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MNSF was founded in 2001.
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Help others achieve safety, food, sense of connection and chance to thrive.
impact
More than $4 million provided to communities around the globe.
Unlike concepts traditionally associated with charity, the M. Night Shyamalan Foundation initiatives invest in and empower community leaders who are changing the world for the better, especially in the fields of education and social justice.
The nonprofit foundation was co-founded by American-Indian blockbuster filmmaker and actor Manoj Nelliyattu "M. Night" Shyamalan and his wife, Bhavna Shyamalan (nee Vaswani), Ph.D. Their mission is to support the grassroots efforts of emerging local leaders as those movers and shakers work to remove the spectrum of hurdles and eliminate inequities created by poverty.
"We feel that charity implies a hierarchy and an approach to giving that's driven by a sense of pity. Pity fails to acknowledge the strength of the person in front of you or their power to change their own lives," says Bhavna. "We believe that, if given a fair chance, anyone can manifest a better future for themselves, their family and their community."
Night says they rather seek to support individuals and communities to meet their potential and realize their dreams. "Our foundation is about more than removing the barriers created by inequity and oppression so people can thrive. It's about shifting belief systems and narratives so individuals and communities become empowered to create their own changes," he adds.
He says local leaders are central to this process because they're the "breeders of belief."
This humble, humanitarian couple is wildly enthused about returning to their annual Foundation fundraiser on Oct. 23. Launched in 2014, this will be the sixth annual "Shyamaween" Halloween dance party, with the 2020 event skipped due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The VIP Hour that evening begins at 8 p.m. General admission kicks in at 9:30 p.m., with the event concluding at 2 a.m.
Shyamaween is always held in a "secret" location within the Philadelphia area, a fun hot spot disclosed just before the event date. Tickets are purchased online via the nonprofit's website.
"It’s been a year. A year of loss, a year of change, a year of reflection. For the leaders we support through the Foundation, it’s been a year that’s required them to step up in new ways to support their communities, with many of them providing emergency aid and rethinking their own programming as the world collectively stayed at home," says Bhavna. "Now as we all look forward to being together again, why not get back out in the best way, with a chance to be bad and do good at Shyamaween 2021?"
The Foundation started with efforts such as providing scholarships to teens, but that didn't always result in successful outcomes, as there were many other factors at play. Realizing it’s the people involved in any organization that truly make differences, the Shyamalans decided to take a more structured approach about a decade ago, focusing on the leaders in troubled or oppressed communities. Rather than giving one-time scholarships, they now focus on leaders who create better teachers through focused coaching, or who work with all the kids in a school to ensure they have an achievable post-secondary path. These leaders create ripple effects in the communities, changing them for future generations.
Night says their philosophy is that these leaders need to be pre-vetted by life a bit. “There are a million people who have wonderful ideas and are deserving of help, but we wait for one step further, I think, for life to have thrown everything at them and yet they still succeeded. At that point, we ask, ‘What else do you need? How can we help you take this from Step 1 to Step 3?’"
Bhavna says she and Night firmly believe that impactful change is driven by community leaders who have the fortitude, character and cultural expertise to enable their communities to reach toward bold visions for future achievements. "We see these leaders as the experts on issues in their communities. We do not dictate or prescribe solutions, once we decide to support the work of a leader, we simply follow their lead," she explains.
Having been married since 1993 and living in a Philly suburb (fun fact: Night frequently uses Philadelphia as the backdrop in his movies), she and Night take a thoughtful, partnership approach to the Foundation's support by providing community leaders with a combination of:
- Unrestricted funding
- Opportunities to convene and share best practices
- Increased exposure and access to the Foundation's wide network
- Guidance on strategy and planning
- Fundraising opportunities
- Advocacy
"Our partnerships typically last several years, during which time we hope to help set our leaders up for long-term success and increase the scope of their impact. And, while we cannot provide funding in perpetuity, we consider our leaders to be members of our family for life. We will remain their champions until their vision is realized," assures Bhavna.
The Foundation Turns 20
As the Foundation's 20th anniversary is celebrated this year, Bhavna confirms they're really inspired to continue sharing information regarding what the foundation is about, and more importantly who their leaders are.
"Those leaders are doing amazing things to change the world. We'll be bringing on new leaders before year's end, and during 2022, we're looking to increase the number of leaders we support. We're becoming more engaged in the social justice movement and criminal justice reform, which is urgent and critical right now," she asserts.
Bhavna says she and Night also continue to conceive more ways to involve their three daughters -- Saleka, Ishani and Shivani -- in the Foundation. "This has always been a family effort and now that they're adults, it's fun to get more input from them and keep them engaged. They have wonderful ideas and are passionate about this work," she adds.
Bhavna's 20 Observations In Honor of 20th Anniversary
- “Get over yourself; it’s about more than you.” We don't have the luxury to fret as the world continues to suffer; we must act.
- Let community leaders lead; don’t try to impose your own cultural expectations and limited perspectives on what’s best for those whose lives we don't live.
- There is no other. Every individual from every community I've connected with has expressed the same needs, hopes, dreams, wishes and capacity as me. I could have been them, and them me.
- The ability to adapt and iterate is more important than finding “the” solution, because the latter doesn’t really exist.
- Passivity is not neutral. Not acting has an impact.
- NGOs need an operating budget to operate. We don’t expect a business to run without operational costs – why should NGOs be different? Yet somehow we hold this belief that people who want to dedicate their lives to lifting the struggles of others should themselves struggle to live.
- Never forget the gift you hold in that moment of meeting a woman in a village, to show them what they have always deserved to be shown: that they matter.
- Kids in the slums seem to smile more.
- Poverty looks different in different communities.
- There IS hope in humanity. There is goodness, and angels do exist. I’ve been lucky and humbled to have met some.
- Don’t forget to spray your clothes with bug spray before you leave.
- Always pack snacks.
- Plan to arrive at your first destination in the evening so you can get some sleep before the first site visit. Jet lag is real.
- If someone steals your water bottle, know they needed it more than you did.
- The night skies in South Sudan sparkle in a way I have never seen anywhere else I've ever been.
- Within-continent flight times in Africa are “suggestions” at best. Anything can happen.
- Women everywhere love to dance.
- Bring tissues and wipes – for outdoor bathrooms and tears.
- Women are the strength of every community...whenever it gets tough, women rise and take on the burden of keeping things going.
- Words will never be enough to adequately describe the depth and beauty of visiting the programs I am so humbled I get to visit.
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How should we treat others? “There are no others,” ascribes Indian Hindu sage and jivanmukta Ramana Maharshi, as in we're all one and equal.