(August 27, 2024) Manish Polavarapu, a US-based finance professional at JPMorganChase, is often asked why he chose the name ‘Fortitude’ for his non-profit, as it doesn’t immediately convey the feel of an NGO. “When brainstorming a name, I realized that one of the challenges with philanthropy is that it often fails to excite people. Most organizations opt for names centered around terms like humanity, hope, or survival, and I wanted something different,” he tells Global Indian.
With his 501(c)(3) NGO, Manish aims to enhance the dynamics of philanthropy. “When we started in 2020, we observed that not many young people were getting involved in philanthropy. We wanted to change that with sleek branding across our platforms and socials – think of it as if NIKE met a non-profit,” he says “The word ‘Fortitude’ means strength and courage in the face of adversity, and it perfectly aligns with our mission to uplift schoolchildren, giving them the fortitude to aspire and inspire.”
Manish at Pudanipadu School in Vijayawada to meet and greet schoolchildren who were provided Deskits by Fortitude
Since its inception, the Fortitude Global team has raised significant funds and reached more than 1,000 children across 12 schools in Kenya, Bangladesh, the USA, Peru, and India, providing them with access to educational resources and scholarships.
Devoting time after work-hours, Manish voluntarily runs Fortitude Global Foundation with his close friends Yash Shah and Jamell Sirleaf who were his classmates at Boston University. “Yash hails from Ahmedabad while Jamell is half-Liberian and half-South Indian, and the grandson of Madam Ellen Johnson Sirfleaf, the former President of the Republic of Liberia and founder of the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Centre for Women and Development.”
It started when…
During the pandemic, when many schools shut down and underprivileged children struggled to continue their education due to lack of funding, Manish came to know about a Sudanese nursing student, Akuout, who had been accepted to a university in Kenya but lacked the necessary funds.
“The tuition was only $5,000 USD for all semesters. When you think about it, the cost of college tuition in America is astronomical compared to it. I didn’t think twice and donated the full amount to grant Akuout admission in the Kenyatta University to pursue her nursing degree, covering full tuition, lodging, supplies, transportation, and food,” Manish says. “The feeling that came with helping someone in need was priceless and indescribable. I realized the power of the dollar and wanted to continue making an impact.”
Akuot Akuei Ajak, Fortitude scholar studying at Kenyatta University
Soon after, he approached his friends, Yash and Jamell, and pitched the idea of starting an NGO. They readily agreed to contribute their time and effort to the cause, and the three friends laid the foundation of the Fortitude Global Foundation to help underprivileged children access education.
Manish and the co-founders of Fortitude chose to focus their efforts on education because they believe it is the key factor linked to global poverty. As for Fortitude’s principles, they are built on four pillars of a quality education: transportation, resources and financial aid, technology, and infrastructure. “Since its inception, we have worked to provide these four essentials to children in need across the world,” says the philanthropist, who was born in Hyderabad, and moved to the US as a four-year-old.
Striding past hurdles
Starting a global NGO in the middle of a pandemic came with several challenges. “The toughest part of any journey is just to start, and we faced several hurdles in our first year,” Manish says. “Once we identified the specific sectors within education we wanted to impact, we developed our theory of change, mission statements, and marketing collateral, including our website and social media. Our team had to spread the word initially, even before we had much impact to show.”
Another major challenge was building partnerships with other local communities and organizations, especially cross-border ones. “It’s the classic chicken-and-egg dilemma: we wanted to help children, but we hadn’t yet created enough of an impact trail for others to trust us as a partner. However, for every ‘no,’ you eventually get a ‘yes.’ Thankfully, the advent of technology allowed us to connect with others globally at our fingertips,” he remarks.
The Fortitude team reached out to smaller, local communities that were genuine in their cause and had the sole mission of helping children.
Manish Polavarapu with co-founders Jamell and Yash during a Fortitude awareness event at a school in U.S.
Understanding significance of transparency in charity
Manish believes that the charity sector has unfortunately become tainted by corruption, leading to scandals and trust issues. “Trust is everything in a space as pure as charity, so we posted all our financials on our website to ensure full transparency,” he says. The entire Fortitude team is made up of volunteers.
We don’t pay ourselves. We believe in a 100 percent model, where all proceeds and donations go directly to children and projects. As I like to say, our organization is paid in six figures: s-m-i-l-e-s, and to us, that is truly priceless.
Manish Polavarapu
Initially, the team received a few projects to fund, and held charity events and fundraisers in different parts of the United States. Soon enough, donors, friends, and family began pouring in their support and contributions to the foundation. After COVID, Manish was able to travel to the schools and locations, visit the children, and personally inaugurate a few projects.
“Being present in person was a huge milestone for the foundation, as it allowed us to finally show people that we were indeed true to our cause,” he mentions.
A benefit concert – one of Fortitude Global’s fundraising events
Anyone can make an impact
Manish credits his mother for teaching him to always be kind and to give back. For as long as he can remember, he has been passionate about helping others in any way he could. Whether it was a friend in need or a family member, he constantly put others first, finding that giving back was an inherent part of who he is. “Call it my biggest weakness or my greatest strength, but I can’t stand to see others in pain or struggling,” says the philanthropist.
He believes that anyone can make an impact and that one’s approach to charity or philanthropy doesn’t need to be overly central, commercial, or complicated.
Take up a school or community and help them meet their educational needs. What else do you need, and what are you waiting for?
Manish’s message for all
Fortitude operates on the principle of eliminating borders in philanthropy, allowing it to work on projects globally. The non-profit partners with local organizations like the South Sudan Centre and Obhizatrik Foundation in Bangladesh, which have deep community ties and understand students’ challenges, delivering effective educational solutions.
Glimpses of Fortitude Global Foundation’s initiatives for children in Bangladesh
The NGO focuses on serving children from extremely poor families who cannot afford tuition, ensuring scholarships and academic support. The organization tailors its efforts to each school’s specific needs, raising funds for solutions ranging from transportation facilities, convertible desk-backpacks to fully equipped computer labs.
“My dream is to one day build full-fledged schools across the world and leave a global impact. The education crisis is indeed a crisis, but I believe our generation can be the one to revamp the infrastructure and undercurrents of philanthropic philosophy so that all lives have a chance to prosper,” remarks the philanthropist who hails from a Telugu family with roots in Hyderabad.
Wearing many hats
Apart from working as a VP – Strategy and Investment Governance at JPMorganChase he serves as the Youth Chair of the Telugu Association of North America (TANA) – the oldest and largest Indo-American organization in North America.
As Youth Chair, Manish organizes bi-annual conferences that bring together Telugu youth from across the U.S. to participate in cultural activities that promote Telugu culture and foster communal ties. His role also involves raising funds and awareness to address the social, cultural, and educational needs of Telugu people worldwide.
“The proceeds from these conferences go towards education, sanitation, disease prevention, disaster relief, and health promotion for the people in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana,” shares the multitasker who considers himself Indian first, and then American.
Manish Polavarapu
Manish and his older brother learned several Indian art forms including violin, drums, and classical dance from a very young age and have always been in-tune with their Indian legacy.
Throughout my journey, the one word I have always held onto and repeated to myself is ‘Fortitude.’ Life truly comes full circle, as that’s the name I eventually gave to the NGO. I am Fortitude. Fortitude is me.
Manish Polavarapu
When you love what you do, nothing ever becomes overwhelming, as you always find a way to make time, believes Manish. Passion, ambition, and a desire to make a difference in the world and in the lives of others have always been his guiding stars.
“My goal is to become wealthy enough to be a full-time philanthropist and humanitarian,” he signs off.
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