2020
Five children
A group of high school students, back from trips to rural India, start a fundraiser to cover school fees for five kids.
Founded 2020
It started with
five children
and a spreadsheet.
Global Youth Initiative was founded by high school students who saw, on family trips to rural India, how much of a child's future comes down to whether anyone can cover the school fees.
The first five students we sponsored are still in school today.
How we started
What began as a small fundraiser for five children has grown into an organisation supporting over 1,200 students across multiple countries.
Along the way we learned that money is only half the problem. Plenty of students finish school and still have no idea how to apply to university, what financial aid exists, or that they're eligible for it. So we built the second half of the work: free college counseling, and an open database of opportunities.
Every dollar donated goes directly to student support. Our operating costs are covered separately by board contributions — so the split is 100/0, not 85/15.
The road here
Six years, four turning points
2021–22
From fundraiser to organisation
Direct partnerships with schools replace one-off giving. Sponsors start receiving progress reports on the students they fund.
2023
Chapters and counseling
The first chapters open across the US and in Taiwan. Free college counseling workshops launch alongside the funding work.
2024–now
On the ground in India
The Mumbai chapter opens. The network reaches 9 chapters and 261 volunteers across 3 countries.
Our values
Six commitments we don't negotiate
Transparency
Every donation is tracked and reported. Donors see exactly where their contribution went.
Community
We work alongside local schools and families so support is sustainable and culturally grounded.
Impact
We measure success in lives changed, not funds raised. Every program is built to move that number.
Excellence
From curriculum to operations, we hold the same standard we'd want for our own education.
Empowerment
The goal is self-sufficiency — students and communities who no longer need us.
Inclusivity
Every child, every background, equal access. No exceptions and no conditions.