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{{Short description|Indian businesswoman (born 1965)}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Jeroo Billimoria
| image = Jeroo Bilimoria, 28 Nov 2019.jpg
| image size =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1965|07|20}}
| birth_place = [[Mumbai|Bombay]], India
| alma_mater = [[University of Mumbai]] ([[Bachelor of Commerce|BComm]])<br />[[Tata Institute of Social Sciences]] ([[Master of Arts|MA]])<br />[[The New School for Social Research]] ([[Master of Science|MS]])
| occupation = Social entrepreneur
}}

'''Jeroo Billimoria''' (born 20 July 1965) is an Indian [[social entrepreneur]] and the founder of several international [[NGO]]s. Her work has been featured in several books.<ref>"The Power of Unreasonable People," John Elkington and Pamela Hartigan, Harvard Business Press, 5 February 2008. Jeroo is profiled as a leading social entrepreneur.</ref><ref>"How to Change the World," David Bornstein, Oxford University Press, 2004. Chapter on Jeroo's life and work with Childline India.</ref><ref name="Rippling">"Rippling: How Social Entrepreneurs Spread Innovation Throughout the World," Beverly Schwartz, Jossey Bass, 2012.</ref> Her most recent initiatives include [[Child and Youth Finance International]] (CYFI), which [[Jeroo]] founded in 2011, [[Aflatoun]] (Child Savings International), [[Childline India Foundation]] and [[Child Helpline International]]. Her most recent initiative is [[Catalyst Now]], (formerly Catalyst 2030).

==Early life and education==
Billimoria was born in [[Mumbai|Bombay]], India to an accountant and a social worker. Raised in a family strongly committed to social service, her father's early death caused her to dedicate herself to social causes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ashoka.org/fellow/Jeroo-Billimoria |title=Jeroo Billimoria | Ashoka | Everyone a Changemaker |publisher=Ashoka |date= |access-date=2017-10-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111013651/http://www.ashoka.org/fellow/jeroo-billimoria |archive-date=11 November 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> Billimoria received a [[Bachelor of Commerce]] from the [[University of Mumbai]] (formerly the [[University of Bombay]]) in 1986, an [[Master of Arts|M.A.]] in Social Work from India's [[Tata Institute of Social Sciences]] in 1988 and an [[Master of Science|M.S]]. in Non-Profit Management from [[The New School for Social Research]] in [[New York City]] in 1992. From 1991 to 1999, she was a [[professor]] at the [[Tata Institute of Social Sciences]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://india.ashoka.org/fellow/jeroo-billimoria|title=Jeroo Billimoria {{!}} Ashoka - India|website=india.ashoka.org|language=en|access-date=2018-03-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180309053951/http://india.ashoka.org/fellow/jeroo-billimoria|archive-date=9 March 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Career ==

=== Social entrepreneurship ===
In 1989 [[Bilimora|Billimoria]] travelled for a six months before going back to [[Tata Institute of Social Sciences]] and there becoming an instructor. A number of her graduate students were placed as [[Social Workers Union|social workers]] in Bombay's shelters.

As she became aware of the need for an organisation which could co-ordinate the multiple children's agencies in [[Mumbai|Bombay]] to efficiently and quickly contact and assist the children, she tried to persuade these services to work with each other. After several failed attempts and having found very little enthusiasm for the idea, she decided to drop her convincing labour.<ref name="Bornstain 2007">{{cite book|last=Bornstain|first=David|title=How to Change the World|year=2007|publisher=Oxford University Press, Inc.}}</ref>

Instead in 1991, she founded an organisation called Meljol (Coming Together) to bring together children from diverse background to work, side by side, on projects with tangible social benefits. This organisation seeks to develop [[children's citizenship]] skills by focusing on their rights and responsibilities and providing them opportunities to contribute positively to their environment. [[Equal Rights, Opportunities and Respect for all,]] forms the basis of Meljol's philosophy.<ref>{{cite web|title=Meljol Website|url=http://meljol.net/india/|access-date=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115151750/http://meljol.net/india/|archive-date=15 January 2013|url-status=usurped}}</ref>

