Make A Difference
Empowering vulnerable children in India with 18 years of holistic support to break the cycle of poverty in a single generation.
MAD delivers a 18-year-long intervention to Children in Need of Care & Protection (CNCP) in India that has the proven capability to enable them to break the cycle of poverty in a single generation. MAD has pioneered a community-powered social protection system that mobilises the community to provide high-touch and highly scalable, age-appropriate progression mentoring.
History: Started in 2006 in 1 city with 70 volunteers & 120 beneficiaries, today, Make A Difference (MAD) is a network of over 2,000 volunteers mentoring 3200 children & youth across 18 cities, annually.
Over the last 18 years, we’ve mobilised over 20,000 volunteers who have played their part in helping India’s most vulnerable children succeed academically, socially, and professionally.
Vision: Children born into intergenerational poverty are able to break the cycle in a single generation.
Mission: Empower communities to take radical responsibility for their most vulnerable children and ensure they get the care & support needed to break the cycle of poverty permanently in a single-generation
Goal:
Our goal is to eradicate poverty in our lifetime. We achieve this by building a nationwide network of empowered communities that act as safety nets and springboards for children in need of care and protection.
Through our proven Progression Mentoring Program, communities can provide step-by-step guidance, empowering children to cross the life-changing empowerment threshold of $360 (INR. 30,000) per month and leave poverty behind, permanently.
Activities:
Progression Mentoring is MAD’s award-winning 18-year-long high-touch intervention model for children born into intergenerational poverty. It is a community-powered, volunteer-driven program for age-appropriate growth & development that enables a group of young people in the community to self organise to provide the required care, skill building and resource to the most vulnerable children in the community.
One-on-one mentoring by young individuals, guiding children through critical life stages, has the highest success rate in healing from ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and bridging the gap left by struggling parents.
It’s also the fastest way for India’s vulnerable children to break free from poverty permanently. While it typically takes 7 generations for a family to escape poverty in India, with personalised mentoring, it can be achieved in just one generation.
Program Delivery:
MAD delivers Progression Mentoring through a Community Organising model, empowering young leaders to mobilize community members into active citizens. Community Organisers do this by forming chapters of 200 volunteers and children. Each chapter provides weekly mentoring to 200 vulnerable children from the age of 10 to 28 at no cost to the child.
Our service-based leadership development curriculum, led by Community Organisers (CO), guides chapter leaders in sourcing, recruiting, onboarding, managing, and retaining mentors.
Breaking the Cycle of Poverty at Scale
The Challenge
India has the world's highest number of children in extreme poverty
350,000 vulnerable children urgently need care and protection
Current systems reach less than 1% of those in need
Our Solution: Scaling for Nationwide Impact
- World-Class Community Organizer Incubator
MAD would be able to double the number of children we support every year if we can enable young people to set up and run healthy MAD chapters in their communities. MAD Incubator creates an enabling environment for this to happen.
- Revolutionary Tech Platform
MADapp is an Experiential leadership Development tool that enables a young person to pick up high value skills by setting up and running a MAD chapter.
Our Impact measured over the past 6 yrs
90% of children reach college (vs. 15% national average)
95% secure formal jobs within 6 months
Beneficiaries join top 10% income bracket by age 28
The Opportunity
Partner with us to scale our proven model nationwide. Together, we can end intergenerational poverty in our lifetime.
Fundraisers
Official fundraiser
Breaking the Cycle of Poverty, One Child at a Time.
Imagine a world where every child, no matter their background, has the opportunity to thrive. For over 18 years, Make A Difference (MAD) has been working toward this vision in India, where 234 million people still live below the poverty line—among them, countless children who need protection and care. These children face unimaginable challenges, from limited access to education and mentorship to the constant threat of being caught in a cycle of poverty that extends across generations. But there is hope. Through our work, we empower children to rise above these challenges and realize their potential. Our programs are designed to break the cycle of poverty within a single generation, equipping vulnerable youth with the skills and confidence they need to build a future free from poverty. This isn’t just a mission—it’s a movement . With a dedicated network of over 2,000 volunteers, MAD reaches more than 3,000 children across 18 cities every year. Through skill development workshops, long-term mentorship, and a sense of community, we provide the tools and support these young people need to excel academically, socially, and professionally. And with 90% of our graduates securing jobs within six months, these efforts are already making a tangible impact. But we can’t do it alone. As we expand our reach, we need your support to continue empowering these young lives. By partnering with us, you’re not just donating; you’re investing in a future where every child has a chance to succeed. Why Support Make A Difference? Immediate Impact : Your donation supports essential programs that equip children with academic and life skills, creating a foundation for lifelong success. Long-Term Change : By breaking the cycle of poverty, we’re creating lasting impact that reverberates through families and communities. Community-Powered Action : Together, we can transform lives and mobilize entire communities to bring sustainable change. Join Us Every dollar you contribute to MAD makes a profound difference. Help us continue this journey to empower vulnerable children in India and foster a ripple effect of positive change. With your support, we can break down barriers and create opportunities that last a lifetime. Be the catalyst for change. Donate now and help us create a world where every child can shine. Let’s make a difference—together.
- Raised
- $6,359
- Next milestone
- $7,500
49 supporters
DonateOfficial fundraiser
Creating a World of Equal Opportunities for Every Child
Imagine a world where every child, no matter their background, has the opportunity to thrive. For over 18 years, Make A Difference (MAD) has been working toward this vision in India, where 234 million people still live below the poverty line—among them, countless children who need protection and care. These children face unimaginable challenges, from limited access to education and mentorship to the constant threat of being caught in a cycle of poverty that extends across generations. But there is hope. Through our work, we empower children to rise above these challenges and realize their potential. Our programs are designed to break the cycle of poverty within a single generation, equipping vulnerable youth with the skills and confidence they need to build a future free from poverty. This isn’t just a mission—it’s a movement. With a dedicated network of over 2,000 volunteers, MAD reaches more than 3,000 children across 18 cities every year. Through skill development workshops, long-term mentorship, and a sense of community, we provide the tools and support these young people need to excel academically, socially, and professionally. And with 90% of our graduates securing jobs within six months, these efforts are already making a tangible impact. But we can’t do it alone. As we expand our reach, we need your support to continue empowering these young lives. By partnering with us, you’re not just donating; you’re investing in a future where every child has a chance to succeed. Why Support Make A Difference? Immediate Impact: Your donation supports essential programs that equip children with academic and life skills, creating a foundation for lifelong success. Long-Term Change: By breaking the cycle of poverty, we’re creating lasting impact that reverberates through families and communities. Community-Powered Action: Together, we can transform lives and mobilize entire communities to bring sustainable change. Join Us Every dollar you contribute to MAD makes a profound difference. Help us continue this journey to empower vulnerable children in India and foster a ripple effect of positive change. With your support, we can break down barriers and create opportunities that last a lifetime. Be the catalyst for change. Donate now and help us create a world where every child can shine. Let’s make a difference—together.
- Raised
- $0
- Next milestone
- $100
Donors
Raymond Finlayson 1Great work
kanimozhi Chan 1God bless you.
Alex groban 1OwO
