life.

Although established only in 2024, the FIVB Volleyball Foundation has demonstrated that volleyball, and sport in general, is a force for positive and powerful social change. Sport has the power to improve education, mental health, well-being and future opportunities. Organizations like the Volleyball Foundation aim to utilize this ability to break the poverty cycle and provide hope and opportunities for new generations.

– Ilaria Alberti

Ilaria is based in Milan, Italy and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Education in the Urban Slums of Pakistan

Education in the urban slums of PakistanIn the extensive informal settlements on the borders of Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Taxila, children wake up not to go to school but to work. They gather recyclable materials such as plastic, glass and metal from waste sites to sell to local recyclers. They sell snacks and flowers on the roadside corner. Some of them beg, and some take care of their siblings while their parents are at work. For these children, education is a privilege rather than a right.

The Borgen Project spoke with Anoosha Malik, a social activist who works with these communities, about the barriers and challenges to education in the urban slums of Pakistan. Malik frequently visits these communities to teach the children and shared deep insights.

A Crisis by the Numbers

Pakistan is ranked second-highest in the number of out-of-school children in the world. Approximately 25.1 million children, ages 5 to 16, are out of school. In 2023, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics census revealed the figure of 25.37 million. Among these out-of-school children, 53% are girls. Seventy-nine percent of these children never enroll in any educational institution or school.

Mostly, children do not attend school due to poverty. Pakistan’s urban slums, also known as Katchi Abadis, are considered among the poorest communities. In the urban slums of Pakistan, this problem is more concentrated. The Ministry of Human Rights report highlighted that 70% of slum children in Islamabad are out of school, totaling 2,174.

The View from the Ground

Malik, as a social activist who regularly visits the slums of Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Taxila to teach the students, witnesses the human reality behind the data. Families in these Katchi Abadis are caught in a loop; parents who never attended school find it challenging to navigate the enrollment process for their children. Many do not have birth certificates for their kids, which public schools demand at the time of admissions.

Malik said that most households in the Katchi Abadis live in chronic poverty. Families are forced to choose between food and education. The problem is not only poverty. These settlements lack trust in the government and other institutions; they have a rigid mindset that accepts they will never be included in society. Some parents even said that their children will never get a job, even if they learn. However, the consistent efforts of grassroots non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are working to change this picture.

The Citizens Foundation

The Citizens Foundation (TCF) was established in 1995. Its founders identified a lack of education as a cause of poverty. TCF started by establishing five schools in Karachi’s slums. Currently, TCF runs 2,261 school units nationwide, serving 320,000 students.

TCF has a unique faculty model, staffed entirely by women. Some 16,500 female teachers and principals make up TCF’s workforce, and TCF is one of the largest employers of women in Pakistan in this sector. This was an innovative approach and a strategic response to particular cultural barriers.

In the conservative communities of Pakistan, the concept of purdah prevails, which forbids women from associating or interacting with men to whom they are not related. Families often refuse to send their daughters to schools staffed by male teachers. TCF’s all-female faculty eliminates this objection. According to Malik, community members show trust in TCF schools because of the female-only staff.

The results of using these models show success, as TCF maintains around 50% female enrollment (p. 4). In Pakistan, only 60% of students pass the secondary threshold, compared with 96% of TCF students (p. 6). Around 70% of TCF graduates continue on to college studies (p. 6).

TCF charges a $1 fee for primary school and $1.25 for secondary school, and some students receive a fully funded scholarship. It also provides books and school uniforms. TCF students have outperformed peers in several provincial-level assessments and competitions, reflecting a structure built specifically to address the barriers to education in Pakistan’s urban slums.

Pehli Kiran Schools

Pehli Kiran Schools is dedicated to providing quality education to out-of-school children across Pakistan. It was founded in 1995 on a very small scale, with one teacher and 10 students. Development professional Sabira Qureshi started the initiative by teaching young snack sellers in the slums of Islamabad. The name of the organization, which means “the first ray of light,” reflects its aim and vision.

Pehli Kiran Schools are not conventional schools. They can move along with the residents of the slums they serve. Most Pehli Kiran Schools use mobile infrastructure that can be easily disassembled, transported and reassembled at a new site. As the organization puts it, “if children cannot come to school, the school must go to them.”

The academic model is also flexible, using a Montessori-based approach, since many of the children have never attended school before. For children who are far behind grade level, accelerated learning programs bring students to a grade 5 level within 24 months. Evening and morning shifts are both available to accommodate more children.

