Prabhu Rathod’s journey began in the heart of South Mumbai’s largest slum, driven by his belief in the power of creative expression for social change. As he honed his skills in videography, he discovered a deeper purpose—using visual storytelling to amplify the voices of grassroots communities.
His work with organizations like Down To Earth, Tarunya Foundation, and Shiksharth taught him valuable lessons about courage, character, and staying true to his values. He hit a turning point while volunteering with Dipala in Himachal Pradesh. Witnessing her commitment to animal welfare, and the urgent need for better care of abandoned animals led Prabhu to reflect on his own path. He recognized the different, but similarly critical challenge, of deep-rooted societal norms; this raises challenges such as a patriarchal society, and the inability for children to dream, have ambition, or awareness of what the world can offer them.
Zameer Foundation (ZF) was born from Prabhu’s strong determination for change, and belief that quality education is the stepping stone to dreaming big. While many people move to larger cities for more lucrative opportunities, he decided to return to his ancestral village of Alipur, and contribute to his community.
Through awareness campaigns and 21st-century skill development, ZF empowers students to unlock their potential with courage, empathy, and integrity. Prabhu’s journey shows how creativity and commitment can drive meaningful change, addressing both human and animal welfare needs in different communities.
Yadgir is blessed with two rivers, Bhima and Krishna, but our daughters still fight the curse of child marriage. Our land is fertile driving our identity as the “Daal bowl of Karnataka”, however, our people migrate at an alarming rate.
Yadgir is home to India’s largest cement factories, but our children’s futures remain brittle. Child marriage and school dropout rates are aggressively high, clamping potential with disdain. In the absence of agency and education, women are unable to lead financially stable and independent lives. Our girls don’t know how to dream without strong local role models.
Yadgir district has the lowest education rate (52%)
