Pursuing Universal Development Goals
About READ Foundation
READ Foundation is a non-profit organization registered under Company Act section (8). The organization exists to achieve Universal Development Goals (SDGs). Our approach is to identify the most critical and neglected issues, find the evidence, design the interventions, and implement it.
55+
1,500+
Youth for climate Action.
Adolescent Girl Empowerment.
3,000+
2,000+
40
300+
Youth Voice Amplified through Dialect.
Volunteers as Community Leaders.
School Transformed.
Professionals Trained In Project Design.
Our Impacts
READ Foundation works at the crossroads of education, health, climate action, and civic engagement, empowering children, women, youth, and communities to lead sustainable and inclusive development.
Through participatory learnings and collaborative innovation, we transform awareness into action and idea into real-world impact.
We believe in Collaboration, Co-creation, and Co-ownership (3Cs). Our tools empower the community and provide an enabling environment so they can learn and design solutions to their problem.
OUR MISSION
OUR VISION
Motive That Motivate Us
“To Build a harmonious society where individual has equal access to resources and opportunities to grow, with sustainability guiding all path of development.”
“READ Foundation works to empower communities in pursuit of achieving Universal Development Goals.”
OUR VALUES
To promote awareness among the marginalized community, policymakers, and youths for action to achieve the universal development goals
To Develop equality beyond sex, gender, caste, and social stratification
To engage every stakeholder by providing an opportunity to express, share, and be involved in action so that ‘No One Left Behind’
To develop and implement innovative solutions for the wicked development problems
To develop networking and collaboration with the community, experts, institutes
Awareness To Action
Equality
Innovate
Inclusiveness
Collaborate
Our Existence
We believe in evidence based and people centric interventions. Our existence is based on the “Rethinking”.
Core Team
Dr Shivam (Public Health)
Aura Leah Reyes (Advisor – READ Foundation)
Dr Ratna Verma (Advisor – READ Foundation)
Jigme Sherpa (Advisor-READ Foundation)
Dr. Rinku Verma (Co-Founder-READ Foundation)
Dr Rinku is a Development Professional having 12 years of in-depth knowledge and experience in program management, monitoring and evaluation. He is alumni of Master of Development Management from Asian Institute of Management, Philippines. He is a detail-oriented and methodical professional successful in managing government relations, teams, day to day monitoring and outcomes. He has closely worked on issues of WASH, menstrual hygiene management, reproductive rights, maternal & child health and Family planning. His creative and consistent approach to collaborating, learning, and leading helped him achieve the most challenging projects. Rinku is accountable for designing and imparting innovative capacity development programs and behaviour change communication campaigns that produce sustainable outcomes. He has contributed to various evidence-based policy decisions at Dr Rinku has attributes of seeing the bigger picture, communicating, and influencing, delivering at pace.
Interest – Project Management, Capacity Building & Training, Monitoring Stakeholder Management, Public Health
Jigme’s entrepreneurial mindset made him to establish an IT Startup when studying for a Bachelor's Degree. He took up the challenge to teach in a rural community working as Volunteer Teacher for two years. He is Alumani of Teach For Nepal. He was associated as a Principal in British Grammar School Rupandehi. He believes that change in education system can happen through effective leadership. Currently He is working as a consultant for a digital marketing company and an NGO.
Interest – Leadership and Management, Recruitment and Training, Emotional Intelligence
Dr. Ratna Verma is a Development Specialist, and researcher having more than 19+ years’ experience of in managing development Programmes, high-quality research, evaluation, training, and capacity-building programmes with a focus on SDGs- Gender, Social Inclusion, Child Rights and education, Women Empowerment & Governance, Health & Nutrition, Rural Livelihood, Agriculture Value chain, and Food & Nutrition Security. Ratna possesses thorough experience of working with multidisciplinary teams & communities in India and South Asia. As a lead evaluator, she has conducted several evaluations & assessments for the projects supported by the Government Ministry, UNDP, World Bank, WHO, NHSRC, UNICEF, UNFPA, Room to Read, Aga Khan Foundation, Child Fund Alliance etc. She is a research fellow and alumni of Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands and The Japan Foundation Asia Centre She has published significant policy documents, reports, articles and books based on her research and evaluations.
