Abandoned at 2, He Now Saves 2.7M Girls From Child Marriage

Most children learn to walk at age 2. Devendra Kumar learned how to survive.

In 1988, someone abandoned him in a Delhi slum holding his three-day-old sister. Relatives took them in, but poverty forced Devendra into child labor at 8, selling balloons on the streets while dodging exploitation and violence.

He found his first sense of safety volunteering with community policing efforts. But in 2007, the past came rushing back when he saw girls in his community facing child marriage and dowry pressure, including his own sister.

He stopped her marriage. That moment changed everything.

In 2010, Devendra founded Ladli Foundation to protect girls from the fate he once escaped. The organization tackles what government systems miss: education access, menstrual hygiene, and preventing child marriages before they happen.

One of their biggest wins addresses the digital divide. In government schools where students had never touched a computer, Ladli set up labs that have now reached over 100,000 children with digital education.

Kamini's story shows the ripple effect. Once at risk of dropping out and facing child marriage herself, she started as a beneficiary of Ladli's programs. Today, she serves as a trustee of the organization.

The Ripple Effect

Ladli Foundation has now touched 2.7 million lives across India. The organization proves that breaking cycles of poverty and exploitation doesn't require massive budgets, just people willing to take responsibility.

Devendra's vision is beautifully simple. "If every home takes responsibility for one marginalized girl, a revolution can happen," he says.

From a boy abandoned with nothing to a man who's helped millions, Devendra turned his survival blueprint into a roadmap for hope.