Currently, the organization serves roughly 3,000 students and operates eight schools. Fees range from $1 to $1.75 per month, with waivers provided to families who cannot afford them. Pehli Kiran Schools are yielding results by helping overcome barriers to education in Pakistan’s urban slums.

Looking Ahead

TCF and Pehli Kiran are effective in overcoming the challenges to education in the urban slums of Pakistan. Both organizations are innovative and address distinct dimensions of the same crisis. TCF, with its all-female teaching faculty, addresses the cultural and social barriers that prevent girls from accessing education. Its fee structure is also designed to encourage marginalized communities living in the slums to send their children to school.

Pehli Kiran Schools serve communities that are unreachable through permanent institutions. Its mobile infrastructure ensures that a child’s education continues even if the community moves. Its Montessori-based syllabus and accelerated learning programs make it more effective.

Both organizations work at different scales but share the same commitment. As Malik highlighted, grassroots NGOs treat these communities as potential partners, while other institutions treat them as problem zones. Local NGOs are successfully combating challenges to education in the urban slums of Pakistan.

– Noor Ul Ain Ameer

Noor is based in Islamabad, Pakistan and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Cuerpxs En Resistencia: Reducing Poverty in Colombia

Cuerpxs En Resistencia: Community Meals in ColombiaCuerpxs En Resistencia helps provide warm and dignified community meals in Colombia’s poorest and most dangerous neighborhoods to those in precarious and exploitative positions. Colombia’s first left-wing president, Gustavo Petro, has lifted almost 4 million people out of poverty since his inauguration in 2022. However, with criticisms of an unequal urban-rural welfare distribution and an upcoming election in May, poverty in Colombia is in the spotlight. The Borgen Project spoke with a previous volunteer of Cuerpxs En Resistencia, who helps explain the necessity of social enterprises to provide both physical resources and a sense of community and dignity in an attempt to tackle poverty in Colombia.

Poverty in Colombia

Much of the current poor economic situation in Colombia can be traced back to the U.S.-led war on drugs, where policies led to increased militarization of several key areas and increased rates of criminalization and incarceration. The consequences of these policies led to land dispossession, a decrease in rural autonomy and food sovereignty and an increase in violence and precarious employment.

Although numbers are still relatively high, since the COVID-19 pandemic and President Petro took office, poverty rates in Colombia have been on a steady decline. The most recent statistics from 2024 indicate that 31.8% of the population is below the national poverty line, while 4.5 million people (8.5%) are below the international poverty rate, calculated at living on less than $3.00 a day. Compared to figures in 2020 and 2021, at the height of the pandemic, where 39.7% of the population lived below the poverty line and 15.76% (almost 8 million people) lived on less than $3.00 a day, these figures suggest major improvements to the welfare state in Colombia under President Petro.

Rural Poverty

There does, however, remain an uneven distribution of this poverty. Around 61.5% of people living in rural Colombia are identified as poor, likely as a result of the historically disproportionate delivery of quality public services across departments and municipalities. Poverty and inequality are a particular concern in certain Colombian departments such as Nariño and La Guajira, where vulnerable groups such as Indigenous peoples are disproportionately affected.

An absence of money is not the only aspect of poverty. Multidimensional poverty takes into consideration other factors of deprivation that individuals experience. In Colombia, multidimensional poverty is assessed across five dimensions:

  • Employment
  • Housing conditions
  • Health
  • Household education
  • Children’s or youth’s conditions

The National Administrative Department of Statistics published the most recent report on multidimensional poverty in Colombia in 2024 and found that in 2023, around 12% of the population was identified as multidimensionally poor. This means that in addition to receiving less than $3.00 a day, they and their households have little to no basic education and poor access to safe drinking water, sanitation facilities and electricity. The World Bank reported that by 2024, this percentage had reduced to 8.76%.

Cuerpxs En Resistencia: Bodies in Resistance

The Borgen Project spoke with Sofia, who has previously volunteered with Cuerpxs En Resistencia, a social enterprise helping to fight poverty in Colombia. Cuerpxs En Resistencia translates to “Bodies in Resistance,” with the “x” in “cuerpxs” indicating inclusivity to all types of bodies. The organization describes itself as a grassroots nonprofit social, community, political, artistic and academic organization that fights for sexual and bodily emancipation. It focuses on the intersections of class, gender and disability to advocate for the ways in which oppressive systems and policy changes do not affect everyone equally. Its work ranges from raising awareness about the lived experience of intersecting forms of oppression to community projects such as providing safe spaces and community meals in Colombia.

