Across India, 53 million girls between ages 12 and 18 stand at a crossroads. Many are first-generation learners from low socioeconomic backgrounds, rural areas, and tribal communities. The statistics paint a troubling picture: rising dropout rates and over 13 million girls pushed into child marriages by 2015. SwaTaleem Foundation exists to rewrite these stories. Founded as an India and US registered civil society organisation, SwaTaleem works towards creating a gender-equal world through education in partnership with government systems. Their focus centres on enhancing long-term educational and life outcomes for girls through community-centric approaches backed by evidence-based pedagogy.
The organisation operates within the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya framework—residential schools established by the Indian Government in 2004 to provide quality education to girls from underprivileged communities. These schools offer more than academics; they provide food, clothing, and supplies, amplifying literacy with dignity.
SwaTaleem's innovation lies in its hybrid model. Rather than working in isolation, they build capacities of KGBV teachers and women from local communities, creating sustainable school clusters. This approach ensures interventions continue long after direct support ends. Their emphasis on life skills and English language training equips girls with tools beyond traditional curriculum. Technology plays a crucial role, but not in ways one might expect. SwaTaleem employs low-tech IVRS technology to engage girls and parents through participatory processes with teachers. This co-creation approach ensures content remains relevant and accessible, even in areas with limited digital infrastructure.
The organisation's reach extends across multiple stakeholders. They engage directly with girls while simultaneously working with teachers, schools, government officials, and parents. This comprehensive ecosystem approach addresses barriers at every level—from individual confidence building to systemic policy advocacy.
Meet the team
SwaTaleem, on LinkedIn
Vaibhav Kumar, CEO, Co-founder, Co-anchor
Ananya Tiwari, Co-founder
Nidhi Gupta, Senior Director of Philanthropy
SwaTaleem's community-centric methodology recognises that sustainable change requires local ownership. By empowering teachers and community women as change agents, they create multiplier effects. Each trained teacher can impact dozens of students; each engaged parent becomes an advocate for girls' education in their community. The foundation's work resonates beyond immediate beneficiaries. In regions where girls traditionally face limited opportunities, SwaTaleem helps families envision different futures. They transform schools from mere academic institutions into spaces where hopes crystallise into achievable dreams.
Through evidence-based pedagogy and strategic partnerships with government systems, SwaTaleem continues scaling impact. Their quarterly newsletter keeps supporters connected to ongoing work, building a movement that extends far beyond any single intervention or location.
