Magic Bus was founded in 1999 by Matthew Spacie on the principle that sports had the power to transform lives. What began as an afternoon rugby game with local youth quickly developed into weekly training sessions run by Matthew. The energy and competition that these trainings fostered inspired those participating to re-engage with school, enroll in vocational programs, and to serve as mentors for younger generations in their communities. This encouraged involvement of more youth in the community and Matthew began running weekend activity camps that aimed to create sustainable livelihoods for the poverty-stricken communities he was serving.

Over the next 10 years, our Sports for Development programs gained significant traction and impact in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. In 2009, we expanded our programs across 15 states to deliver life skills through activity-based curriculum in schools, fostering a supportive ecosystem in communities across India.

By 2019, the Magic Bus Childhood to Livelihood program had served over 1 million youths in India’s poorest communities, providing them with resources to become first-generation wage earners. We continue to build on our program’s impact with a steadfast commitment to enable youth aged 12-18 to complete secondary education and young adults aged 18-25 to attain necessary skills for a stable job.