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Our 2023 impact report is out. Read the full report here. When it comes to impact, growth is a good thing. You can grow by expanding your scope, your reach, or the depth of your programs. In 2023, we expanded along all three dimensions. We reached new schools and communities, grew our scholarship numbers by almost 2x, and improved what we offer to our scholars. But growth comes with a paradox. Instead of things getting easier, as you grow, you encounter a whole new set of challenges. I want to talk to you about those challenges. One of the key questions we faced in 2023 was how to professionalize our fundraising. I don’t think I need to explain that as you grow, your budget grows as well. And I will be honest: we didn’t do enough to expand our fundraising last year. We’re incredibly grateful for the group of monthly and institutional donors that sustained us, and I am continuously impressed by the core group of supporters we have. But we need to get smarter about where we spend our time, we need to significantly expand our fundraising base, and we need to engage with our donors more often. Which brings me to the second challenge we face: how do we grow sustainably as an organization. With an expansion of scholarships comes a higher need for automating and improving our processes. It also means we need to continue to grow our team in India, which is why we emphasize our efforts to decentralize operations and push more decision-making to the team on the ground. At the same time, we need to acknowledge the reality: our team in Europe and the U.S. works on this project on a strictly voluntary basis and on the side of full-time jobs. If I think about our overall trajectory, I picture a plateau of sorts representing 2023. That doesn’t mean we didn’t grow. We actually grew quite significantly (more on that in a second). But now comes the hard part: building the infrastructure and team to take this organization to the next level, the next stage of our climb. Here’s what gives me confidence: we made enormous strides on the ground in 2023 with the same resources and capacity that we have had in previous years. We grew our Operations team, adding two new members. We gave 207 scholarships. And we made a big push to improve what we offer our scholars: starting a computer literacy program and expanding into career and life counseling. Most importantly, we kept the spirit that has defined this project from the start, the spirit that we push forward, we try new things, and we relentlessly focus on impact. So when I think about the paradox of growth, I am optimistic. Already in 2024, we have expanded the team further, both on the ground in India and with our group of volunteers in Europe and the U.S. We are working on professionalizing our fundraising operations. And we continue to push for improvements in our scholarship programs. It’s exactly the start we need to make 2024 another successful one on our growth path. Thanks for being part of our community, and keep your eyes and ears open for more news from us as we take on this new set of challenges.

Michael's visit follows the one that Alessandro made in November. Both are a demonstration of how we want the "facts on the ground" to drive our decisions. Michael visiting the home of one of our scholars "We have very strong local coordinators who are able to create real impact." Michael's Site Visit Report Getting Inspired Michael is one of our co-founders and has been to India several times. However, this is the first trip he has been able to make in several years. He was able to visit all three sites: Jammu, Chandigarh, and Delhi. And his mission was simple: to challenge the hypotheses and decisions we have been making with the facts on the ground. Michael came back from India full of inspiration and ideas. Some of the most important things he learned: We have been able to create strong local teams that drive true impact Our scholarships change lives but we need to continue to improve our targeting to ensure we are reaching the girls with the highest need Our focus should be on making girls independent and helping them thrive Many of these lessons are consistent with what Alessandro found in his visit back in November 2022. We will be working over the next months to turn these insights into impact.

As we continue to grow our programs and team, we feel that it is time for a step change. And one of the ways we want to get there is by leveraging the network and knowledge of people around us. Why Right Now is the Time for a Board The last time we had a Board of Directors was several years ago. At the time, we felt it was the right next step. We learned a lot from that experience, and as we restructured our program and teams over the last few years, we felt that a Board was unnecessary. The rationale was simple: we wanted to be as lean as possible and spend time experimenting to find how we could maximize our impact. And to a large extent that approach has been successful. It has limited our time spent reporting and maximized our time spent on driving impact. However, that approach also has its limits. As our organization has grown, we have come to realize that it's time to bring in outside, objective advisors and mentors. We are forming a Board because we want people to challenge us, to tell us that we're wrong, to push us to improve, and to help us get to the next level. How We Approach Board-Making Meet Adithya (pictured above). He is exactly the type of person we are looking to help form this new Board. He brings a wealth of experience working in education in India and around the world. He is passonate specifically about women's education. And he's an entrepreneur, someone who understands the highs and lows with forming and running your own organization. Adithya will join Priyanka as the initial members of our Board. We are also interviewing several other candidates, with our target being 3-5 members in this first year. We have signed agreements with these individuals regarding their role, and the challenge that we have given them and ourselves is simple: let's grow together.