Sofia volunteered with Cuerpxs En Resistencia in one of the particularly poor neighborhoods of Colombia’s capital city, Bogota, called Santa Fe. She emphasizes how poverty in Colombia is not simply the lack of money but also leads to an increased sense of dehumanization due to limited access to other human rights, such as access to water and a lack of resources and organizations to turn to in times of need. She also recalls how common gun violence and the use of serious drugs were in Santa Fe as a result of decades of conflict.

Due to these local conditions, many individuals in Santa Fe are forced into exploitative and precarious job situations. Recognizing the need for help, Cuerpxs En Resistencia helped create a community-funded project to form a safe and welcoming community, providing the people of Santa Fe a safe space to receive a free, warm community meal, as well as entertainment, with the goal of improving the lives, health and dignity of those facing multidimensional poverty in Colombia. A diverse group of people attended these community meals — from young children to people in their 70s facing homelessness.

Looking Ahead

Sofia stressed that President Petro has given her and many people in Colombia hope for reducing poverty across the country. Petro has focused on the concept of dignity alongside tangible measures to help those facing poverty. While the work of grassroots projects such as the community meals provided by Cuerpxs En Resistencia is an important lifeline, systemic changes such as those implemented by President Petro are also necessary to drive broader change.

– Stephanie Gable

Stephanie is based in Wales, UK and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pexels

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Indian Cricketers’ Charity: From Slums to Solutions

Indian Cricketers' CharitySachin Tendulkar grew up in a two-room flat in Bandra East, Mumbai. His father was a professor who barely had enough money to help a neighborhood newspaper boy pay for college but did it anyway. That detail has stayed with Tendulkar. Since 2009, through the Mumbai-based nonprofit Apnalaya, his foundation has quietly sponsored the education of more than 200 underprivileged children every year — not as a PR exercise, but as a debt repaid.

Cricket, Poverty and a Billion Watching

India’s poverty rate stands at 21.9%, with nearly 195 million people still undernourished — the largest such population in the world. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Cricket is the country’s most consumed cultural product, its players the most recognized faces on the planet. That collision — extraordinary influence meeting extraordinary need — is creating something unexpected: a generation of sporting icons using fame as a development tool.

Research consistently shows that each additional year of schooling can increase an individual’s earnings by up to 10%. These Indian cricketers’ charity seem to understand that better than most policy documents do.

5 Players 5 Different Bets on the Future

Virat Kohli’s foundation, established in 2013, partnered with the Raah Foundation on Project Nutrition for Transformation — a year-long nutritional food supply to 5,000 malnourished tribal children across 103 health centers in Maharashtra. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) estimates 4.7 million tribal children in India suffer from chronic nutrition deprivation, with 80% concentrated in just eight states. UNICEF Kohli’s project targeted the most deprived group within that already-deprived population.

Gautam Gambhir took a different approach. In Delhi’s West Patel Nagar, he launched Community Kitchen No. 1 under his foundation with a single declared mission: no one should sleep hungry. The kitchen grew into four Jan Rasoi canteens serving approximately 4,000 meals a day at Re 1 per plate — a token amount charged, Gambhir said, so people could eat with dignity rather than charity.

Suresh Raina and his wife Priyanka launched the Gracia Raina Foundation to address a quieter crisis — the reproductive and mental health of underprivileged women and girls. The foundation runs adolescent health workshops in government schools and a RightAGE program targeting girls in underserved communities, tackling the generational poverty cycle at a point most interventions miss entirely.

Then there is Yuvraj Singh — perhaps the most personal story of all. After surviving a rare form of cancer following the 2011 World Cup, Yuvraj launched the YouWeCan Foundation. To date it has screened more than 140,000 people in early detection camps, counseled 24,000 men on tobacco cessation and sponsored the complete school education of 150 cancer survivor children from below-poverty-line families. At a London fundraiser in July 2025 — attended by Tendulkar, Kohli, Brian Lara and the entire Indian national squad — Yuvraj put it plainly: “I know what it feels like to wake up unsure of your tomorrow.”

Personal Generosity vs. Structural Change

Indian cricketers’ charity is not a one-off charity event. They are sustained, targeted investments in specific communities — nutrition, education, health care, dignity — by people who grew up understanding what their absence means. Furthermore, they are making poverty visible to a billion-person audience that idolizes them. They are modeling a version of success that includes obligation. And in communities where government services have consistently failed to arrive, they are arriving instead.

