Magic Bus

London / UK

A key area of expansion for Magic Bus is the state of Karnataka, in South West India. Karnataka is one of the fastest growing states in India with a population equal to that of the UK and yet 24% of the population live below the poverty line. With support from ICAP, Magic Bus will deliver a one year programme to 10,000 children from deprived communities in Bangalore and Mysore. Four hundred Community Youth Leaders will help to deliver a weekly curriculum of sporting activities so that children will be empowered to attend school regularly, stay healthy and be made aware of gender equality and the right to play.

Charity Overview

Over the next decade India is set to surpass the 1.4 billion population mark, with over half the population aged under 40. There is a tidal wave of young people in poverty in India, growing up and demanding social and economic entitlement on an unprecedented scale.

Every week Magic Bus works with 250,000 children in 15 states in India and 6,500 community youth mentors to take them on a journey from childhood to livelihood, empowering them in the areas of education, gender and health through a sports based mentoring programme.

Magic Bus believes change has to come from within the community, all its programmes create and engage local volunteers to take ownership of, and drive change for their own communities, ensuring that the long term benefits are sustained.