An inspiring initiative by a couple who aspire to help beggars become entrepreneurs WE often find ourselves in a fix when it comes to giving money to beggars. There is no certainty whether the money we hand out will actually help them or end up supporting a criminal syndicate. At best it seems like a…
‘Listen to rural communities to understand their needs’
This is the lesson Zarina Screwvala learned after she co-founded Swades Foundation SWADES Foundation believes that India will never achieve its true growth story until its rural communities – about 70% of the country’s population – are empowered. With an aim to provide holistic social reforms, Swades has empowered millions by giving them access to…
5 top NGOs fighting for Social Justice in India
Every nonprofit in India is trying to gain equal opportunities for its beneficiaries SOCIAL justice is what every nonprofit believes in – that everyone deserves equal economic, political and social rights and opportunities. Often the inequality is about access and discrimination against groups and NGOs the world over fight to attain these for their beneficiaries.…
10 Random Acts of Kindness you could do today
Being mindful of others and kind in action is fundamental to changing the world THERE is no better way to connect with the world than doing small acts of kindness. You never know how the act can have a snowball effect, encouraging everyone to do the same, translating to a better world for all. Today,…
The mountains are suffering – are you listening?
We can all do our bit to protect our natural resources and prevent disasters like Chamoli THE quiet of a Sunday morning was shattered by the news of the glacial avalanche that had wiped out a hydroelectric project and bridges that connected mountain villages. Videos of the ferocity of the water and ice made it…
Giving back & charitable donations to celebrate weddings
Encouraging guests to make charitable donations instead of giving gifts is a great way mark a special occasion
Some good habits the pandemic has taught us
For most, life changed forever when coronavirus struck. Here’s looking at the bright side THE experience of 2020 was hard but it also held many lessons. The profound words of German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche ring true: “What doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger.” The COVID-19 pandemic was probably one of the most challenging events…
‘We need to build a society where girls are as wanted as boys’
Aarti for Girls was founded on this principle; a chat with founder Sandhya Puchalapalli IN 1977, Sandhya Puchalapalli, an English teacher in her early twenties, moved to Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh, with her husband and two young girls. Working as a government high school teacher, Sandhya became painfully aware of the discrepancies between male and female…
You and Snehalaya gave abandoned infants loving homes!
A telling tale of the power of crowdfunding and donations to change lives ASHOK, abandoned as a baby, was in the loving care of our partner NGO Snehalaya’s rehabilitation center, where his cheeky smile and mischievous sense of humor struck a chord with everyone. Yet he was unable to find parents in India to adopt…
What the new CSR regime means
Companies have a short window of time to meet new compliances. Here is a guide SINCE India became the first country to mandate Corporate Social Responsibility in 2014, it has followed a “comply or explain” approach. No longer. With the 2019 and 2020 amendments to Section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013, the CSR regime…