We are education: access, a testament to the fact that a small group of individuals can have an outsized impact. About Us We're a group product leads, consultants, operations managers, and students united around two big ideas. One, that we can and should make an impact. Two, that decision-making must be driven locally. It's the reason we do this on a voluntary basis on top of our full-time jobs. Read Our Impact Report Alessandro, Founder “Whenever anyone asks me the thing I am most proud of in my life, I tell them about education: access. Every time I visit India, I see the impact we can have and I am reminded why we started this in the first place." Why we're different When we started this project, we knew we wanted to do things differently. Transparency is not just a buzzword to us. Local leadership is not just a theoretical model. Putting our scholars' interest above everything else isn't just something that we talk about. These are the core principles that we live by. 100% model We want to maximize the impact of every dollar you donate. That's why our team in the U.S. and EU are volunteers and help cover our operational costs. This means 100% of your donation goes to our projects. Local decision-making Many nonprofits talk about grassroots , but few make it the core of their model. All of our operations are run by a team of changemakers in India. They understand local contexts and issues, and drive decision-making. Trust-based giving Our scholarships are based on a simple but radical ideal: trust. We relentlessly verify the facts on the ground, but we also believe in the right balance between controls and flexbility based on trust. Core operations team We believe decision-making should be made from the ground up, not the other way around. Our Operations Team is the core of our organization. They are role models, mentors, and so much more. Suntosh Soni Jammu Lead (Since 2017) Rajni Devi Jammu (Since 2023) Bhumika Kumari Jammu (Since 2024) Sadiya Siddiqui Delhi Lead (Since 2022) Soni Girsay Delhi (Since 2023) Nancy Chakma Delhi (Since 2024) Tarun Chauhan Delhi (since 2024) Monika Khurana Chandigarh Lead How we got started The power of chance In 2014, Alessandro found himself volunteeering in a village deep in the Himalayas. Upon return, he convinced some friends that they should do something to help the people in this remote and neglected area. education: access was born. Over the years, the concept has evolved . We have focused on scholarships, learned the importance of local leadership, and become more effective. But we've never forgottten our humble beginnings and the lesson we learned from them: chance can be a powerful catalyst for impact if you're willing to take a leap of faith. Support Team An all-volunteer team from diverse backgrounds powering the strategy and fundraising of education: access since Day 1. We're united by the desire to always do what's right. Managing Director & Co-Founder Alessandro Bordoli Consultant, Bain & Company Operations & Co-Founder Michael Vogel Product Lead, Riverty Fundraising Christian Bordoli Restaurant Owner Fundraising Luna Rivera Student, University of Miami Fundraising Stephanie Hughes Ex-Director, Uber Operations Maria Del Mar Calle Operations Lead, Uber Board of Directors We introduced a Board of Directors in 2023 to help guide our strategy and ensure we are always maximizing our impact. Since 2014 Priyanka Soni Project Manager, WHO Since 2023 Adithya Narayanan Founer, Hushl Since 2023 Lamia Kalam Financial Consultant, PwC Georgetown MBA Ready to give the gift of education? Every $100 can pay for one year of education for a girl in India Give Today

education: access engages schools and communities and provides targeted scholarships for girls who are at risk of dropping out. Too many girls drop out of school Read our Impact Report Donate Our Work We empower girls with scholarships to stay in school and achieve their dreams Giving based on trust We assess how much girls need to stay in school for one year and support them in budgeting. But our model is based on flexibility and the belief that our scholars know their individual needs best. Holistic approach to education While our primary aim is to keep girls in schoool, we know empowerment extends beyond the classroom. That's why we fund computer courses, summer activities, and career counseling. Local decision-making Sustainable impact comes from empowering local decison-making. Our operations are fully run by a dedicated group of changemakers and mentors on the ground where we operate. 356 Scholars (2024) Our Impact 33 Schools where we offer scholarships 8 Local changemakers in our team Give with confidence We're committed to maximizing the impact of every dollar you give. That's why we run a tight budget, have a fully volunteer team outside of India, and donate ourselves to cover operating costs. Join us in building a new type of charity. 100% of your donation goes directly to our projects <2% of total costs went to operations in 2023 we take transparency seriously "The team has little-to-no overhead, so your money always goes where it's needed most." Jake Leffew Monthly Donor "Our club puts a good deal of thought into projects. We overwhelmingly chose to support education: access." Pam O'Donnell Sunrise Rotary "We chose to support for the commitment to on-the-ground decision-making and volunteerer-led leadership." Fanette Singer Repeat Donor "This talented team has grown the organization through hard work and diligence. We are proud to support." John Battista Woods Trust Add impact to your inbox Join Us Thanks for joining education: access to make education accessible for every girl. Look for our updates soon. Join a community of changemakers Your skills, ideas, and donations can drive change on the other side of the world. Become a champion of girls' education. The time is now. Give Monthly Giving just $10-20 per month can fully fund a girl's education for one year. Sign Up Donate 100% of your support will directly fund our programs for girls' education. Donate Now Stay updated with stories from our team The paradox of growth: what comes next Our 2023 impact report is out. Read the full report here. When it comes to impact, growth is a good thing. You can grow by expanding your... Mar 9, 2024 2Q23 Newsletter - Fresh Updates from the Field From 0 to 100 Tracking our program's growth in Delhi At the start of 2022, we faced a difficult strategic question: do we expand our... Jul 25, 2023 Some Learnings from Our Last Site Visit Michael's visit follows the one that Alessandro made in November. Both are a demonstration of how we want the "facts on the ground" to... Apr 30, 2023

It takes only $100-200 to fund 1 year of education for a girl in India. No matter how much you choose to give, 100% will directly fund scholarships for girls in India. Click to learn more. Help make education possible for every girl Every year, millions of girls drop out of school for a variety of reasons: early marriage, domestic work, or financial distress. A scholarship changes that equation. It takes only $100-200 to fund 1 year of education for a girl in India. No matter how much you choose to give, 100% will directly fund scholarships for girls in India. Education: Access, Inc. Join us in Creating Change! At Education Access Inc., we know that change starts with people like you. Every act of kindness, every dollar, and every moment of your time brings us closer to achieving our mission. Together, we can create a brighter, more compassionate world for all. How you can help power our mission: Donate: Every dollar counts. Contribute now to help us reach our goal. Share: Share our campaign with your friends and family and on social media. Your advocacy can amplify our impact. Volunteer: Your time and skills can make an impact too. Thank you for supporting our mission. Your support is invaluable.