our scholars

Our founder Fiona grew up in South Africa during Apartheid when the idea of attending college was an elusive dream. However, with hard work, determination, the generous support of mentors and encouragement from family and friends, she was able to attend college. Therefore, at Small Acts for Sustainability (SAS), formal and informal education are a vital component in all of the work we do. We create mentorship programs and pursue sponsorships to encourage our students to further their education. SAS also provides educational workshops on various topics including English, basic hygiene, computer skills training, and tailoring.  We equip local social workers with best practices to serve their communities. At SAS we find creative ways, with the generosity of our donors, to support young adults and equip them with skill sets that will make them marketable when entering the workforce. 

We primarily work with communities who live on the peripheral of the larger Indian society such as Siddis (African Indians) of Karnataka and other communities of Scheduled Castes (SCs) or Scheduled Tribes (STs) in South India.

Since the beginning of our journey we have seen some of our youth complete primary and secondary school. They have since gone on to college and have become the first in their communities to be social workers, teachers, lawyers, pharmacists, nurses, and estheticians in their respective villages. Some have also taken over their family’s farms and found new ways to create a more sustainable market for their produce. 

Data collected from The United Nations

Scholar Highlights

Our Graduates