Dylan Mahalingam
Dylan is the founder of Lil' MDGs, a unique international development and youth empowerment organization; Lil' MDGs is now an initiative of Jayme's Fund. Dylan founded Lil' MDGs, a non-profit based in New Hampshire, when he was 9 years old. Lil' MDGs mission is to leverage the power of the Internet to educate, engage, inspire, and empower children in all corners of the world to help meet the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Lil' MDGs now has more than 20,000 volunteers hailing from 39 countries. Together, they have made a tangible difference in the lives of over 1 million individuals worldwide! To date, Lil' MDGs has rallied youth from around the world to raise more than $780,000 for tsunami relief and over $10 million for hurricane relief. In addition, Lil' MDGs has mobilized youth to raise funds and resources to build schools, dorms, libraries, playgrounds, community gardens, and more in several countries. To date, through Jayme's Fund, they have awarded over $70,000 in grants to fund projects around the world. In 2009, Lil' MDGs was recognized by the United Nations as the best practice in e-content and technological creativity, demonstrating young people's potential to create outstanding digital content and serving as a platform for people from all UN member states to work together to meet the MDGs. Dylan is a youth speaker for the United Nations Environment Programme and United Nations Development Programme, and he travels internationally to speak to various groups. Dylan is also a panelist and speaker for the United Nations Global Forum on ICT & Development. Most recently, Disney has selected Lil' MDGs to be one of its ongoing volunteering opportunities in New Hampshire.