In 1996, Billimoria created [[Childline India Foundation]], a 24-hour emergency telephone service for children, based on her work with children living on the streets of India. Eventually all phones available for public use could dial Childline toll free in order to help children find aid in places where an emergency shelter may not be located.<ref>[[David Bornstein (author)|David Bornstein]], ''How to Change the World'' (New York: Oxford University Press, 2007), 82</ref> In June 1998, Childline held an event, inviting the government and other people from 29 different cities in India to help spread the Childline phone service. [[Anand Bordia]], joint secretary of India's [[Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment]], had been in contact with [[Bilimora|Billimoria]] about expanding Childline across the country. Following the presentation, Bordia, along with [[A. K. Singh|A. P. Singh]], deputy secretary of the Ministry of Justice and Social Empowerment, offered to help expand Childline to ten cities. A month later, [[Maneka Gandhi]], India's minister of social justice and empowerment, talked to Billimoria, stating that Childline should be expanded further, offering service to children in all of India's largest cities (totaling more than 1 million in population).<ref>David Bornstein, ''How to Change the World'' (New York: Oxford University Press, 2007), 83-84</ref> In 2002, Childline had expanded to 43 cities in India, with 12 more soon to be added.<ref name="World' 2007">David Bornstein, ''How to Change the World'' (New York: Oxford University Press, 2007), 90</ref>

Billimoria founded [[Child Helpline International]], an international network of emergency telephone service providers for children. To date this network has answered over 140 million calls across 133 countries.<ref name="Rippling"/> By compiling information on the types of emergencies the children experienced, CHI is able to identify and communicate trends to governmental and non-governmental organisations,<ref name="Rippling"/> allowing emergency assistance to be tailored to fit the specific demands of each community.

After compiling data through the helplines, it became clear that many of the distress calls could be traced to poverty.<ref>Jeroo Billimoria, "ChildLine/ ChildFinance" TEDxHamburg [video], posted by TEDx Talks, accessed February 5, 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8ppaYLGtEk.</ref> To address this concern, Billimoria created [[Aflatoun]], a [[Nonprofit organization|non-profit]] organisation focused on teaching children their economic rights and responsibilities as well as promoting basic financial management skills and habits. Today her organisation has reached 8 million children in 101 countries.<ref>{{cite web|title=Results to Date|url=http://aflatoun.org/story/story-selected/results-to-date|last=|first=|date=|website=|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130309182447/http://aflatoun.org/story/story-selected/results-to-date|archive-date=9 March 2013|access-date=2013-03-02|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

In July 2011, Billimoria founded [[Child and Youth Finance International]], a global network of states, financial entities and educational institutions dedicated to increasing the financial capabilities and financial inclusion of children and youth through collaboration and resource-sharing.<ref>{{cite web|title=About us|url=http://www.childandyouthfinanceinternational.org/about-us|last=|first=|date=|website=|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130708194358/http://www.childfinanceinternational.org/about-us|archive-date=8 July 2013|access-date=2013-03-02|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

Recently, Billimoria joined the advisory board of Deedmob, a social startup that is transforming the volunteering sector.<ref>Deedmob [https://www.deedmob.com/team Advisory Board] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190227120736/https://www.deedmob.com/team |date=27 February 2019 }}</ref>

Billimoria is now founder of One Family Foundation, a small private foundation, which incubates social innovations and applies the systems change methodology to help organizations scale. In collaboration with a large group of social entrepreneurs, she is one of the founding members of the Catalyst 2030 movement which aims at accelerating the UN's Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and working toward changing systems at all levels.<ref>[https://www.onefamilyfoundation.one/ OneFamilyFoundation]</ref> The organization was later renamed Catalyst Now.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Catalyst Now MENA |url=https://micromentor.org/catalystnowmena |access-date=2026-01-27 |website=Micromentor |language=en-US}}</ref>

You can read her views and thoughts about social innovation on her blog: ''[https://www.onefamilyfoundation.one/blog Jeroo is Politically Incorrect]''

=== Childline ===
Billimoria is the founder of Childline, a hot-line for children homeless Indian children. The organization was aimed at helping children who had been abused, lost, or sick. From 1996 to 2002 when Jeroo retired, Childline received 2.7 million calls. Jeroo was also able to connect with the local police force and hospitals. She was able to put medical booths in areas where many calls were coming in reporting sick children, and even trained police officers to be more aware of children on the streets around them.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Borstein|first1=David|title=How to Change the World|date=2007|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=New York|isbn=978-0-19-533476-0|page=[https://archive.org/details/howtochangeworld00born_0/page/128 128]|url=https://archive.org/details/howtochangeworld00born_0/page/128}}</ref> This ethical fiber is often influenced by a relative who has strong morals and makes an impact on an entrepreneur's early life.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Bornstein|first1=David|title=How to Change the World|date=2007|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=New York|isbn=978-0-19-533476-0|page=[https://archive.org/details/howtochangeworld00born_0/page/245 245]|url=https://archive.org/details/howtochangeworld00born_0/page/245}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Bornstein|first1=David|title=How to Change the World|date=2007|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=New York|isbn=978-0-19-533476-0|pages=[https://archive.org/details/howtochangeworld00born_0/page/77 77–78]|url=https://archive.org/details/howtochangeworld00born_0/page/77}}</ref>

