Missing Link Trust 8th non-profit to list on SSE

Missing Link Trust (MLT), a nonprofit organisation dedicated to the prevention of child abuse and exploitation in India, has said that its Child Safety Education Bond has been listed on the Social Stock Exchange (SSE) under the National Stock Exchange. This financial instrument, structured as a Zero Coupon Zero Principle (ZCZP) bond, achieved full subscription, raising ₹1.2 crore.

This bond marks a milestone not only for MLT but also for the Indian social sector, making MLT, the eighth non-profit to be listed on the SSE, an acknowledgement of its work and the social change model. The Social Stock Exchange segment on the NSE provides Social Enterprises (Non-profit organizations (NPOs) and For-profit enterprises (FPEs)) engaged in eligible activities a unique opportunity to register and raise funds on a recognised exchange.

The funds are earmarked for MLT’s Missing Awareness and Safety School program (MASSp), which is set to educate 29,000 adolescents in the Sundarbans region of West Bengal. The program focuses on equipping children with critical skills and knowledge to safeguard themselves from sexual abuse and exploitation, both online and offline.

After first paving way for the listing in 2020, SEBI in 2023 relaxed some of the guidelines to raise funds, including halving the minimum fund-raising size to ₹50 lakh. The Bengaluru-based Unnati Foundation, which works on skilling underprivileged youth to increase their employability, was the first NGO to list on India’s new social stock exchanges (SSE) in December 2023, after it raised Rs 2 crore through a zero-coupon, zero-principal bond issue.

Leena Kejriwal, Founder Trustee of Missing Link Trust, says: “The overwhelming response from 18 philanthropists, especially from SVP Partners, demonstrates a shared commitment to empowering and protecting vulnerable children across India. The funds raised will enable us to expand our MASSp program and empower some of our most vulnerable children to stay safe online and offline.”

India faces a critical challenge as instances of child exploitation have surged alarmingly, and the advent of digital technologies has only heightened these dangers, with a 400% increase in cybercrimes against children from 2019 to 2020 alone, highest in the world and —a 6% increase from 2021.

Govind Iyer, All India Chairperson of SVP India, highlighted the efforts that have supported MLT’s mission: “We look forward to continuing our collaboration as MLT expands its reach across new geographies.”