Our Work
From small acts of kindness in 2017 to becoming a registered public trust, and from supporting a neighbourhood government school in Coonoor to running structured programs in five schools and impacting many more, we have grown organically and are now ready to spread our wings to reach many more children in the Nilgiris, the enchanting hills that are home to a significant tribal population.
Powered by buddies in the form of caring local facilitators, volunteer experts from the community, and sponsors who strongly believe in transformation, our team is happily adding many more smiles to the region.
The trust has its own corpus of funds for implementing our educational programs. We try to choose from existing methodologies that have worked well in other rural areas of the country. Thus, after extensive research and numerous school visits, we zeroed in on the Science Kit from ILP and loved the action-oriented Karadi Path methodology for spoken English. However, we do not shy away from infrastructure work, and very often, upgrading schools becomes absolutely essential in these rural areas.
Since we believe in upholding the dignity of every child, a clean environment that is conducive to learning is indispensable. For such larger projects, or for purchasing physical resources like smart boards, tablets, etc., we make use of specific calls to action for external financial support.
To provide a strong foundation to uplift children from underserved communities in India through best-suited holistic methodologies and learning environments, making them future-ready and equipped with a mindset of positive curiosity and confidence.
Our team consists mainly of young teachers who are able to gel with the students and spread kindness and warmth to their classrooms. We believe in giving opportunities to the local community, to ensure better understanding of the needs of their students. We regularly organize or send them for training sessions in the specific methodologies that we use, so that they stay updated. Thank you Asha, Jacqueline, Karthick, Kumar, Monica, Pavitra, Pooja, Preethi, Shafiya, Sulaiman for your great support.
Thank you team!
BMBF family
Since 2024, we've impacted
As per TN Education Dept NSNOP website
Every smile we bring on a child’s face is enough recognition for the work we do. We couldn't ask for more than the love and affection showered on us by the students and teachers each time we step into their school. This sometimes gets amplified in the form of mementos and ponnadas (shawls). However we humbly accept the following formal awards and recognitions conferred to us by institutions of repute, as an encouragement for our team and our supporters.
BeMyBuddy Foundation was honoured with a Letter of Appreciation by the Tamil Nadu Govt & the School Education Minister awarded us with a memento at a State Education event held in Salem in February 2024.
See Annual Report 2023-24
Murali and Kalyani the Founder Trustees of BeMyBuddy Foundation were recognised as Times Foundation Changemakers 2025 for Education and were invited to participate at their Round Table in Chennai entitled "Fueling Futures: The Power of Education."
See Annual Report 2025-26
December 2017 marked our first big event at MMS Attadi School. By then, our contributors had already grown from a family into a WhatsApp group. Seemati Kochi sponsored undergarments, Deepti gifted hoodies, and others pitched in to contribute to some lip-smacking chicken biryani and cake.
It was a momentous event that exuded the vibrant energy of children excelling in their cultural programme, a trademark positive energy that is palpable in all our schools. The powerful impact of teamwork made us even more determined.
One child found a Buddy for life. Murthy (circled in the picture below) was brave enough to approach us later for help with his college education. He has now found a job, and we realised the importance of charting various pathways for these children, including tuition, admission to model schools, college sponsorships, skilling, and more.
It was the Headmistress from Attadi (see picture above), who later moved to MMS Gandhipuram, who gave us the opportunity to renovate this old school, which was torn between dingy classrooms and an unsheltered quadrangle. What began as a request for a toilet ended up becoming a full-scale renovation, from new roofs and electrical rewiring to new furniture. The 45-day transformation turned heads across the Nilgiris. Soon after, the Microland Foundation approached us for our first CSR venture, leading to the establishment of a Learning Lab.
This infrastructure project proved beyond doubt that a decent learning environment contributes significantly to improving student performance. In 2025, we renovated another school we were associated with, MMS Bandishola. The children's self-worth and confidence bloomed from within. Listen to Keerthana (from MMS Gandhipuram) speak with aplomb about this transformation.
From the pen of Asha, our Learning Lab Coordinator
In a quiet village nestled among the hills stands the revamped government school, MMS Gandhipuram, with an innovative corner known as the Learning Lab, supported by the Microland Foundation. It is not just a room with books and charts, but a place where dreams are quietly being built, one child at a time.
Pattish, a shy boy from Grade 7, had always struggled with his studies. Letters danced before his eyes, and reading seemed like an impossible mountain. Often, he stayed away from school, feeling left behind. But when evening classes began in the Learning Lab, something changed. The warm encouragement of the facilitators, the friendly atmosphere, and the joy of learning lit a spark in him. Slowly, he began to recognise letters, then sounds, and eventually, words. Each small success built his confidence. Now, Pattish comes to school every day with a smile, eager to learn.
Meanwhile, it was the Creativity Corner that inspired Yeshwanth from Grade 3. He discovered a new passion: creating. One day, encouraged by his experiences while experimenting with craft work, he came to the Learning Lab proudly displaying his latest creation, a 3D model of an illuminated house. The lights took the facilitators by surprise, as this was outside the curriculum. When asked why he had added lights, he simply answered, "So that others don't get lost in the dark." His creativity shows that when children are given the freedom to express themselves, they light the way for others too.
The renovated school and the impact of the Learning Lab did not end with individual stories. Word of its success spread through the Toda community, and many families began enrolling their children in the school.
Even the summer camp inspired two new enrolments, with two students transferring from private schools, the first signs of reverse migration.
The Learning Lab is now more than just a programme. It has quickly become a beacon of hope, proving that with support, care, and the right environment, every child can shine. Small changes can create ripples that transform entire communities.
Ravi, once struggling with reading, now reads aloud to his peers with confidence.
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