– Parthivee Mukherji

Parthivee is based in Edinburgh, UK and focuses on Celebs for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Sprinting Legends Are Helping to Alleviate Poverty in Jamaica

Poverty in JamaicaJamaica is widely celebrated as the sprinting capital of the world and for good reason. The nation has seen historic track dominance from icons like Veronica Campbell-Brown, Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Yohan Blake, who collectively hold 28 Olympic medals. For these athletes, sport was a powerful gateway out of generational poverty. Through commercial endorsements and prize winnings, they translated their raw talent into bright economic futures. Their global success has also acted as a major economic mechanism for Jamaica, boosting its vital tourism industry that now contributes $4.5 billion to the Jamaican economy.

However, strict reliance on industries like tourism and agriculture, accounting for more than one-third of all Jamaican jobs according to the World Bank, leaves the economy vulnerable to unpredictable weather patterns. This became evident in 2025, when Hurricane Melissa left a lasting impression on the economy, disrupting agriculture and challenging poverty reduction efforts in Jamaica. Reports from the UNDP noted damages amounting to 30% of Jamaica’s GDP, resulting in many vulnerable populations being forced to once again walk the poverty line.

With these economic challenges in mind, Jamaica’s track legends are stepping up to build stronger socioeconomic foundations for their homeland. Beyond boosting national tourism, the grassroots foundations founded by these sprinters are actively investing in the long-term economic resilience of the nation’s most vulnerable communities.

Usain Bolt Foundation

Established by world-record holder Bolt in 2009, this foundation aims to create sustainable opportunities for Jamaican youth through education and cultural development. The organization focuses heavily on enhancing early childhood and primary education by equipping underfunded schools with essential digital technology. Through targeted financial injections, the foundation regularly funds rural schools to sponsor athletic programs and supply critical sporting equipment. Most notably, in 2025, a donation totaling J$6.1 million (about $10,100) was divided among six rural high schools to support the ISSA Boys and Girls Athletics Championships.

The foundation’s proactive approach became vital following the devastation of Hurricane Melissa. Partnering with global organizations such as Puma and World Vision, the Usain Bolt Foundation quickly mobilized to distribute food kits, school bags and hygiene supplies to families in the hardest-hit rural communities. Furthermore, the foundation provided direct rehabilitation grants to damaged schools, accelerating the return to normal classroom learning. By securing access to quality education and physical recreation, Bolt’s foundation helps generations of young Jamaicans overcome economic hardships. In the long term, higher levels of education foster a highly skilled, diverse workforce, reducing poverty and ultimately equipping the economy in Jamaica to better withstand future natural disasters.

The Pocket Rocket Foundation

Founded by Olympic icon Fraser-Pryce in 2013, the Pocket Rocket Foundation focuses its investments on secondary education and financial support for promising young athletes. Established with the belief that financial barriers should never compromise a child’s future, the foundation provides full academic scholarships so talented student-athletes do not have to choose between their education, their sport and basic survival. By securing these vital athletic and academic pathways, the organization empowers young people to become the next generation of Jamaican sports leaders. This structural support opens up crucial opportunities for international university scholarships and commercial sponsorships, paving a sustainable way out of generational poverty in Jamaica.

YB Afraid Foundation

Blake’s YB Afraid Foundation, established in 2011, provides targeted support to children’s homes, directly addressing the needs of some of the most vulnerable individuals in Jamaica. The foundation aims to uplift children who have suffered from abuse and homelessness, funding facilities that provide safety as well as a place for children to learn and play. To date, the foundation has completely adopted three children’s homes in Jamaica: the Mount Olivet Boys’ Home (Manchester), the Pringle Home (St. Mary) and the Jamaica Baptist Union Garland Hall Memorial Children’s Home (Anchovy). This active initiative directly provides comprehensive care, clothing and educational tool funding for more than 50 children. With strategic plans already underway to expand this protective umbrella to seven homes nationwide, the foundation offers a much brighter, secure future to vulnerable children who might otherwise face severe socioeconomic hardships.

The VCB Foundation

The Campbell-Brown Foundation, founded in 2011, uses a multi-tiered approach focusing on educational empowerment, structured life-coaching and community health. Through its signature Educational Empowerment Scholarship program, the foundation fully funds underrepresented young women from their entry into high school through to graduation. Additionally, the foundation partners directly with the Jamaica Ministry of Health and Wellness to host an Annual Back to School Health and Wellness Fair. This recurring initiative provides hundreds of families in deeply underserved communities with free medical screenings, essential health education and vital wellness packages, ensuring a healthy foundation for academic success.

