The Loomba Foundation

What The Loomba Foundation does

The Loomba Foundation is a UK-registered charitable organisation (Charity No. 1064988) with an India-registered chapter (No. 752), founded in 1997 by Lord Raj Loomba CBE in memory of his mother, who was widowed in 1954. Headquartered in London with a regional office in New Delhi, the Foundation operates with a lean staff of approximately 14 employees and reaches widows and their children across more than a dozen countries in South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. Its work is anchored in two core programmes: the Loomba Scholars Education Programme, which provides monthly scholarships (₹500/month) to over 10,000 children of poor widows in India via joint bank accounts, and the Widow Empowerment Programme, delivering vocational skills training, microfinance, and start-up support in sectors such as garment-making, healthcare, beauty and wellness, hospitality, handicrafts, textiles, agriculture, and automotive.

The Foundation's revenue model is straightforward charitable fundraising: it accepts individual, corporate, and institutional donations through its website and matches 100% of donor contributions to double impact. All services are delivered free to beneficiaries; pricing is not applicable. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, combining direct programme delivery in India (Delhi NCR, Bihar, Telangana, Puducherry, Mumbai, Punjab, Varanasi, Vrindavan, Amethi, and Haryana district jails) with grassroots partnerships abroad (Kenya, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Syria, Uganda, Chile, Guatemala) executed through strategic partners including CII Foundation, Widows Collective Forum, Rotary India Literacy Mission, Youth Business International, Virgin Unite, and Oxfam. Major awareness drivers include International Widows Day (23 June, a UN observance the Foundation campaigned to establish, adopted by the UN General Assembly on 22 December 2010) and the biennial International Widows Conference, the 2025 edition held at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London.

The Foundation's most ambitious current initiative, launched in January 2025 with CII Foundation and the Widows Collective Forum, targets the empowerment of 100,000 widows and dependent youths in rural India by 2030, while the research portfolio — anchored by the 2016 World Widows Report and the 2024 Cambridge-commissioned 'Not Leaving Widows Behind' report — provides the global evidence base underpinning its policy advocacy and ECOSOC Special Consultative Status (granted 2012). No proprietary technology platform exists; the operating model is human-delivery charity work rather than software or AI-enabled services.

Name

The Loomba Foundation

Legal name

The Shrimati Pushpa Wati Loomba Memorial Foundation

Website

https://theloombafoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Loomba Foundation is a UK- and India-registered charitable foundation that empowers widows and their children through educational scholarships, vocational skills training, microfinance, and global advocacy, including the founding of UN International Widows Day.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian / Widow Empowerment Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Rural Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment (BPAGABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Foundation/NGO & Philanthropic Scholarships (EDAIAOAH), Income Support & Cash Assistance Programs (BPAIAKAE)

Keywords

• Widow empowerment
• Charitable foundation
• Humanitarian aid
• Vocational training
• International advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations and Fundraising: The Loomba Foundation generates revenue through charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and institutional donors. The Foundation runs a donation matching programme where donations are matched 100% by the Foundation to double impact. Revenue supports empowerment programmes, educational scholarships, and advocacy initiatives for widows globally.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Loomba Foundation is a registered UK and Indian charity that empowers poor widows and their children through educational scholarships (Rs 500/month to joint bank accounts), vocational skills training (General Duty Assistants in healthcare, garment-making, beauty, hospitality, handicrafts, agriculture, automotive), micro-enterprise support with start-up loans and sewing machines, and global advocacy — including the campaign that led to the UN General Assembly adopting International Widows Day on 23 June.

Product overview

The Loomba Foundation operates as a non-profit charitable organization offering a coordinated portfolio of social impact programmes focused on widow empowerment. The core offerings include the Loomba Scholars Education Programme providing scholarships to children of poor widows, and the Widow Empowerment Programme delivering skills training and livelihood support. These are complemented by the International Widows Day advocacy campaign, research publications including the World Widows Report and Not Leaving Widows Behind report, and the current Healthcare General Duty Assistants Training Programme. The 100,000 Widows Empowerment Initiative represents the foundation's most ambitious expansion effort. The organization does not operate as a technology platform or SaaS product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Loomba Scholars Education Programme Scholarship programme providing monthly financial support (Rs 500/month) directly into joint bank accounts of widows and their children, supporting school attendance and breaking the intergenerational poverty cycle for children of poor widows in India. Has supported more than 10,000 children, positively impacting 60,000+ family members.
• Widow Empowerment Programme

Quantifiable outcome

• 10,000+ children of poor widows supported with scholarships, impacting 60,000+ family members
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and major.

