MAD Make a Difference

Sector

Education

Make A Difference (MAD) addresses inter-generational poverty by supporting India’s most vulnerable children, especially those in child care institutions, low-income schools, and underserved communities through care-based ecosystems that help them learn, grow, and transition into empowered adulthood.

The Challenge

About the Partner

Make A Difference (MAD) enables young local leaders and community organizers to deliver long-term academic, emotional, and transition support to vulnerable children. Since 2006, MAD has worked across 19 Indian cities and is now leading a bold shift from institutional care to prevention-focused, and community-based care. By combining trained mentorship, tech-enabled tools, and consistent life-stage-specific support, MAD builds environments where children can work towards escaping poverty and building a stable, meaningful life.

HBSF Engagement

The Harish and Bina Shah Foundation grant is enabling MAD to scale its community organizing model through community organizer recruitment, onboarding, and tech systems. It also supports a pilot in Delhi to prevent institutionalization by re-enrolling out-of-school children and achieving a 60% success rate in its first year through direct community engagement.