Our Mission
We empower women and children through community programs to elevate health and livelihood in India & U.S.
Our Story
The Desai Foundation was born in 1997 as a family foundation started by Samir A. Desai and Nilima Desai. The Foundation had one simple goal: to serve the communities that had served them. Samir, a technology entrepreneur, focused the organization’s efforts in Metro-Boston, MA, Morningside Heights & Harlem, NY and south Gujarat, India. The support went to organizations focused on health, education and Indian culture.
After ten years of successful partnerships, the Desai Foundation found itself getting more and more involved in its partner organizations. It was helping to develop programs, expand regions, and launch successful pilot programs. In order to keep up with the pace of its growing organization, the Desai Foundation became a public foundation, and refocused its mission.
The Desai Foundation is now a robust public and programmatic organization working to empower women and children through health and livelihood in India and the U.S. The Foundation believes that empowering local community members to run projects leads to the best results. And that restoring dignity is at the center of helping people to dream beyond their circumstances.
Annual Reports
The comprehensive document lays out our work, impact, objectives, approach, and goals in 2019 & moving forward.
We hope you take a few moments to learn about our programs in India & the U.S.
Supporting the following
un sustainable development goals.
Supporting the following
Indian government social intiatives.
Our Focus
WOMENEmpowering women has the power to not only change the economic circumstances of individual families, but entire villages.
Educating and providing children with the building blocks to future advancement allows families to transcend their circumstances.
CHILDREN
HEALTHAlleviating health issues that prevent women from working and children from attending school enables the community to thrive and focus their attention elsewhere.
Providing vocational training and the ability to increase household income leads to immediate quality of life improvements.
LIVELIHOODOur Approach
Our work in both India and the U.S. stresses inclusivity, sustainability, and accountability. We work under a community-based approach to ensure a strong and positive impact.
STRONG FUNDAMENTALS
We work in communities we know well- and have been a presence there for a long time. We share their values & their optimism for change.
ROBUST INFRASTRUCTURE & COMMUNITY PARTICIPANTS
We identify the right local leaders to spearhead each project. This ensures community buy-in and a deep understanding of issues. It also promotes self-sustaining empowerment and trust amongst the whole community.
TRUSTED & QUALIFIED NONPROFIT PARTNERS
These organizations help push our work and our dollars donated even further. It also spreads credit for the work– which in turn builds morale in the community.
PROVEN PROGRAMS & MODELS
For every major initiative, a test program is set up to ensure its effectiveness and to understand its impact. We are confident in our program models and are eager to expand.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
We are looking to solve long-term problems, not simply create short-term solutions. Our goal is to truly inspire those we serve to dream bigger and lead healthier and more economically stable lives. We are in it for the long run.
Our Team
Our team in the U.S. and India contributes through their diverse backgrounds in a variety of fields, united by their desire to have a true impact on communities in each country. We are thrilled to witness continued growth in our relationship with our partners and the reach of our projects. In our third year as a public nonprofit, The Desai Foundation is ready and eager to take on the challenges of serving greater communities areas in the regions close to our heart. We have great faith in the future we will help others to build.
We're Hiring!
INDIA
INDIA
INDIA
INDIA
Our Board of Directors + Advisors
USA
India
USA
USA
India
India
