From Voluntary to Visionary: A 12 Year Journey with Angel Xpress Foundation

 Punita has spent over a decade shaping impactful educational and social initiatives through her work with Angel Xpress and other grassroots programs. 

From teaching entrepreneurship to young students to leading large-scale programs, her journey reflects commitment, innovation and purpose. 

Karina Pandya gets candid with Punita Singh

Q1. You’ve been associated with Angel Xpress Foundation for over a decade. How did

your journey with the organisation begin?

I started volunteering with AXF in 2013. Honestly, it feels like AXF found me - that it was just

waiting to happen. For almost 2-3 months before I joined, I kept hearing of their work through

friends who were associated with them. And then one day, a post on one of our community

WhatsApp groups made it click - it was stories of AXF children, small wins, big smiles—and it

stayed with me. I was looking for something more meaningful with more time on my hands, and

I decided to just show up. I began as a maths teacher at the Sewri centre, thinking I would try it

out for a while. Over a decade (12 years now) later, I’m still here—and it has become one of the

most defining and beautiful parts of my life.

Q2. What makes Angel Xpress Foundation different from other NGOs working in

education?

What makes AXF special is the balance between structure and heart. Really grateful to our

founders, Anubha Sharma and Beena Advani, for giving us this platform. We are deeply

committed to quality education, but equally focused on building relationships and trust. With 34

learning centres, over 3,500 children in our free learning centres, 1,400 students through school

partnerships, and a strong network of 1,400 volunteers, we can combine scale with a

very personal, human approach to learning - like a living, breathing community. It’s not just

about completing a syllabus—it’s about showing up consistently, building trust, and becoming a

part of a child’s world. There’s warmth, there’s structure, and there’s a shared belief that every

child deserves a fair chance.

Q3. What motivated you to step into the social sector, especially in education and

community development?

After spending my initial years in the corporate world, and then taking a break to raise my family, life gave me more time on my hands, as we were moving to being empty nesters. I realised I

wanted to do something meaningful with my time and see the impact more directly. AXF's

purpose resonated with me - it was a perfect teaching and holistic space. The experiences with

the kids always brought joy, and education felt like the most powerful way to create long-term

change. Seeing a child gain confidence or understand something new - that stays with

you—that’s what drew me in and continues to motivate me today, too. The Centres - kids and

volunteers, and all the interactions there, are the energy boosters

Q4. Over the years, how has your role evolved—from Central Coordinator to Chief

Programs Officer?

My journey has been very organic and that of a natural progression into different roles. I started at

the Sewri centre at Sewri - as a volunteer, it felt like a Gurukul, and being in the BMC garden with the kids for their sessions is still nostalgic for me. I then took on responsibilities as a centre

administrator and co-centre head to take care of the overall running and sustenance of the centre.

As I got more involved, I moved into a Central Coordinator role, working across centres. Today,

as Chief Programs Officer, I look at programs more strategically and at scale, so that centres

are supported to be effective. But at heart, I still feel like a teacher. That connection with the

centres, students and volunteers keeps everything grounded. AXF has never felt like “work”

—

the smiles, the small wins, the “Didi, I got it!” moments—they stay with you. Across all roles, it

has always felt like it was something I was meant to do.

Q5. As Chief Programs Officer, what are your key responsibilities today?

My role today is a blend of strategy and execution. I oversee program design, curriculum

development with our trainer team, volunteer training, CSR tie-ups events, logistics, reporting

and overall program quality across all centres. A big part of my work is ensuring the quality of our

work, consistency as we scale, and continuously asking—are we creating real, measurable

impact for our students? And are we creating the THE JOSH? It's a mix of strategy + staying

real + building love, connection and commitment across everyone associated - and that’s what

creates the AXF magic.

Q6. How do you design and implement programs that effectively support students from

underserved communities?

We begin by understanding where the children are—academically and emotionally. Every centre

and its team and its students are different, and it’s important to recognise and factor this into our

work. Our programs are structured but flexible, designed to meet children at their level and

gradually build their confidence and skills. Continuous assessments, feedback loops, and strong

volunteer training help ensure that what we design translates effectively into better delivery and

impact on the ground. We keep things simple, engaging, and consistent. And most importantly,

we keep checking—are the children learning, enjoying, and coming back with curiosity? So we

don’t go with “one size fits all. We keep tweaking.

Q7. What role does innovation play in shaping programs at Angel Xpress?

Innovation plays a big role, especially when working across diverse learning environments.

Innovation yahan fancy word nahi hai—it’s everyday survival. It’s not always about big

changes—often it’s about finding simple, creative ways to make learning more engaging and

relatable. Our volunteers bring in fresh and simple ideas constantly, which keeps the programs

dynamic and responsive and keeps our students engaged.

Q8. Can you walk us through how a typical program is planned and executed from start

to finish? 

Every program starts with identifying a need—whether academic or developmental. We then design the curriculum, create session plans, and train our volunteers. Once implemented, we monitor closely through observations and assessments, gather feedback, and refine continuously. There’s constant feedback, small tweaks, and a lot of teamwork. It’s not a straight line—it’s more like a living process that keeps evolving.It’s a collaborative and evolving process.

Q9. What are the biggest challenges you face while managing large-scale social

programs, and how do you overcome them?

Maintaining consistency across multiple centres while working with a large volunteer base is

definitely a challenge. We address this through strong systems, structured training, and regular

engagement with our volunteers. When people feel connected to the purpose, they bring their

best—and that makes all the difference. When people feel connected to the purpose, they go

the extra mile. Jab log emotionally connected hote hain, toh magic happens. Systems help, but

passion is the real driver.

Q10. What is your vision for the future of Angel Xpress Foundation and its programs?

My vision is to continue expanding our reach while deepening our impact. Growth is important,

and so it is having our hearts in the right place - and that’s part of the AXF way of thinking -

Ensuring that each and every child benefits meaningfully from our programs is very critical. We

aim and hope to continue to create confident, curious learners and build a model that can

inspire many more such initiatives.

Q11. How do you see the role of education evolving in creating social change in India?

Education today has to go beyond academics. It’s about building confidence, critical thinking,

and life skills. When children start believing in themselves, they begin to change not just their

own lives, but also their families and communities.

Q11. What advice would you give to young professionals or students who want to work in the social impact space?

Just start. Don’t wait for the “perfect” opportunity. Step in, volunteer, experience it for yourself.

The social sector will challenge you, but it will also give you a kind of fulfilment that’s hard to

find elsewhere. The social sector requires patience and resilience, but the sense of purpose it

offers is incredibly rewarding, and trust me, once you start, you’ll keep coming back.

Q12. If you could describe your journey in one sentence, what would it be?

I started out wanting to give back—and along the way, discovered purpose, perspective, and a

sense of fulfilment —and ended up finding a part of myself I didn’t know was missing. It has

given far more back to me!