Abandoned in a Delhi Slum, He Now Helps Girls Escape Child Marriage & Continue School

Most children learn to walk at two years old. Devendra Kumar learned how to survive hunger, violence, and fear. This experience became the foundation for the Ladli Foundation, an organization built to help others avoid the hardships he faced. Today, it has helped 2.7 million people.

From Abandonment to Activism

In 1988, Devendra Kumar was abandoned in a Delhi slum with his three-day-old sister. Relatives, who also struggled to survive, raised him. By age eight, he was forced into child labor, selling balloons on the streets. He learned to navigate exploitation and violence.

Seeking safety, he started volunteering with local community policing. This gave him a sense of belonging and protection. Years later, his past experiences resurfaced when he saw girls around him facing child marriage, dowry pressure, and exploitation. He realized his own sister was at risk of the same fate. He intervened and stopped it, which became a turning point.

Building the Ladli Foundation

In 2010, Devendra founded the Ladli Foundation. Its goal is to protect and empower vulnerable girls and communities. The foundation focuses on areas often overlooked by larger systems, such as education, menstrual hygiene, and preventing child marriages.

One major initiative addresses the digital divide. Many government school children had never used a computer. The Ladli Foundation set up computer labs, bringing digital education to over 100,000 students.

Kamini, a former beneficiary, shared her story. She was at risk of dropping out of school and facing child marriage. "I don’t think I would have continued my education if Ladli had not come into my life," she said. Kamini is now a trustee of the organization.

Devendra's vision is simple yet powerful: a society where everyone shares responsibility. He believes that if every home takes responsibility for one marginalized girl, a revolution can happen.