By mobilizing their global athletic success, these four track legends are creating a blueprint for overcoming the structural barriers to poverty in Jamaica. Through targeted education, community empowerment and youth support in sport, their respective foundations are helping to build a more economically stable and secure society. Ultimately, the true greatness of the nation is not just measured by how fast its people can run, but by how many individuals they carry across the finish line with them.

– Jessica Daly

Jessica is based in Tunbridge Wells, UK and focuses on Celebs for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Supporting Poor Families in Brazil: The Criança Feliz Program

Children in festive attire celebrate at a community event in Brazil. Criança Feliz.Low-income families in Brazil face challenges that can affect children long before they enter school. Brazil had an estimated population of 213.4 million people in 2025, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). Although Brazil has reduced poverty in recent years, millions of families still live with limited access to food, education, housing, sanitation and other basic needs.

UNICEF reports that about 32 million children are in vulnerable situations. These include lack of education, child labor, living in poor conditions or lack of water and food. IBGE also reported that Brazil’s poverty rate fell to 23.1% in 2024, while extreme poverty fell to 3.5%. These improvements show progress, but the number of people still affected by poverty remains high.

The Criança Feliz Program

The Criança Feliz Program, also known as Primeira Infância no SUAS/Criança Feliz, is one response to early childhood poverty in Brazil. The program uses home visits to support families registered in Cadastro Único, Brazil’s registry for low-income families. During these visits, trained workers guide families on child development, family care and access to public services. The program focuses on pregnant women, young children and children with disabilities in vulnerable families. Its goal is not only to provide information, but also to strengthen family and community bonds. By working directly inside the home, Criança Feliz helps caregivers understand how everyday actions, such as talking, playing, reading and responsive care, can support a child’s development.

Connecting Families to Services

Criança Feliz connects families to Brazil’s broader social protection system. Instead of treating childhood poverty as a single problem, the program links families to services related to social assistance, health care, education, culture, human rights and child protection. This is significant because poor families in Brazil often face multiple challenges simultaneously.

In 2025, Brazil’s Ministry of Development and Social Assistance announced that Criança Feliz would be part of the country’s social protection network through the Social Assistance Reference Centers (CRAS) and the Family Protection and Comprehensive Care Service (PAIF). CRAS centers serve as local entry points to programs and social assistance, while PAIF works directly with families to prevent and respond to vulnerable situations. This change makes the program more accessible for public services.

Impact of the Program

Criança Feliz has reached families on a large scale. According to Brazil’s Ministry of Development and Social Assistance, the program surpassed 57 million home visits in 2021 and brought child care information to families in more than 3,028 municipalities. Another government update reported that the program had accompanied 1.5 million families, including 1.4 million children and 374,000 pregnant women.

The program’s impact should be explained carefully. A randomized study of Criança Feliz in 30 Brazilian municipalities did not find clear improvements in child development outcomes under routine conditions. However, researchers also found implementation problems, including low coverage, management challenges and differences in visit quality. This means the program’s reach is large, but its long-term success depends on stronger implementation and consistent visit quality.

Organizations and Partners Supporting the Program

Although Criança Feliz is a federal program, several organizations and partners have helped strengthen its model. The Bernard van Leer Foundation reported that the program’s home visitors use technical material based on the Care for Child Development method developed by UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). These materials help guide visits around child development and family care.

The program has also involved support from groups such as UNICEF, UNESCO, UNDP, PAHO, WHO and the Bernard van Leer Foundation. These partners have supported technical material, training methods, monitoring and evaluation. Their role shows how partnerships can help public programs improve services for poor families in Brazil.

Why Support in Early Childhood Makes a Difference

Early childhood support matters because poverty can affect children’s development before they enter school. The World Bank states that millions of young children do not reach their full potential because of poor nutrition, limited early stimulation and learning and exposure to poverty and stress. These early disadvantages can affect health, education and future income. For that reason, programs like Criança Feliz focus on the first years of life. Home visits can help caregivers support children’s growth while also connecting families to services they may not know how to access. When early childhood programs work well, they can help reduce the long-term effects of poverty by supporting children before disadvantages become harder to reverse.

Conclusion

Criança Feliz shows how Brazil is trying to support children by supporting families first. The program does not solve poverty alone and research shows that implementation quality still matters. However, its large reach, home-visiting model and connection to Brazil’s social protection system make it an important effort for helping poor families in Brazil. By focusing on early childhood, family support and access to services, Criança Feliz offers a practical way to address poverty before it shapes a child’s future.

– Mateo Alcocer

Mateo is based in West Hills, CA, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons