Swaliga Foundation

The Swaliga Foundation was founded in Washington, D.C. in November of 2012, with a mission to cultivate learning globally and inspire youth to connect their passion to successful careers. Swaliga means “passion,” and is derived from a tribal word from the island of St. Maarten. The Swaliga Foundation empowers young people to find their passion in a number of ways, particularly through STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) education. Swaliga's vision is to be the world's premiere source for innovative youth education while combining creativity and culture. To realize this vision, we provide resources for underserved youth between the ages of 5-21, through afterschool programs, community events, and cultural exchange programs. 100% of our mission is currently focused on serving children and youth ages 5-21 because Swaliga believes that systemic change is rooted in education. Swaliga has served more than 10,000 youth and families to date. By providing a holistic youth development approach through STEAM education, Swaliga is able to engage youth intellectually, emotionally and physically. Along with academic support, the youth that participate in Swaliga’s program become involved in physical activities such as yoga and kung-fu; all while receiving Social Emotional Learning (SEL) support.