East Meets West Children's Education Fund

What East Meets West Children's Education Fund does

East Meets West – Children's Education Fund (EMW-CEF) is a Canadian registered charity founded in 2024 and granted CRA charitable status on February 25, 2025 (registration #726899750 RR0001). The organization is headquartered at 139 Copley St., Pickering, Ontario, and operates with a three-person volunteer Board of Directors (President Naraindra L. Prashad, Treasurer Peter (Ram) Jokhu, Secretary Sarita Rickhi) supplemented by an Advisor (Frances Makdessian). There is no proprietary technology platform; the entity functions as a fundraising and grant-disbursement intermediary rather than a software or product company, and operational capacity is delivered through approximately 2,000 hours of volunteer labor logged in its first year.

EMW-CEF's core activity is channeling donor contributions to impoverished children in Nepal, India, and Guyana through three pre-existing international intermediary partners: Khushi Charitable Society (Rishikesh, India, founded 2002, supporting more than 450 children), Jyotirgyan Bhavan Paropakari Samaj (JBPS, Nepal, operating approximately 14 government schools), and Oaks of Righteousness (New York-based charity serving the Berbice District of Guyana). Its service portfolio comprises a Scholarship and Bursary Program ($600 CAD per student, with five awarded for the 2025-2026 academic year), a School Aid Program (200 backpacks to Nepal in October 2024, 350 pairs of shoes to India in 2023, gift bags), an After-School Support Program (meals, supplemental academics, medical care, yoga), a Vocational Training Support program (13 sewing machines donated to graduates in October 2024), and a Nutrition and Meal Program.

The revenue model is purely donation-driven: contributions are accepted via the Canada Helps online portal, e-transfer, mailed cheque, phone, employer matching programs, and legacy giving instruments (endowments, gifts of securities, life insurance, bequests, RRSPs), with tax-deductible receipts issued under CRA rules. The organization raised nearly $37,000 from more than 100 donors in 2025, with outreach conducted via Facebook, a website/blog, and community fundraising events tied to its sister organization East Meets West Yog (EMWY). Distribution is volunteer-led with no paid sales force; EMW-CEF is also pursuing CRA approval to expand its registered charitable purposes beyond scholarships and school aid to include food, shelter, healthcare, and medical care programs.

Name

East Meets West Children's Education Fund

Legal name

East Meets West – Children's Education Fund

Website

https://emwcef.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

East Meets West – Children's Education Fund is a Canadian registered charity channeling donor contributions to impoverished children in Nepal, India, and Guyana via three international intermediary partners, delivering scholarships, school supplies, meals, and vocational training through a volunteer-driven model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Children's Education and Welfare Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (6117), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Early Childhood Development (ECD) & Pre-Primary Education (BPADAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Need-Based Grants & Bursaries (EDAIAOAB), Family Engagement & Take-Home Learning Materials (Home Packs, Parent Guides) (EDACAJAL)

Keywords

• Children's education charity
• Nonprofit fundraising programs
• International scholarship aid
• School supply donations
• Volunteer charity services

Headquarters

HQ city

Pickering

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: EMW-CEF is a registered Canadian charity (CRA registration #726899750 RR0001) that generates revenue entirely through donations from individuals, corporate matching programs, and community fundraising events. Donations are tax-deductible for Canadian donors. No commercial products or services are sold. The organization raised nearly $37,000 from more than 100 donors in its first year of operation (2025).

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

East Meets West – Children's Education Fund (EMW-CEF) is a registered Canadian charity that delivers education-focused support to children in impoverished communities in Nepal, India, and Guyana. Its offerings include scholarships and bursaries ($600 CAD per student), distribution of school supplies (backpacks, uniforms, shoes), after-school academic and nutrition programs, vocational training support (sewing machines, stitching and design certificates), and meal programs. All support is administered through three vetted international intermediary partners under CRA-compliant contracts.

