Starting an NGO: What No One Tells You
Everyone loves the idea of starting a social enterprise. Few people are prepared for what it actually takes.
The First Year Is Thankless
When I launched Smile For All Society in 2019, we had zero credibility, zero funding, and zero infrastructure. I was essentially cold-calling schools and trusting strangers to enroll their children in a program that didn't yet have a track record.
We started with 12 children. Twelve. We celebrated that like we'd won an award.
The RTE Case That Changed Everything
One of our defining moments was winning the Right to Education case in Rajasthan — establishing that private schools must admit underprivileged children under the RTE Act. That victory gave SFA its mission clarity and legal legitimacy.
The Subscription Model
Our breakthrough was simple: instead of asking for large one-time donations, we asked donors for ₹500/month — the cost of a Netflix subscription. Anyone could participate. The result: a sustainable, predictable funding model that now supports children in 250+ cities.
Impact doesn't require heroism. It requires systems.