Interest – Proposal Development, Research, Gender, Livelihood and Child Rights
Leah is a Development Management professional. Her main focus as a Financial Inclusion convener is on designing intervention strategies at the community level for the attainment of program outcomes; As a management consultant for non-profits and social enterprises, she is strengthening organizational capacities through coaching leadership and change management; And now as the Head of People and Talent for Smarter Good, she leads in developing sustainable objectives through business model innovation, and collaborating with and convening stakeholders in forming strategic plans to advocate policy, finance the strategy, and scale development initiatives. Her previous career in corporate retail spanned 21 years until she decided to pivot to the social sector to pursue her mission.
Interest – Innovation and Business, Marketing, Social Impact, Program Management, Organization Development
Dr Shivam Anand Singh is a dedicated Public Health Professional with a Master of Public Health from the prestigious Christian Medical College, Vellore. In his role as Public Health Advisor at READ Foundation, he provides strategic guidance for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of community health programs. With experience as a Training Manager and Divisional Program Officer, Dr Shivam has led public health education, capacity-building initiatives, and grassroots interventions across diverse populations. He has a strong background in adolescent and child health, disease prevention, and community engagement. Dr Shivam brings a practical, field-based perspective to his advisory role, with key strengths in behavior change communication, stakeholder coordination, and program monitoring. He is committed to advancing sustainable, evidence-based public health solutions that make a measurable impact at the community level.
Interest – Public Health Strategy, Program Implementation, Capacity Building, Community Health, Monitoring & Evaluation, Health Systems Strengthening
Our Team
Members who CREATE Impacts
Anjali Dhawan
Rinku Sharma
Rameshwar Jaat
Sanju Sharma
Radha Krishan Sharma
(Senior Manager Program & Operation, READ Foundation)
(Gender Resource Person, READ Foundation)
(Community Outreach Officer, READ Foundation)
(Gender Resource Person, READ Foundation)
(Community Mobilizer, READ Foundation)
Rinku Sharma B.A. and MSW (Master of Social Work) and have 13 years of experience in the social sector. I have worked on issues related to education, gender equality, and sexual violence. I am passionate about serving people and contributing positively to society. I have a simple, sensitive, and compassionate nature. I believe in equality, dignity, and empowerment, and I remain committed to social service and supporting communities in the future as well.
Rameshwar Jat is always honest and dedicated to his work and always dedicates himself to social work, always striving to learn from everyone in his life. He holds a B.Ed. from Rajasthan University and has five years of experience with non-profit organizations, including working with people to bring positive change to health and nutrition through the Nand Ghar Project and partnering with the READ Foundation on gender equality.
Sanju Sharma is a dedicated Social Sector professional with a B.A. qualification and over 10 years of experience in community development since 2016. She has worked on initiatives related to Gender Equality, Menstrual Hygiene, Health & Wellness, and Skills Development. She is passionate about creating positive social change through awareness, education, and community engagement. Along with her professional work, she also has a keen interest in singing.
Anjali Dhawan (M.A., B.Ed.): An experienced educator with 4 years of teaching One year FLP(feminist leadership training) program in Azad foundation and a social advocate specializing in women’s leadership, She has worked on community mobilization and health rights at Azad Foundation Support in GBV (gender based violence) cases.
R K is a Learner, Innovator, Educator, and compassionate. He has 10 years of experience in leading community-led programs, stakeholder management, and developing sustainable partnerships. He holds a Master's degree in Sociology from the University of Rajasthan and is passionate about empowering underserved communities and fostering equitable opportunities. He has successfully led the leading CSR project like “Dettol Banega Swachh India” in Rajasthan. He is an expert in Public Health, water and sanitation, and Nutrition programs, creating a sustainable impact in the community. Currently, he is Project Lead, Project SAAMYA, where he is leading the community & School intervention vertical.