Product overview

East Meets West Children's Education Fund (EMW-CEF) is a registered Canadian charity that operates as a single unified charitable program rather than a platform. The organization provides education-focused support through five interconnected programs: a Scholarship and Bursary Program that enables students to continue education beyond government support limits, a School Aid Program distributing essential supplies, an After-School Support Program offering supplemental academics and meals, a Vocational Training Support program for skills development, and a Nutrition and Meal Program addressing food security. All programs are administered through international partner intermediaries (JBPS in Nepal, Khushi Charitable Society in India, and Oaks of Righteousness in Guyana) and governed by CRA-compliant agreements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Scholarship and Bursary Program Provides scholarships and bursaries of $600 CAD per student to gifted students in impoverished communities in India, Nepal, and Guyana to continue their education beyond government support cutoffs. Five scholarships were awarded for the 2025-2026 academic year.
• School Aid Program Distribution of essential educational supplies – backpacks, school supplies, uniforms, and shoes – to children in impoverished communities. Nearly 200 backpacks were distributed to children in Beldandi, Mahendranagar, Nepal in October 2024 and 350 pairs of shoes were donated to students at Khushi Charitable Society in Rishikesh, India in 2023.
• After-School Support Program Supplemental academic classes, healthy meals, medical care, yoga classes, and extracurricular activities for children attending government schools, administered through international intermediary partners such as Khushi Charitable Society in Rishikesh, India.
• Vocational Training Support Support for vocational training programs including stitching and design certificates, beautician training, and computer education. Donated 13 sewing machines to graduates of a one-year stitching and design certificate program in Rishikesh, India in October 2024, enabling young women to start home-based businesses.
• Nutrition and Meal Program Provides nutritious meals and food support to children in impoverished communities to address hunger and enable learning. Volunteers from EMW-CEF and EMWY have sponsored, prepared, and served meals to children at Khushi Charitable Society in Rishikesh, India.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly $37,000 raised from more than 100 donors in first year of operation (2025)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Khushi Charitable SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025International intermediary charity partner based in Rishikesh, India. Founded in 2002, it is a registered non-government organization providing education, supplemental nutrition, medical assistance, and vocational training to children in poverty. Supports more than 450 children. EMW-CEF provides scholarships ($600 CAD per student), shoes, gift bags, and sewing machines through Khushi CS. Khushi CS administers scholarships and provides regular reports including academic performance, purchase receipts, photos, and budgets to EMW-CEF to comply with CRA requirements.
• Jyotirgyan Bhavan Paropakari Samaj (JBPS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025International intermediary charity partner in Nepal. JBPS operates approximately 14 government schools in its district with an average of 600 students each. EMW-CEF supports JBPS with school supplies (backpacks, etc.) for students in impoverished communities. The relationship is governed by CRA-compliant contracts requiring detailed reporting.
• Oaks of RighteousnesscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025Registered non-profit charity based in New York that supports children in impoverished communities in the Berbice District, Guyana. East Meets West – Children's Education Fund (EMW-CEF) and sister organization East Meets West Yog (EMWY) support education for children through this partner organization.
• East Meets West Yog (EMWY)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025Sister organization to EMW-CEF, also founded by Naraindra Prashad. EMWY originally supported children through fundraising from yoga students. It continues to co-organize tours to India and Nepal with volunteer opportunities, and co-hosts fundraising events with EMW-CEF. Both organizations share leadership (Peter Jokhu serves on the Board of both). EMWY has donated shoes, sewing machines, and prepared/served meals to children supported by Khushi Charitable Society.
• B.I.G. Charity Law GroupminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 February 2025Toronto-based law firm specializing in charity law that prepared EMW-CEF's application to the Canada Revenue Agency for registered charity status in 2025.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Room to Read: Global nonprofit focused on literacy and girls' education in low-income countries. Comparable mission (children's education in developing countries) and similar use of in-country partner networks, though operating at significant scale with paid staff.
• Aga Khan Foundation Canada: Canadian international development agency supporting education, health, and rural development in South Asia and other regions. Comparable as a Canadian-registered development charity operating in Nepal, India, and other EMW-CEF geographies.
• Plan International Canada: Major Canadian charity delivering children's rights, education, and development programs in developing countries. Comparable as a CRA-registered Canadian charity supporting children in South Asia and other Global South regions, but with a much larger donor base and operational footprint.
• WE Charity: Canadian charity that historically funded education and development programs for children in developing countries, including in South Asia. Comparable as a Canadian-registered charity focused on children's education overseas, though operating at a much larger historical scale.
• Right To Play: A larger Canadian-founded international NGO that supports children's education and development in disadvantaged communities across the Global South. Comparable as a Canadian-headquartered charity delivering education-focused programs to children in poverty, though at materially larger scale than EMW-CEF.
• UNICEF Canada: Canadian arm of the UN children's agency supporting child welfare, education, and health in developing countries. Comparable in charity-type mission and end-beneficiary focus on children in low-income countries.
• Save the Children Canada: Established Canadian affiliate of a global NGO providing education, health, and child welfare services in developing countries. Comparable in mission and beneficiary geography, with significant professional staffing and government grant funding.
• charity: water: High-profile nonprofit focused on clean water access in developing countries. Comparable as a digitally enabled, donor-focused charity with strong transparency and reporting standards, though serving a different humanitarian vertical.

Direct peers

• BuildOn: Nonprofit that builds schools and delivers education programs in developing countries including Nepal. Comparable as a smaller, mission-focused education charity operating in similar geographies (Nepal) with similar school-supply and educational-support programs.
• Penny Appeal Canada: Small-to-mid-sized Canadian Muslim charity delivering education, orphan sponsorship, and emergency relief in developing countries. Comparable as a smaller Canadian charity with community-driven fundraising and programs focused on children in South Asia and Africa.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/share/17zsUSGRH8/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about East Meets West Children's Education Fund