Jeroo Billimoria began Childline as a leveraged nonprofit.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Elkington|first1=John|title=The Power of Unreasonable People|date=2008|publisher=Harvard Business Press|location=Boston|isbn=978-1-4221-0406-4|page=[https://archive.org/details/powerofunreasona0000elki/page/31 31]|url=https://archive.org/details/powerofunreasona0000elki/page/31}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Bornstein|first1=David|title=How to Change the World|date=2007|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=New York|isbn=978-0-19-533476-0|page=[https://archive.org/details/howtochangeworld00born_0/page/84 84]|url=https://archive.org/details/howtochangeworld00born_0/page/84}}</ref> As her employees she hired young men and women who had once been street children themselves. These employees could easily spread the word about Childline to the children and understand how best to serve them. Many of her policies were influenced by listening to what the children thought they needed. She also pointed to India's laws to gain government support for Childline.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Bornstein|first1=David|title=How to Change the World|date=2007|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=New York|isbn=978-0-19-533476-0|pages=[https://archive.org/details/howtochangeworld00born_0/page/80 80–84]|url=https://archive.org/details/howtochangeworld00born_0/page/80}}</ref>

=== Child and Youth Finance International ===

Billimoria established Child and Youth Finance International (CYFI) as a system change organizations focused on furthering financial literacy and financial inclusion policies and program for young people. In 2019, CYFI the work of CYFI was concluded after having achieved its social mission, and worked with 64,000 partners in 175 countries. It's key initiatives were handed to global institutions.
CYFI had four key initiatives, [[Global Money Week]] (GMW), Ye! for Young Entrepreneurs, SchoolBank and the Global Inclusion Awards. [[Global Money Week]] (GMW) was handed over to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Ye! to the International Trade Centre, SchoolBank to Aflatounand the Global Inclusion Awards to the Alliance for Financial Inclusion.

==Recognition and awards==

In April 2018, Jeroo Billimoria received a Royal Honor from the King of the [[Netherlands]] by being appointed Officer of the Order of [[House of Orange-Nassau|Orange-Nassau]]. The Order of Orange-Nassau ([[Orde van Oranje-Nassau]]) is a Dutch civilian order of chivalry awarded to persons who have committed outstanding service to society. As an Officer of the Order, Jeroo is now ranked among renowned Dutch politicians, artists and scientists. This Honor recognizes Jeroo's contribution to global society, having established and led multiple international non-governmental organizations based in the Netherlands.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

