Mark McGoldrick Futures Fund

Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL) was founded in 1995 during the Taliban’s initial rule and helped educate children through a network of underground schools. Since then, AIL has reached nearly 15 million people across the country through its learning centers, medical clinics, and other programs. In recent times, in response to the collapse of the Afghan government and the return of Taliban rule, AIL has strived to continue to offer girls access to education through innovative means, including the Meraj Academy, a televised secondary-school curriculum.

Colectivo Vida Digna (Vida Digna) is a Mayan organization, with deep roots in the Mayan heritage and culture. The organization supports young people who have sought to migrate from Guatemala but have been detained and forced to return home, helping them reintegrate into society through education and training, and navigate emotional, logistical, and financial challenges. Vida Digna also works with Indigenous Mayan communities, especially those facing systemic discrimination, equipping them with entrepreneurial and life skills while helping preserve their culture and identity.

Foundation for Inclusive Community Help (FICH) operates with the vision of a generation of healthy, innovative, productive, and self-reliant youth, women, and families in the community. FICH responds to the needs of girls – including orphans, girls with special needs, and girls living with HIV – through mentorship programs, empowering them to build self-confidence, develop leadership skills, and plan for a future career.

Fundación Niñas de Luz (Funiluz) is dedicated to addressing the challenges that girls aged 5 to 17 face in their social, emotional, and academic development, providing them with tools that strengthen their capabilities and enable them to develop their life skills. Funiluz uses play-based education programs to engage the girls and support their learning and development, encouraging them to become future leaders.

Homies Unidos works to end violence and promote peace through gang prevention, promotion of human rights in immigrant communities, and youth empowerment.

Martynka positions itself as a “friend to every refugee”. Since it was founded in 2022 in response to Russia’s war on Ukraine, Martynka has established itself as a source of safety and care to girls and women displaced by the war, those experiencing sexual exploitation and gender-based violence, transgender people, and more. A youth-led organization, Martynka offers help through a simple yet effective model – a free helpline hosted on Telegram (a free messaging app). The Martynka team reply directly to girls and women reaching out for help on the app. They support them by finding urgent medical, psychological, and legal care, and accompany them if they need to visit the police to report the abuse they have experienced. Martynka has already helped around 300 women and girls who are survivors of violence.

The Freedom Story works in rural Thailand to prevent child trafficking by addressing its root causes. The organization provides fully funded scholarships for at-risk children, ensuring they stay in school instead of being forced into labor or exploitation. Through mentorship, rights education, and sustainability programs, The Freedom Story supports young people and their families with the knowledge and resources to build a future free from trafficking.