From a Small Thought to a Larger Purpose: The Journey of Jolly Tuli and Will To Win Foundation
Founder Story | Will To Win Foundation
Every journey has a beginning. Sometimes it starts with a clear plan, and sometimes it begins with a small thought that stays with you for years. For Jolly Tuli, Founder of Will To Win Foundation, it was a thought that slowly turned into a purpose.
Born in Ludhiana, Jolly completed her graduation from Government College, Ludhiana. Her interest in children led her to pursue Early Childhood Education (ECE) from PAU University along with Child Psychology. She also worked at a play school to gain practical experience, as she had always wanted to start one of her own.
Life, however, took her in another direction.
After getting married in 1992, Jolly moved to Dhanbad and became a mother of two. Her family became her priority, but her wish to do something of her own never completely went away. Over the years, she explored different professional paths and also ran her own beauty venture for nearly a decade.
Those experiences, in different ways, helped shape the person she would become.
The Thought Behind Will To Win
The idea of Will To Win Foundation started simply. After their children had grown up, Jolly and a few friends began thinking about how they could use their time and experience to contribute to society.
There was no big setup in the beginning. It was simply a few people who wanted to do something useful.
As more people, including men and Rotarians, joined them, the idea gradually grew.
During this journey, Jolly began noticing a common problem. Many people have talent and the willingness to work, but they may not have the right opportunity, guidance or confidence to take the next step.
That became an important part of her vision.
For Jolly, helping someone should not only mean giving them support for the moment. It should also mean helping them develop the skills and confidence to create a better future for themselves.
This is the thought behind the Foundation’s philosophy:
Empowerment to Employment | Dignity • Skills • Opportunity
Creating Opportunities, One Step at a Time
The Foundation’s work reflects this belief.
Through Paathshala, children of domestic help and migrant labourers receive free educational support. Along with academics, the initiative focuses on confidence-building and basic life skills.
Another initiative, Kala Kaushal, focuses on skill development for women and girls from underserved communities. Activities such as tailoring, crafts and macramé are aimed at giving them practical skills that can potentially become a source of income and independence.
The Foundation has also collaborated with the Senior Citizens Welfare Association in Vasant Kunj, recognising that senior citizens have valuable experience and skills that can be shared with younger generations.
Health is another area of work, with health initiatives and medical camps organised with the support of volunteer doctors.
For Jolly, however, the real impact is not always about numbers.
Sometimes it is about seeing a person gain confidence.
Someone who once thought, “I cannot,” beginning to believe, “I can learn. I can do this. I can earn.”
That change, however small it may appear, can be the beginning of something much bigger.
The Woman Behind the Journey
Jolly’s own life has gone through several chapters – as a mother, homemaker, entrepreneur and now social entrepreneur.
Each role brought its own responsibilities and lessons.
Her journey has also strengthened her belief that women should not underestimate what they can do. Years spent managing a family can teach patience, responsibility, resilience and leadership – qualities that can later help a woman build something of her own.
Her advice is simple: don’t wait for everything to be perfect. Start with what you have, use what you know and take the first step.
Looking Ahead
Jolly wants to see Will To Win Foundation grow into a stronger and more sustainable organisation across Delhi NCR and surrounding communities.
The focus ahead is to expand education and livelihood initiatives and create more opportunities for women and girls to move from learning skills to generating income and employment.
The Foundation also hopes to work with corporates, CSR organisations, professionals and community groups to expand its reach.
One idea particularly close to Jolly’s vision is to create a cycle of opportunity – where women learn a skill, create something, find a market for it, earn from their work and, in turn, become capable of supporting others.
For her, that is what sustainable change can look like.
What “Will To Win” Means to Jolly
For Jolly, Will To Win is more than the name of an organisation.
It is about facing circumstances, believing in yourself and continuing to move forward.
Will To Win means hope, courage, dignity and opportunity.
She often remembers the line:
“अकेला चला था मैं, कारवां बनता गया।”
What started with a small thought and a few people has gradually become a shared journey of empowerment and opportunity.
But Jolly does not see her own journey as complete. She believes there is still more to learn, more to build and more to dream.
And that is perhaps the message she wants every woman to hear.
“Your story is not over. Your dreams are not too late.”
“Trust yourself. Trust the universe. Everyone has their own time, their own journey, and their own moment to bloom.”
You may not know where your journey is taking you today. That’s okay.
Keep going. Keep believing. Keep moving.
“I am still learning, still building and still dreaming. And perhaps that is the most beautiful part of the journey – I am not finished yet.”
Because it is never too late to begin again.
Your time will come. Just keep going.
And perhaps that is the story behind Will To Win Foundation – a small thought that grew into a purpose, a few people who became a community, and a journey that continues to create opportunities for others.
Sometimes, all it takes to begin changing a life is the will to take the first step.
