Our Story
At 17, three friends came together with a simple belief: if opportunity had reached us, it was our duty to extend it to those it hadn’t.
What began as a personal effort, pooling our own resources to support children without access to education, has grown into Ilika: an ecosystem where support is not charity, but justice
Today, Ilika stands beside young people from underserved communities, providing mentorship, tools, networks, and opportunities that help them pursue degrees, build careers, and transform their futures.
Because when one child rises, the cycle of opportunity begins and generational poverty gets eradicated.
The Opportunity Gap
In India, millions of bright, ambitious students are forced to abandon their dreams — not because they lack talent, but because they lack access. Higher education remains a privilege: less than 29% of youth enroll in undergraduate programs, and among those, a vast majority come from urban, financially secure families (AISHE Report 2022).
For children from low-income and underserved backgrounds, the barriers are not limited to tuition fees. The lack of mentorship, access to technology, exposure, career guidance, and professional networks often means that even those who make it to college struggle to stay, succeed, and step into the world with confidence.
The result is a cycle of unrealized potential — where promising futures are curtailed by circumstance, and generational poverty persists despite talent and ambition.
Our Fellowship
We do not just sponsor a child's education but also provide them with an entire ecosystem, which is designed to empower them to navigate life with confidence and realize their potential as future leaders, innovators, and changemakers.
The key pillars of our ecosystem are:
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Guided: Every Ilika Fellow is paired with a dedicated Buddy, providing continuous mentorship, support, and direction throughout their undergraduate journey.
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Nurtured: Beyond financial aid, we offer essential learning tools, life skills, and well-being support to help students grow holistically and thrive.
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Connected: Fellows gain lifelong access to a powerful network of mentors, experts, and industry leaders, unlocking doors to opportunities beyond academics.
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Empowered: We prepare students for life after graduation with career training, placements, and real-world exposure, enabling them to lead, innovate, and create impact.
