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A Visit from Felsted School

A Visit from Felsted School

Thank you Felsted School for visiting Magic Bus India Foundation –
Creating confident leaders, brighter futures and inspiring a new generation of change-makers.

Magic Bus UK were honoured to host Felsted School at the Magic Bus communities and we extend our heartfelt thanks for your incredible support, compassion, and enthusiasm throughout the visit.

This truly immersive experience took the Felsted team from exploring Mumbai’s vibrant culture to engaging with our communities, learning the traditional art of Warli painting, joining in local games, and even participating in rice farming.

Each moment reflected genuine curiosity, empathy, and a shared belief in the power of connection and learning. The community visit offered a first-hand look at how sports, life skills, and mentorship come together to empower young people from underserved communities, helping them move confidently from childhood to livelihood.

We are deeply grateful for Felsted School’s ongoing support and fundraising efforts, which continue to fuel our mission of breaking the cycle of poverty through life skills education and opportunity.

If your school or university would like to be part of this incredible journey, we invite you to learn more about our Global Youth Leadership Programme: a transformative cross-cultural experience designed to connect young minds and create global impact.

Contact us at [email protected] for more details.

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By magicbusuk

Anjali’s Story

Anjali's Story - Finding Her Voice

Like many young people from marginalised communities across India, Anjali faced significant challenges escaping the trap of youth unemployment. Growing up in a semi-urban family of four, Anjali’s father was the sole earner, bringing home ₨10,000 a month (around £90) working as a security guard, just enough to scrape by. Her mother was a homeworker, and her older siblings were still in school. As the youngest in the family, Anjali was deeply affected by her family’s financial struggles and was determined to help. However, with no knowledge about the job market or job-hunting process, Anjali struggled to know where to start.

Anjali’s situation became increasingly difficult as she faced a growing number of rejections and even unethical demands from employers in her job search. Her parents, understandably worried for her, were hesitant to let her accept any job offers, fearing fraud and exploitation. Without help, Anjali faced becoming one of the tens of thousands of young people trapped in unemployment, but Magic Bus was there to offer a way forward.

Introduced to the Magic Bus Livelihood Programme through a door-to-door enrolment campaign, Anjali was excited about the opportunity, though she doubted the programme’s job placement support was as good as advertised. To ease her concerns, the Magic Bus team invited her to meet with graduates from the programme who had successfully secured employment. Hearing these success stories first hand proved reassuring, and Anjali enrolled in the Livelihood Programme, hoping it would finally be the chance she needed.

Initially, Anjali struggled with communication and was lacking in confidence. She was reserved, struggled with her nerves, and was burdened by self-doubt. But with the support and guidance of the Magic Bus team, Anjali persevered, gradually opening up and making small but meaningful strides in her personal growth. Her commitment to creatively completing assignments and encouraging her peers was proof of her determination to succeed. Over time, Anjali found her voice, gained confidence, and became an active contributor during the sessions. Anjali also learned a variety of practical skills including CV writing, interview technique, computing skills and spoken English skills.

Upon graduating from the programme, Anjali quickly secured a position as an Assistant Coordinator with the global financial services company Allianz. Such a tremendous accomplishment, having overcome so many obstacles on the way was a dream come true. Anjali soon returned to the Magic Bus Livelihood Centre to express her gratitude and to share her experiences with the latest group of participants.

Today, Anjali is proud to make a significant contribution to her family’s wellbeing, her salary ensuring that they have a sustainable income for the first time. Her family is overjoyed at her progress, and Anjali credits Magic Bus for transforming her life and career:

“The first step is the hardest to take, but once you do, everything becomes easier. I took that first step by joining the Magic Bus Livelihood Programme, and now I’m able to support not only myself, but my family as well.”

Anjali’s story has inspired many more young people in her community, demonstrating that with dedication and the right support, no challenge is too big to overcome and success is always in reach.

To help more young women like Anjali find their voice and leave poverty behind, donate to Magic Bus UK today.

Donate Today
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By magicbusuk

An Expedition to the Himalayas in Support of Magic Bus

An Expedition to the Himalayas

We’re thrilled to share that Sanjiv Padmanabhan , Magic Bus UK’s new board member, is embarking on an incredible journey to Everest Base Camp and Kalapathar (5,550 meters above sea level) from 23rd Feb to 8th March – to raise funds for Magic Bus UK!

