Smile Foundation

Smile Foundation is an NGO in India directly benefitting over 750,000 children and families through more than 350 welfare projects in education, health, livelihood and woman empowerment spread across over 1000 remote villages and slums in 25 states in India. Smile Foundation is to empower underprivileged children, youth and women through relevant education, innovative healthcare and market-focused livelihood programmes.

Smile Foundation is to deploy best possible methodology and technology for achieving ideal SROI (social return on investment), to practice and promote good governance. To link business competitiveness of the corporate with social development initiatives; also to sensitize privileged children, youth and citizens in general to promote Civic Driven Change.

Smile Foundation is an NGO in India directly benefitting over 15,00,000 children and their families every year, through more than 400 live welfare projects on education, healthcare, livelihood and women empowerment, in over 2000 remote villages and slums across 25 states of India.

We believe that unless members of the civil society are involved proactively in the process of development, sustainable change will not happen. Following this model of Civic Driven Change, Smile Foundation sensitizes and engages the civil society, making it an active partner in all its welfare initiatives.

Smile Foundation was initiated in 2002 when a group of friends came together with the intention of giving back to the society. They were inspired by the thought and philosophy of Peter Senge, the founder of the Society for Organizational Learning who has propagated that “sustainability, social equality and the environment are now business problems…” and corporate leaders can’t expect governments to solve them alone.

What triggered these thoughts was the liberalisation of the Indian economy in the 1990’s which brought with it immense opportunities. Business revived, and India became not just a market, but also an investment prospect for the developed world. Disposable incomes and early settlements became a living reality for the working middle-class. For the first time in India, professionals could think beyond making a living, and contribute towards the society.