Billimoria is a speaker and advocate of economic empowerment for children.<ref name="skollfoundation.org">{{cite web |url=http://www.skollfoundation.org/entrepreneur/jeroo-billimoria/ |title=Skoll | Aflatoun |publisher=Skollfoundation.org |date=2013-03-07 |access-date=2017-10-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130413110204/http://www.skollfoundation.org/entrepreneur/jeroo-billimoria/ |archive-date=13 April 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> She has been a speaker at the [[World Economic Forum]], the [[Skoll World Forum]] for [[Social entrepreneurship|Social Entrepreneurship]] and several international corporations and universities. Additional awards include:
*Billimoria is listed as #4 in the 2015 edition of "De Dikke Blauwe Top 100" Philanthropy Year Guide.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://childfinanceinternational.org/8-homepage/2-child-youth-finance-international.html|title=Child & Youth Finance International|website=childfinanceinternational.org|language=en-gb|access-date=2018-03-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308231945/https://childfinanceinternational.org/8-homepage/2-child-youth-finance-international.html|archive-date=8 March 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>
*Billimoria is ranked 3rd in the charity and non-profit category of Opzij's Top 100 Influential Women 2015<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://childfinanceinternational.org/news-and-events/news-blog/entry/cyfi-s-founder-recognized-as-top-influential-woman.html|title=CYFI's founder recognized as Top Influential Woman|access-date=2018-03-08|language=en-gb|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308232037/https://childfinanceinternational.org/news-and-events/news-blog/entry/cyfi-s-founder-recognized-as-top-influential-woman.html|archive-date=8 March 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>
*CYFI listed among Global Journal's Top 100 NGOs (2015) and highlighted as "Most Promising New NGO" (2013)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://theglobaljournal.net/photo/view/1453/ |title=Most Promising NGOs |publisher=The Global Journal |date= |access-date=2017-10-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130601024744/http://theglobaljournal.net/photo/view/1453/ |archive-date=1 June 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>
*[[Aflatoun]] named to Global Journal's Top 100 NGOs (2012 and 2013)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://theglobaljournal.net/top100NGOs/ |title=Top 100 NGOs | the Global Journal |access-date=25 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130326235426/http://theglobaljournal.net/top100NGOs/ |archive-date=26 March 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>
*Innovators for the Public Fellowship awarded by [[Ashoka: Innovators for the Public]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ashoka.org/node/2835 |title=Ashoka Fellows |access-date=26 October 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090612071138/http://www.ashoka.org/node/2835 |archive-date=12 June 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*Schwab Fellowship for Social Entrepreneurs<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.schwabfound.org/sf/SocialEntrepreneurs/Profiles/index.htm?sname=117770&sorganization=0&sarea=0&ssector=0&stype=0 |title=Schwab Social Entrepreneurs |access-date=26 October 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100926063411/http://www.schwabfound.org/sf/SocialEntrepreneurs/Profiles/index.htm?sname=117770&sorganization=0&sarea=0&ssector=0&stype=0 |archive-date=26 September 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref>
*2012 Outstanding Social Entrepreneur<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.schwabfound.org/pdf/schwabfound/SchwabFoundation_ProfilesBrochure2012.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2013-01-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120913103649/http://www.schwabfound.org/pdf/schwabfound/SchwabFoundation_ProfilesBrochure2012.pdf |archive-date=13 September 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
*[[Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship|Skoll Award]] for Social Entrepreneurship<ref name="skollfoundation.org"/>
*One of the Phoenix 50 for her work with Aflatoun<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.volans.com/lab/projects/phoenix/the-phoenix-50/ |title=Volans / The Phoenix 50 |access-date=2013-03-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120511025516/http://www.volans.com/lab/projects/phoenix/the-phoenix-50/ |archive-date=11 May 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
*Union of Arab Banks Award for her work with CYFI<ref>{{cite web |url=http://menaen.childfinanceinternational.org/index.php/session-summary-day-1/honoring-ceremony-2012 |title=Honoring Ceremony |website=menaen.childfinanceinternational.org |access-date=14 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140917003440/http://menaen.childfinanceinternational.org/index.php/session-summary-day-1/honoring-ceremony-2012 |archive-date=17 September 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Organizations founded==
*Telephone Helplines Association
*Credibility Alliance
*Meljol
*[[Childline India Foundation]]
*[[Child Helpline International]]
*[[Aflatoun|Aflatoun International]]
*Child and Youth Finance International
*Catalyst Now (formerly Catalyst 2030)<ref>{{Cite web |title=OUR GOVERNANCE |url=https://catalystnow.net/our-governance/ |access-date=2025-10-31 |website=Catalyst Now |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Published works==
*Children & Change and Partners for Change (2009)
*''Twinkle Star (Std. I to Std. IV)'' value education textbooks.
*''Explorer Series (Std. V to Std. IV)'' value education textbooks.
*''Childline Across India'' series:
**Listening to children: An overview to Childline
**Laying the Foundation: Getting Started and Taking Off
**Childline at my finger tips: A resource book
**Spreading the word: Childline awareness strategies
**Recording children's concerns: Documenting Childline
*''The National Initiative for Child Protection''
*''Voices from the streets'': Life stories of children who have called Childline
*Her Blog: [https://www.onefamilyfoundation.one/blog ''Jeroo is Politically Incorrect'']

==References==
{{Reflist|32em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20091209054650/http://sic.conversationsnetwork.org/shows/detail3505.html Podcast Interview with Jeroo Billimoria] Social Innovation Conversations, 21 December 2007
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20091031012958/http://summit09.operationhope.org/about-the-summit Global Financial Literacy Summit] Operation HOPE, June 2009. Minutes: 09:00 – 14:22
* [https://www.ashoka.org/fellow/Jeroo-Billimoria Ashoka profile on Jeroo Billimoria]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Billimoria, Jeroo}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1965 births]]
[[Category:Indian women company founders]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Mumbai]]
[[Category:Indian company founders]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian businesspeople]]
[[Category:Indian social entrepreneurs]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian businesswomen]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian businesswomen]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian businesspeople]]
[[Category:Businesswomen from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:University of Mumbai alumni]]
[[Category:Tata Institute of Social Sciences alumni]]
[[Category:The New School alumni]]

Jeroo Billimoria - Revision history

PANModesto at 03:22, 3 March 2026