How do you foster dignity within a rural community? It’s an objective that can’t be measured in numbers or be represented through KPIs. Yet, the Desai Foundation, which aims to empower rural communities in India through its vocational, educational and health programs, has managed to quantify the unquantifiable.
First established as a family foundation in 1997 by Samir and Nilima Desai, the programs have now diversified. Under the helm of their daughter Megha Desai, the US and India based organisation runs over 30 different programs in 8 states across India.
Now, they’re looking to get Aussies involved. The Foundation’s recent partnership with Myriad Australia enables donors to make tax-deductible donations, thus lowering the cost of giving.
“We’re hoping that this collaboration with Myriad Australia will help get the Desai Foundation’s message out there, especially about the work we do and the impact that we are having,” Board member Namita Gupta says.
View this post on Instagram
Having already impacted over 10 million people, the organisation’s reach is partly due to its unique model. Each of its programs are aimed towards building resilient communities through the provision of vocational training and education.
Programs include the Primary Health and Hygiene program, which teaches children about healthy habits, the Sewing Skill training program, which teaches women how to sew so that they can achieve financial independence, and the Asani Sanitary Napkin program where local women both manufacture and distribute sanitary napkins. The latter has a dual purpose, where women not only hand out pads, but also educate their communities to reduce the stigma attached to menstruation.
It was the Asani program which, to Namita Gupta, set the organisation apart from other charities.
“What stood out to me was their focus on menstrual equity. They really understand the extent to which inequity can be a limiting factor when it comes to accessing healthcare, education or vocational training. For a lot of these women, even though they have access to sanitary pads, there was a lot of stigma attached to using them,” she says.
Whilst it may have been just as easy to simply provide funds or resources to communities, the extra steps taken by the Desai Foundation to provide vocational training so that those in rural communities have access to a liveable income, distinguishes them from other NGOs.
“In many instances, these women become self-sufficient and even become the main providers in their family. As a result, their position within the community becomes elevated,” she urges.
Whilst the Foundation has the numbers to show the effectiveness of their initiatives, its full impact can only be understood on the ground.
“We’ve impacted 10 million lives, but what’s even more profound is all these stories of women, children and men who have benefited from the programs,” she says. “There was a girl who within the span of the year transformed from being someone who barely said two words, to someone who spoke to everyone with ease. Megha was just shocked that this was the same person she had met a year back.”
View this post on Instagram
Looking ahead, Gupta hopes to bring many of the events which serve as the backbone of the Desai Foundation’s funding to Australia. This includes bringing high profile individuals to speak at events as well as introducing the organisation’s annual and much-loved Diwali Festival. The former, as well as Hilary Clinton’s previous visit during a Heroes for Humanity initiative were monumental to the organisation receiving extra funding.
“I am currently working actively with a number of Indian diaspora groups, bringing about smaller events to speak about the organisation, to understand if they are interested and how they can become involved,” she says.
The Foundation’s past work is proof that strategically putting money into programs which recognise a woman, child or man’s potential can unlock a world of possibilities. It not only opens the door to financial freedom, but can change a community’s perception of its women.
But reaching these high ideals requires the coming together of the global community. Introducing this Foundation to Australians through Myriad Australia is another step towards ensuring that living with dignity is no longer a luxury for those in rural communities in India.
READ MORE: The Chappell Foundation: Hope and a future
