Help Amplify
Our Mission
Together, we can share the transformative power of education and Mona’s unique approach to uplift lives and communities around the world.
At Mona Foundation, we're grateful for the role journalists, content creators, and media partners play in amplifying our mission.
By sharing the stories of our grassroots educational partners and the communities they serve, you help connect more people to Mona’s transformative approach—creating ripples of positive change worldwide.
Our Story
Founded in 1999, Mona Foundation supports grassroots educational organizations that educate children, empower women and girls, and foster ethics and service to develop change agents who uplift themselves, their families, and their communities.
To date, we've partnered with 41 educational initiatives in 23 countries, positively impacting over 5.6 million students and their families. Our goal is to reach 10 million students by 2030.
Our model emphasizes:
- Partnering with locally-led initiatives with proven track records
- Providing long-term support to enable capacity building
- Addressing root causes of poverty through education and gender equality
Media Resources
Executive Leadership
Mahnaz Javid
Founder & President
Mahnaz Javid is the President of Mona Foundation and one of its founding members. With a doctorate in Educational Leadership, she spent two decades in academia and the tech industry, including leadership roles at Microsoft and Avanade, before dedicating herself full-time to Mona’s mission in 2017. A lifelong advocate for social justice and education, Mahnaz brings deep expertise and unwavering commitment to empowering women and girls through grassroots partnerships. Her work is driven by the belief that education is the most powerful force for sustainable change.
Laura Baerwold
Managing Director
Laura Baerwolf is Managing Director of Mona Foundation, leading global partnerships to expand access to education and empower communities. With a Master’s in Public Health Administration and two decades of experience, she brings a deep commitment to ethical leadership and service.
Laura began her career in healthcare before shifting to grassroots capacity-building. Since joining Mona in 2019, she has helped guide its mission to educate 10 million children by 2030 through community-led, transformative partnerships.
Mona Foundation leadership is available for speaking engagements
on topics including:
- Sustainable development through education
- Women's empowerment as a lever for social change
- Grassroots approaches to global challenges
- Evolving the Approach to Philanthropy: Shifting values to catalyze systems change
To inquire about availability and topics, please contact:
Documentary:
Light & Air
Our 25th anniversary documentary follows young women at the Barli Institute in rural India as they transform their lives through education – as just one example from among our
24 grassroots partners across
15 countries of how education can uplift individuals, families, and entire communities.
- 22-minute runtime
- Available for screenings and media coverage
- Director and subjects available for select interviews
Visual Assets
High-resolution images and videos from our partner organizations worldwide are available for media use with appropriate attribution.
- School environments
- Student activities
- Community transformations
Interview Requests
We welcome opportunities to share our story with your audience. To arrange an interview with Mona Foundation leadership, partners, or beneficiaries, please reach out to:
jazzmine@monafoundation.org
with the following details:
- Provide details about your outlet, audience, and specific angle
- Indicate preferred timeline and format (written, audio, video)
- Note any specific individuals you'd like to interview
Our team will respond within 1-2 business days to coordinate details.
Thank you for your interest in amplifying our mission.
Together, we WILL spread awareness about the transformative power of education and create lasting change in communities worldwide.
