Rajasthan-based non-profit leverages technology, storytelling and community participation to connect street vendors with buyers while creating social impact through a unique double-beneficiary model
Jaipur, Rajasthan | June 2026: Every morning, 81-year-old Mansukh Dada sets up his small stall on a busy Mumbai pavement, arranging packets of homemade chakli, sev and chips prepared with recipes perfected over decades. Some days bring a steady flow of customers. Many days do not.
For Mansukh Dada, selling a few extra packets is not about business expansion—it is about earning enough to sustain another day.
When a field team from True Hope Foundation met him, he had earned only ₹140 that day. Yet despite the slow sales, his determination remained unshaken.
“Har nahi manunga me," he told the team.
That brief interaction would ultimately inspire a social innovation now empowering street vendors across multiple Indian cities.
From One Vendor’s Story to a Nationwide Initiative
Founded in Rajasthan in 2023, True Hope Foundation has launched its Street Vendor Empowerment Programme, a technology-enabled initiative designed to help informal workers gain visibility and access to new income opportunities in an increasingly digital economy.
Operating across Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Pune and Hyderabad, the programme aims to onboard more than 250 street vendors while building connections between consumers, vendors and social welfare organizations. Simultaneously, the initiative supports a growing network of over 45 NGO partners across India.
Built around the philosophy “Buy From a Vendor, Change Two Lives," the programme seeks to create impact beyond conventional charity models.
The idea emerged shortly after the Foundation’s encounter with Mansukh Dada.
After purchasing his remaining stock, team members distributed the snacks to residents at a nearby old-age home. The response was immediate and emotional. The traditional snacks brought back memories, comfort and a sense of familiarity for many elderly residents.
“That day, we realised one purchase could support two people at the same time," said Dhaval Darji, Founder of True Hope Foundation. “The vendor earned an income, while elderly residents received something meaningful. That experience became the foundation of our model."
Building a Double-Impact Marketplace
Today, Mansukh Dada is among the street vendors featured on the Foundation’s digital platform.
Consumers can browse vendor profiles, learn about their personal stories and purchase products through a structured online system. Once an order is placed, products are prepared by the vendor and delivered to a designated NGO partner.
In Mansukh Dada’s case, many orders are directed to a Mumbai-based old-age home, where residents receive traditional Gujarati snacks including khakhra, farsan and sev.
The Foundation believes this approach creates a sustainable ecosystem where economic opportunity and social welfare reinforce each other.
To ensure quality and credibility, the programme follows a comprehensive onboarding process that includes vendor identification and verification, digital profile creation, product catalogue development, logistics coordination and ongoing support.
Field teams work closely with vendors to document their stories, verify product standards and help them access opportunities that might otherwise remain beyond reach.
Inviting Citizens to Become Changemakers
As part of the programme’s expansion, True Hope Foundation has launched a nationwide community nomination drive.
Citizens are encouraged to identify and nominate hardworking street vendors who deserve greater visibility and support. These may include tea sellers serving communities for decades, flower vendors operating at busy intersections, fruit sellers supporting entire families, or other small entrepreneurs whose stories often go unnoticed.
All nominated vendors undergo a verification process before being featured on the platform.
“We believe some of the most inspiring entrepreneurs in India are standing on street corners, not in boardrooms," added Darji. “Many of them simply need the right platform and the right opportunity to thrive."
Individuals interested in nominating deserving street vendors can participate through the Foundation’s nomination portal:
https://truehopefoundation.in/small-vendors
Beyond Charity: Creating Sustainable Impact
While True Hope Foundation also supports initiatives in healthcare assistance, education support and emergency financial aid, the Street Vendor Empowerment Programme represents one of its most scalable and sustainable social-impact models.
Rather than relying solely on donations, the programme seeks to create a self-sustaining cycle where consumer purchases generate livelihoods for vendors while simultaneously supporting community welfare initiatives.
For Mansukh Dada, the impact extends beyond increased sales.
His aspiration is simple—to continue preparing the traditional snacks his family has made for generations and one day pass those recipes on to his grandson.
Every order brings him closer to that goal.
And for True Hope Foundation, his story serves as a powerful reminder that meaningful innovation often begins not with technology, but with recognizing the dignity, resilience and potential of people who are too often overlooked.
About True Hope Foundation
True Hope Foundation is a Rajasthan-based non-profit organization established in 2023, dedicated to creating sustainable social impact through initiatives focused on healthcare assistance, education support, emergency financial aid and livelihood generation. Through its Street Vendor Empowerment Programme, the Foundation is leveraging technology and community participation to help informal workers gain visibility, income opportunities and long-term support.
Media Contact:
True Hope Foundation
Website: https://truehopefoundation.in