Milaan Foundation

Started in 2015, Milaan Foundation aims to empower adolescent girls in India from disadvantaged and vulnerable communities and create an inclusive and equal world where every girl has the knowledge, skills and social environment to pursue her dreams and explore her full potential.

IDS has committed to fund this project since 2019 providing $10,000 so far for the Girl Icon Fellowship program based in the low-income communities of Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh. The program aims to create radiating change by training adolescent girls aged 12-18 to be grassroots leaders in their villages. The two-year fellowship program will inspire, incubate and invest in girls as the amplified voices of change.

Girl Icon Program has educated and empowered 100 adolescent girls aged between 12-18  by organizing girls at grassroot level, delivering comprehensive life-skills education, and instigating collective action on issues that affect adolescent girls. Collectively these girls have reached out to 1000 family members, community stakeholders and health workers through social action projects that aim at community engagement. 

Their mission is by 2030, Milaan will empower 10 million girls across India and build a movement of Girl Leaders with a thriving ecosystem of change-makers and networks.