We are a non-profit, social impact organisation working with and for adolescent girls and young women to impart girls the knowledge, skills, and the social environment needed to pursue their aspirations. We believe in the power of movement building, working closely with the community to challenge the social norms that reinforce gender inequality and to re-write the narratives that shape the day-to-day lives of women and girls, normalising social, economic, and political exclusion.

We are a non-profit, social impact organisation working with and for adolescent girls and young women to impart girls the knowledge, skills, and the social environment needed to pursue their aspirations. We believe in the power of movement building, working closely with the community to challenge the social norms that reinforce gender inequality and to re-write the narratives that shape the day-to-day lives of women and girls, normalising social, economic, and political exclusion.

Our Story

In the remote, rural village of Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh, the dream of four youths from the University of Delhi to make quality education a reality for children in underserved communities shaped the premise on which the edifice of Milaan Foundation stands now.

At Milaan, we believe in the power of collaboration to challenge intergenerational social norms and create alternative narratives. The name, ‘Milaan’, comes from the combination of two words: ‘Milan’, meaning coming together, and ‘Elaan’, meaning declaration, which collectively signifies the coming together of diverse mission-driven people for a movement demanding a more equal and just world.

We strive to nurture, invest in, and amplify the voices of adolescent girls from marginalised communities in India and are driven by the belief that adolescent girls exhibit immense potential and passion for change. Their stories of hope and aspiration have the power to challenge the regressive socio-cultural gender norms that prevail to restrict them from exploring their full potential.

Awards & Achievements
Our Journey
2022
  • Swaracha School delivers a 100% pass result for the 8th consecutive year.
  • Swarachna School bags the highest number of medals in the District Athletic Meet.
  • The organisation’s efforts to fight against COVID-19 help 2 lakh people receive the vaccine.
  • With 1,800 Girl Icons and 35,163 adolescent girls, Milaan begins implementation of phase 1 of the 3-year strategy of the Girl Icon Program.
2021
  • Milaan starts a free-of-cost hostel for 120 girls impacted by COVID-19.
  • The organisation partners with 17 community health centres in Sitapur and its women health workers to support the fight against COVID-19 in vulnerable and remote communities.
  • The Girl Icon Program scales 5x in three states of India - Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.
  • Milaan lays down a 3-year strategy for the Girl Icon Program to work with 100,000 adolescent girls by 2025
  • The organisation commissions primary and secondary research to address violence against women and girls in public spaces in rural Uttar Pradesh.
  • Milaan becomes a featured organisation by Girl Opportunity Alliance, Obama Foundation.
2020
  • Swarachna School expands by another acre.
  • Milaan is covered by Frankie, Australia's top magazine.
  • The organisation’s virtual reality film ‘Girl Icon’ receives recognition at the SXSW Film Festival 2020.
  • The organisation launches the COVID-19 relief and resilience building project, which supports 10,000 individuals.
  • UPCEG conducts a survey reaching 6000 adolescent girls and women on access to government schemes for state-level advocacy.
  • Milaan’s CEO and co-founder, Dhirendra Pratap Singh becomes a Gratitude Network Fellow.
  • Milaan receives recognition as a Global Giving vetted organisation - 2020
2019
  • Milaan collaborates with ‘AKDA’, an architecture and construction firm based in New Delhi, to re-envision Swarachna School.
  • In collaboration with Malala Fund and VR for Good, Milaan develops a virtual reality film, “Girl Icon'', which wins accolades in international film festivals such as the Tribeca Film Festival 2019.
2018
  • With 200 girl leaders and 4000 adolescent girls, Milaan launches the largest cohort of the Girl Icon Program in Uttar Pradesh.
  • Milaan partners with the faculty from the University of California Berkeley, USA, for an independent evaluation study of the Girl Icon Program that acknowledges that “participating in the program activates and strengthens girls’ self-positive behaviours and diversifies their personal social networks, and will subsequently expand girls’ access to resources, knowledge, and opportunities.
2017
  • The Girl Icon Program expands to Karnataka, and partners with Genpact and Armentum to build six sigma processes and to drive technology, respectively.
  • Milaan partners with Phicus social solutions to commission secondary research to understand models across the world working with adolescent girls.
  • Milaan becomes one of the 5 winners of the National Level Social Impact Pitch, Sandbox Samvidha.
2016
  • Swarachna School is awarded a lifetime affiliation by the Uttar Pradesh board till 12th grade.
  • The Girl Icon Program expands to the state of Madhya Pradesh.
2015
  • Milaan launches the Girl Icon Program - a leadership and life skills program for adolescent girls that engage the community to ensure girls are educated, healthy and safe. The applications for the first cohort launch in Uttar Pradesh to select girls between 12-18 years of age from low-income communities who exhibit the potential to be grassroots leaders and the zeal to create social change.
  • Swarachna School achieves minimum infrastructure requirements (approx 18,500 sq feet) by the government and files papers for school recognition till 12th grade under the Uttar Pradesh Board.
  • Students in 10th and 12th grade deliver a 100% pass result.
2014
  • Milaan commissions primary research on ‘Understanding the Landscape of Adolescent Girls in Rural Communities’.
  • Milaan launches ‘Bejhijhak Baatein’ to work with and make schools in Uttar Pradesh menstrual-friendly and break the silence around it.
2012
  • Swarachna School starts construction and launches a mid-day meal program to meet the infrastructure requirement under the RTE, 2010 mandate for non-governmental schools.
2011
  • The Right To Education, 2010 mandated non-government schools to meet the infrastructure requirements or close. With an initial donation of INR 3 lakhs from the community, Milaan starts the “One square foot of Happiness” campaign to raise INR 2 crores to meet the government guidelines and save this dream project.
2010
  • Milaan launches the ‘Swabhiman’ Program to identify and work with 400 girls who dropped out of school.
2009
  • The founding team runs a crowdfunding campaign, ‘Build a School, Brick by Brick’ and raises funds to build the first 2 rooms of the school.
2008
  • Witnessing the commitment of Milaan’s team and considering the need, the community leaders donate 1 acre of land to Milaan to build and run the first senior secondary school in the village known as ‘Swarachna’.
2007
  • Four Delhi University students come together to make a difference. Recognising education as the key to escaping poverty, they decide to establish a learning centre in Sidhauli, Uttar Pradesh, providing non-formal education to 48 children, where 84% of the population falls below the poverty line.
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Bela Grover (USA)

"I deeply believe in the power of education and community in challenging gender stereotypes and providing autonomy. Milaan's grassroots efforts to empower young women are inspiring and impactful. It is a privilege to be part of the team. "

Bela is a seasoned leader serving as the Chief Client Relationship Officer at Goodwin, a global law firm that advises the innovators and investors operating in some of the world’s most transformative areas. Prior to that, Prior to joining Goodwin, she spent 25 years at Deloitte working alongside diverse group of senior stakeholders to solve their most complex business challenges, including go-to-market transformations, operational excellence, as well as large-scale change. She also served as an advisor to Vidya Grants, a non-profit organization focused on education ecosystem in India.