The Papai Foundation was established by Michael and Milla Rebello in 2025 with the mission to create a better future for some of the most marginalized and forgotten people in India and Central Asia: Vulnerable children and women. We do this by developing partnerships with grassroots organizations abroad and funding projects related to orphanages, childcare, and education.

We feel particularly connected to these regions because Michael’s father’s side of his family is from India, and Milla was born in Uzbekistan. Both of us still have family there, and we have personally seen the need for aid during several trips.

In 2024, we spent 8 weeks in India and encountered numerous heart-wrenching examples of children living in distressing conditions: We saw hungry children begging at a bustling outdoor market in Goa with unkempt hair and no shoes, staying out late just to survive. We witnessed children residing under a bridge in Delhi without parents and lacking proper clothing, food, education, and sanitation. In Bangalore, children came up to our car begging for money. The distressing state of some orphanages also caught our attention, where bathrooms were moldy, rooms were devoid of essential furnishings like chairs and rugs, and children were malnourished and without toys or books.

Before leaving India, we realized that this experience was our call to action. We founded the Papai Foundation as a bridge to connect with and fund local organizations that are working on these issues. As we are just getting started, our initial focus is on improving the living conditions and infrastructure of orphanages and enhancing education for caregivers. However, we plan to expand our efforts within India and branch out into Central Asia as the foundation progresses.

If you are interested in contributing to our mission, we’d love for you to get involved! All contributions are tax-deductible, and neither of us take a salary so 100% of donations go towards furthering the goals of the organization.