Can philanthropy save us? These dedicated practitioners—people who not only put their money where their mouth is, but their time, energy, and passion where their money is—offer lasting proof.
Charlize Theron and the Power of True Partnership
She has won an Oscar for her work onscreen, but there’s no role more important to the South Africa–born actress than advocate for health and human rights at home.
“She is so passionately dedicated to CTAOP,” says Margot Robbie.
Fellow Warriors
Purvi Padia
The first-generation Indian-American interior designer—moved by the struggles of India’s 1.5 million children without parents living in residential institutions—linked up with UNICEF in 2018 to launch Project LION. The program tackles the issue of supporting vulnerable children from every angle: improving conditions in childcare institutions; creating family-based care for children in need of homes; and working with state governments and nonprofits to bring rehabilitative services to the children. “LION is the definition of investing in humanity,” Padia says. “It is implementing long-term, sustainable, economically savvy change that will empower generations to come. And it is a model of how to successfully structure partnerships between governments and humanitarian organizations to serve the world’s most vulnerable children.” To date 895,539 children have been provided with family-based care, and 603,462 frontline workers have been trained to respond to child protection crises.
“I am UNICEF. You are UNICEF. We are UNICEF,” was the mantra consistently shared amongst each speaker at this year’s UNICEF gala. As an organization that promotes sustainable living for children globally, last night’s efforts were no different. This year UNICEF lit up the night at Chelsea, Manhattan’s The Glasshouse, displaying the faces of children whose lives the organization has successfully impacted as guests made their way in. Moving videos shared the powerful numbers behind the work of UNICEF and the dedication it takes to achieve them.
One particular voice that served as a symbol of success was that of Faatiha Aayat, the 11-year-old youth advocate and founder of the non-profit CHIL&D. Aayat who began her path to success at UNICEF’S day of the girl, found her voice because of the efforts of UNICEF and wants to continue to share the gift of giving with children much like herself. In the theme of paying it forward, this year, the organization honored Purvi Padia with the Spirit of Compassion Award for her dedicated passion for tirelessly shaping the lives of children.
November 30, 2022 — What better way to celebrate Giving Tuesday than UNICEF’s annual gala?
Society’s chic philanthropy set flocked to The Glasshouse last evening to celebrate the amazing, unparalleled impact UNICEF has on children’s lives around the world, and in particular, Spirit of Compassion Award honoree Purvi Padia.
On Wednesday, Nov. 10, guests gathered at Glasshouse in Chelsea to celebrate UNICEF Project Lion, which focuses on improving the lives of India’s 1.5 million children living without parental care. Purvi Padia hosted the evening soiree, at which guests such as Jennifer Esposito, Lili Buffett, Grace Forrest, Elizabeth Kurpis, Daniela Tish and more sipped cocktails, enjoyed a seated dinner and purchased exclusive jewelry from the LIONESS collection as well as pieces from the House of Neverland brand.
This Wednesday evening, a bevy of fashionable and generous guests made their way to Glasshouse in Chelsea to celebrate the second phase of Purvi Padia’s UNICEF PROJECT Lion.
Founded by Padia in 2018, PROJECT Lion focuses on improving the lives of children without parental care in India. Seeing as India has more children than any other country in the world, with an estimated 1.5 million children growing up in residential institutions, Padia’s mission could not be more paramount, and having already had success with reaching more than 582,000 children with care and support since its inception.
Discovering your calling amid a successful career in fashion as an interior designer is just what happened to Purvi Padia, who established her studio, Purvi Padia Design, in New York City in 2008. But what is so advantageous to having a background in fashion, is that your aesthetic is honed and refined.
Padia’s portfolio is chock-full of neutral-toned luxe interiors that are not only luxurious, but livably comfortable. The lines and colors harken the work of historic legend, Jean Michel Frank, with a touch of mid-century modern and neutral-hued maximalism. Her sense of balance is so on-point that any of her designs would work in both traditional or contemporary architectural homes. Her family’s home in Bridgehampton is her “favorite place on earth.”
In 2012, her work received the Best of Remodeling Award from Houzz, an online platform for residential remodeling and design, chosen by the more than 1.2 million registered members of their avid community. Purvi Padia Design was also selected for the 2020 Best of Manhattan Award in the Interior Designer category by the Manhattan Award Program and is also an Honoree in Interior Design in Luxe Interiors + Design’s 2020 Gold List. Most recently, Padia designed a room she dubbed The Lioness for the Kaleidoscope Project at the historic bed and breakfast Cornell Inn located in Lenox, Massachusetts.
Beyond her amazing work, her passion for philanthropy also runs deep. Padia has sat on a number of non-profit boards including Girls Inc, UNICEF Next Generation, and UNICEF USA, to name a few. In 2018 Padia founded Project Lion, as a UNICEF initiative. The focus is to improve the lives of India’s 1.5 million orphaned children who live in impoverished conditions and endure lives deprived of basic human rights. Since the start of the program, Project Lion has reached more than 582,000 children. In addition, she collaborated with London Jewelers to create the Lioness collection which found an early celebrity following, and 100 percent of proceeds go to support UNICEF Project Lion.
We talked to Padia to learn more about her intense life of design and philanthropy and how she managed through the pandemic.
A first-generation Indian American makes empathy a family heirloom.
Fashion is brave. A vehicle for self-expression, it takes risks, sets trends, manifests culture and reflects an attitude. Purvi Padia (purvipadia.com), renowned residential interior designer and founder of UNICEF’s Project Lion, fearlessly redefines fashion, taking it out of the dressing room and across the continent.
With an aim to improve the lives of India’s 1.5 million orphaned children, Padia launched the Project Lion initiative in 2018 to change the trajectory of India’s most vulnerable children.
Purvi Padia grew up traveling back and forth between America and India, where she would spend weeks at a time with extended family. And while she claims to have an otherwise shoddy memory, there are a series of images that have stayed burned in her brain: People living in abject poverty and children abandoned and suffering on the streets. She was so affected that her parents considered stopping the visits for a time when she was young. But she insisted on returning and trying to help. “I simply felt like I couldn’t just sit there while there were people right outside my door who were hungry. It was really hard for me, so I did what I could, even when I was little.” Now a mother herself (to Rehan, 10, and Reven, 7), living in NYC and heading up her own thriving interior design firm, Purvi Padia Design, her commitment has only grown. A longtime UNICEF board member, she spearheaded Project Lion, a UNICEF-affiliated program created to protect children living in institutions throughout India and give them a better chance to grow up in loving, stable, and nurturing environments.
“I never take this necklace off, and I get stopped every day asking where it’s from. This incredible piece gives back to the children of India, while it makes me feel like a lioness. It makes me feel decorated with strength and goodness while actually helping others.”
A chic Sienna Miller enjoyed the view at Purvi Padia’s Mother’s Day brunch, which celebrated the launch of the designer’s Lioness Collection that supports Unicef’s Project Lion.