Sanjiv’s passion for creating opportunities for children, regardless of their background, aligns deeply with Magic Bus India Foundation’s mission to break the cycle of poverty and empower young lives. This inspiring expedition is not just a physical challenge but a commitment to helping children achieve their dreams.

Let’s cheer him on and support his fundraiser on JustGiving, today!

Support sanjiv, today

Thank you, Sanjiv!

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By magicbusuk

From Aspiration to Action

The Government of India has set itself the ambitious goal of significantly increasing its GDP by the year 2047, the centenary anniversary of India’s independence. To achieve this bold task, India will need to harness it’s female workforce by more than doubling the percentage of women in work, from 145 million today to 400 million over the next 23 years.

This enormous leap forward will be a tremendous challenge, which is why Magic Bus has partnered with one of the world’s leading management consultants, Bain & Company, to produce a report that identifies the barriers that women face, both rural and urban, to finding employment, and how they can be overcome.

Increasing the rate of female participation in the workforce in India will bring about a massive shift in the country’s attitudes to gender.

Click Here to Download the Full Report

Over the coming months, we’re going to be sharing more updates about the report, including a major launch-event in London to celebrate its release. 

To stay up-to-date with news about how we’re working to increase female participation in India’s workforce, how you can attend next year’s launch event, and to stay engaged with Magic Bus UK’s work in general to help children and young people leave poverty behind, please fill out the marketing sign-up form below.

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By magicbusuk

Declaration of Team India Cobras @ The Street Child Cricket World Cup 2023

Declaration of Team India Cobras

@ The Street Child Cricket World Cup

Chennai, India, 2023

Street Child & MB Logos

We demand safety, education, equality and a voice for all!

We are Team India Cobras, young citizens of Mumbai. We represent other young people in our community and want to share our stories. In our experience, we do not enjoy all of our rights we are entitled to due to the following issues:

Give us access to healthcare!
We only have small clinics which do not have enough doctors, and for emergencies the closest hospital is 5km away. There is only one ambulance available 24/7.
The government should open up hospitals which are more accessible.

Let us learn!
The closest school is 4km away. To access our education and get to
school, there are two options: a dangerous walk or unreliable bus.
We want a Government school to be opened in our area.

Give us opportunities!
15% of children stay at home as they have no job. If you go to university you still do not get equal access to private jobs.
There should be no locality discrimination in hiring processes and open more local companies.

Give us equal respect!
Girls are not given equal respect compared to boys. Marriage for girls happens as early as 15 years old and there is an expectation that they then become home makers. What’s more, boys and girls are not allowed to talk freely with each other without judgment from the community.
We need more agents of change in the community who will develop a more open minded culture.

Keep us safe on the streets and roads!
Lots of accidents occur due to encroachment on the roads by street hawkers and garbage cans.
We want the roads to be widened, the number of street lights and footpaths increased, and better policing.

Healthcare is World Care, Boys Care is Girls Care.
We Care, Please All Care!

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By magicbusuk

The International Children’s Peace Prize

Magic Bus was thrilled this year to have two of our participants nominated for the prestigious 2019 International Children’s Peace Prize. The prize, formally won by such notable young campaigners as Malala Yousafzai and March for Our Lives, is awarded by the KidsRights Foundation to the child (or group of children) that has made a significant contribution by advocating for children’s rights and improving the lives of vulnerable children. Magic Bus’ two nominees are Rakiba and Ramya, both of whom are working tirelessly to bring an end to child marriage within their communities.

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By magicbusuk

Magic Bus @ The Rugby World Cup

To celebrate the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, Magic Bus and Société Générale partnered up to send seven kids from our programme to Japan to take part in the Société Générale Rugby Spirit Festival. They gathered in Yokohama with kids from 11 other Société Générale charity partners from around Asia and the Pacific for educational workshops and activities focussing on diversity and integration.

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By magicbusuk

Team South India: Champions!

They did it! Team South India are the 2019 Street Child Cricket World Cup Champions! The first team to win this special competition, Shama, Bhavani, Irfan, Mani and their teammates from Chennai, will be written into the history books for their amazing achievement.

Read on for the full write up of Team South India’s visit to the UK, provided by Magic Bus India’s own Parvati Pujari, and Magic Bus UK supporter Anne Makepeace.

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