Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." – Nelson Mandela
About Us / Who We Are
Across the Globe, We Are United in Our Dedication to Education and Opportunity.
Who We Are
Across the globe, we are united in our dedication to education and opportunity. The Blue Magpie Foundation is a UK-registered organisation dedicated to transforming lives through the power of learning. Established in 2016, our work reflects a simple conviction: knowledge creates dignity, dignity creates opportunity, and opportunity creates futures.
The Foundation was born from lived experience. Our founders, Thomas Kishan Ananthan and Thivya Ananthan, were born in Sri Lanka and raised in Paris and London. Their story is shaped by their parents' journey as refugees fleeing the Sri Lankan civil war of the 1980s. Growing up in crowded rooms, without privilege or safety nets, they discovered that early responsibility can forge strength, and that education can open horizons no hardship can close.
This is why the Foundation builds pathways into learning and technology, why we centre mentorship and community, and why we believe leadership often grows where life has been hardest. The blue magpie, an endemic bird of Sri Lanka, is cared for not only by its parents but by the wider flock. It is the perfect symbol of our vision: that young people rise tallest when surrounded by a fellowship that refuses to let them fall.
Founders: Kishan and Thivya Ananthan
Welcome to the Blue Magpie Foundation, we're a non-profit organisation dedicated to transforming lives through the power of education. Founded in 2016 our organisation draws its inspiration and commitment from the profound experiences of our founders Thomas Kishan Ananthan and Thivya Ananthan, both born in Sri Lanka and raised in Paris and London respectively. Having witnessed the impact of adversity, particularly through their parents' journey fleeing the civil war in the 1980s, the founders are intimately connected to the transformative power of education in overcoming such challenges.
BMF Volunteers: an incredible group of professionals
BMF has now grown exponentially with a dedicated team of over 30 volunteers, who are united in their commitment to advancing the mission of empowering children through education. As we expand our reach, our current focus is on extending the impactful initiatives initiated in Sri Lanka to the United Kingdom. We aim to replicate our success and, in doing so, open up additional opportunities and essential tools. Our goal is to break down the barriers that limit children from realising their full potential, allowing them to dream big and envision a future filled with boundless possibilities.
A Living Fellowship
What began with one initiative in post-war Jaffna has become a Foundation with an expanding footprint in the United Kingdom, Sri Lanka, and Mali. At the heart of our work is a fellowship of over 30 professionals and volunteers from diverse fields, united in their commitment to creating opportunities for children and young people.
Our task is not to create dependency but to replicate success: to build Centres of Excellence where young people gain the tools, confidence, and networks to thrive. From tutoring and mentorship in London estates, to IT training in rural Sri Lanka, to partnerships with schools in Mali, BMF stands as a continuum of opportunity.
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