Project Phoenix works with children who are in care, living in slums, child care institutions, or whose parents are sex workers to help build bright futures.

Working with some of the most marginalized groups in India, the young adults working with Project Phoenix are at high risk of human rights abuses and exposure to violence, and many do not have access to education or livelihood opportunities. This jeopardizes their mental health and ability to have a dignified livelihood. Project Phoenix is a three-year program that incorporates trauma-informed therapy, social-emotional learning, skill development to build emotional resilience, financial independence, and grassroots leadership among its participants. Through a waterfall approach, their participants become agents of social change in their communities.

What Others Can Learn

Project Phoenix is focused on reaching an extremely marginalized and underserved population and is the only organization in India working on the intersection between mental health and livelihood opportunities for this group.

Partnership With Ember

Still, in the early stages of the project, but with a view to replicating in other parts of India, Ember and Project Phoenix are working together to increase their visibility through a stronger communications strategy, growing their network, especially internationally, and developing a strong fundraising strategy.