• CII FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025In January 2025, The Loomba Foundation partnered with the CII Foundation to launch its most ambitious initiative: empowering 100,000 widows and dependent youths in rural India by 2030. The CII Foundation ensures alignment with industry needs, opening pathways to formal jobs and entrepreneurship for widows.
• Widows Collective ForumflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025The Widows Collective Forum brings deep community engagement to the 100,000 widows empowerment initiative, ensuring training meets widows' real challenges and leads to sustainable livelihoods. The partnership supports the nationwide 'Leave No Widow Behind' programme.
• University of CambridgecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024In 2024, The Loomba Foundation commissioned University of Cambridge researchers to examine progress since International Widows Day was established. The resulting report 'Not Leaving Widows Behind' covers 11 countries across South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.
• Rotary India Literacy MissioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Groundbreaking 2017 partnership delivered training and start-up support for 4,300 widows across five Indian states. The programme expanded into sectors including beauty and wellness, hospitality, handicrafts, healthcare, textiles, agriculture and automotive services.
• Chatham House (Royal Institute for International Affairs)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008In 2008, The Loomba Foundation worked with Chatham House to commission one of the first international surveys on public attitudes to widowhood, covering 18 countries. The 2008 International Attitudes Survey found perceived disadvantage for widows is widespread and global.
• WorldPublicOpinion.orgcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008In 2008, The Loomba Foundation partnered with WorldPublicOpinion.org to conduct international survey on public attitudes to widowhood across 18 countries, supporting the evidence base for International Widows Day advocacy.
• Youth Business International (YBI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarly partnership supporting widows in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Syria, Kenya, Uganda, Chile and Guatemala. YBI provided business training and support for widows launching micro-enterprises.
• Virgin UnitecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Virgin Unite supported widows in multiple countries with skills training, microfinance and equipment to help them start small businesses and gain financial independence.
• OxfamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Oxfam in Rwanda delivered training and start-up support to 350 genocide survivors, helping rebuild communities devastated by conflict.
• Government of GabonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGabon led the member states coalition supporting the UN General Assembly adoption of International Widows Day in 2010. India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Hardeep Singh Puri, was instrumental in marshalling international support.
• UN WomenflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerUN Women collaborates with The Loomba Foundation on International Widows Day. Each year on 23 June, UN Women issues a statement on the plight of widows to all member states, cementing International Widows Day as a permanent fixture on the global calendar.
• Sulabh InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Sulabh International supporting government ashrams for widows in India, including the Merra Sebhagini Mahila Ashram where young widows serve as wardens.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Room to Read: International nonprofit supporting children's education and gender equality in Asia and Africa — comparable scholarship and education-focused operating model targeting intergenerational poverty outcomes.
• Plan International: International NGO focused on children's rights, education, and gender equality in low-income countries — comparable mission around vulnerable children and women, advocacy-led funding model, and multi-country footprint.
• BRAC: Large international development NGO operating skills training, microfinance, and education programmes for women and families in Asia and Africa — comparable operating model of partner-delivered empowerment plus large-scale beneficiary reach.
• CARE International: Major international humanitarian organization targeting women and girls in poverty with livelihoods, education, and humanitarian programmes — directly comparable focus on women's economic empowerment and family-level interventions in low-income countries.
• SOS Children's Villages: Global nonprofit supporting vulnerable children and families, including children of widows, through direct care and education programmes across multiple countries — closely comparable mission, beneficiary profile, and family-based service model.

Broad incumbents

• UN Women: United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women — an official partner of The Loomba Foundation on International Widows Day and the institutional counterpart for the foundation's advocacy outcomes.
• Oxfam: Large established international humanitarian and development NGO working on poverty, gender, and disaster response; explicitly partnered with The Loomba Foundation on Rwanda genocide-survivor training, so directly comparable beneficiary approach but at much greater scale.
• The Asia Foundation: International development organization focused on Asia with programmes on women, governance, and economic opportunity — comparable Asian geographic focus and donor-advised grantmaking approach, but broader portfolio.

Emerging players

• Ashoka: Global network supporting social entrepreneurs addressing poverty, education, and women's rights — comparable mission around empowerment and changemaking, but funds individual entrepreneurs rather than delivering programmes directly.

Others

• Habitat for Humanity: International nonprofit addressing poverty through housing and shelter — thematically related poverty-alleviation nonprofit at much greater scale, comparable in donor-base structure and volunteer-driven model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TheLoomba_Org
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@TheLoombaFoundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/61565954009599
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-loomba-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/theloombafoundation

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Loomba Foundation