Manjula Singh

Manjula Singh is CIFF’s Executive Director, India, driving the Foundation’s mission in India and partnerships across health and nutrition, education, women’s economic empowerment, ending violence against children and climate action – advancing high‑impact solutions through systems leadership and collaboration.

Manjula has been central to localising and advancing GIRL Capital, CIFF’s approach to expanding education, life skills, and school‑to‑work opportunities for girls. Under her leadership, CIFF has strengthened financing models and delivery systems that mobilise resources at scale and enable girls to exercise agency and realise their full potential.

Since joining CIFF in 2015, Manjula has overseen major portfolios spanning maternal and child health, nutrition, sexual reproductive health and girls’ empowerment. Prior to CIFF, she spent six years with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (formerly DFID) in India as Senior Nutrition and Health Adviser, where she led large‑scale sector reform efforts with state governments across health, nutrition, WASH, and governance. Earlier in her career, she worked with grassroots and nonprofit organisations on reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, microfinance, and humanitarian response, grounding her perspective in community realities.

With more than 25 years of experience in the development sector, Manjula is known for leadership that ignites courage, her ability to shape system‑level change, and her deep commitment to gender equality. She is especially passionate about building systems that enable girls to grow into independent, confident young women.

Manjula has served on the Girls First Fund board and currently serves on the YuWaah! (Generation Unlimited) board in India, reinforcing her long‑standing commitment to adolescent empowerment. She has also contributed to national policy through roles with Government of India advisory groups, including NITI Aayog’s Vision 2022 Advisory Committee, where she helped shape the Strategy for New India @ 75 and the Three‑Year Action Agenda.

Born and raised in India, Manjula holds postgraduate degrees in social work and public health. She brings a grounded, people‑centred lens to all her work.