Population First is more than a social impact organisation—it is a quiet revolution powered by empathy, equity, and the belief that stories can shape societies.
Founded in March 2002 by the late Bobby Sista, a visionary from India’s advertising world, Population First was created to harness the power of communication in addressing India’s deep-rooted social and demographic challenges. Registered under the Bombay Public Trusts Act (1950), the organisation believes that the real crisis isn’t population, but neglect—of girls, women, and marginalised communities. At the heart of this neglect lie gendered mindsets and unequal development, fuelling early marriage, maternal and child mortality, and skewed sex ratios.
With the conviction that mindset change is key to lasting change, Population First works to build a society where every child is cherished, every woman empowered, and every citizen lives free from poverty, violence, and prejudice.
Its grassroots initiative, AMCHI, fosters community-led, gender-sensitive governance. Its flagship campaign, Laadli, partners with media and creatives to reshape gender narratives, urging India to see—and show—its women differently.
Together, these efforts reflect a deep, sustained commitment to a just and inclusive India, where every voice matters and every life is given its due worth.

Appeal

Over the past few years, Population First (PF) has focused on addressing the immediate economic and nutrition requirements of its communities. With the help of various funders, as well as individual donors through crowdfunding on UWM and other platforms, Population First implemented projects that helped address the economic crisis through its vermicompost livelihood interventions. Population First initially helped 20 villages rebuild their vermicompost sheds and restart their livelihoods. This intervention was widely adapted in 55 villages with approximately 500 women. Health outreach camps that address issues like scabies have been undertaken with hygiene awareness interventions and health camps across the project area reaching villages, many of which are still not connected by roads. There is a need to address long-term issues related to health, education and development which affect the communities both directly and intersectionally. Population First aims to work towards:
Providing access to healthcare services for women, youth and children, especially young girls with a special focus on adolescent reproductive and sexual health.
Developing a conducive environment for youth to gain life skills in 150 villages.
Building capacities of community members concerning the changes brought in PRI  (Panchayati Raj Institution) systems.
Reigniting the community's interest in people participation which directly impacts the long-term holistic and sustainable development of their communities.
Additionally, Population First also intends to use the funds to strengthen its organisation by developing its human resource pool to ensure the aspirations and dreams of the organisation are fulfilled.