ANNUAL REPORT 2015-16

Vision To alleviate poverty through job creation and integrated community development.

Mission

To work for the economic and social empowerment of women, and thus of society, by creating enterprises and jobs.

To follow this with an integrated development programme that creates sustainable communities.

Our Goal

To Create 5 MILLION JOBS by 2020 2 Hand in Hand India Hand in Hand India is a not-for-profit, public charitable trust, which works to alleviate poverty through a unique integrated community development approach. Our initial WORK was to eliminate child labour through education. over a period of time, we expanded our interventions to address the multidimensional factors THAT FOSTER poverty. Today, our Five Pillar Programme includes the key areas of WOMEN EMPOWERMENT Microfinance and SHG, Child Labour Elimination ProgramME, Health, Environment and Skill Development & Technology Centres.

W e have implemented a unique and successful model in many parts of rural India, changing the lives of millions of poor families. We started our activities in a small way in Tamil Nadu in 2002 and began to expand with the support of Dr. Percy Barnevik, world-renowned management strategist and industrialist and under the stewardship of Dr Kalpana Sankar, the Chairperson and Managing Trustee, an expert involved with the women's self-help group movement in Tamil Nadu for the last two decades.

From just one district in 2004, today our work has expanded to a total of 52 districts across the Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Puducherry. Our model has been replicated in Afghanistan, South Africa, Kenya, Brazil, Cambodia, Myanmar and most recently in Sri Lanka.

Annual Report 2015-16 3 Contents

1 2

Child Labour Elimination Women Programme Empowerment,SHG,Microfinance and job creation a. Revolutionizing the volunteer movement 16 b. Soaring new heights 18 a. Driving Women’s Entrepreneurship 26 c. Transit to technology 19 b. Way forward 28

3 4

Health Skill Development & Technology Centre a. A journey towards a healthier life 34 a. Empowering through skill development 42

5 6

Environment Village Uplift Programme

a. Recycle for life 50 a. Sustainable smart villages 60 b. Development of a seed to a Banyan tree 54

4 Hand in Hand India 7 8

Support Functions and Other Partners & Donors Entities Our Partners & Donors List 70 Captivating Cambodia 62 Partnership with a human touch 63 Key Executives 72 Backstage number crunching 65 Dream to reality 66 Knitting the pillars 67 Expanding our community 68

9 10

Awards Statement of Accounts

Awards And Recognitions 74 Financial Statements 75

11

Trustees

Trustees 81

How To Get Involved 83

Annual Report 2015-16 5 Fmro our Adviser

Dr. Percy Barnevik Adviser, Hand in Hand India

Sixteen years have now passed since published its landmark Sustainable to prepare for studying and running I first made contact with a small Development Goals. And for the more effective enterprises has also operation called Hand in Hand in first time, the World Bank published been an essential initiative. Finally, Kanchipuram. In 2002, Hand in a book with the short and telling a number of projects have improved Hand registered as an NGO and title “Jobs”. Hand in Hand India the environment. These include in 2004, Dr. Kalpana assumed the should be proud of its influence in clean water and irrigation, solid position of CEO and started an the direction of charity work in the waste collection followed by sorting, unprecedented expansion. The rest is world. recycling and the production of history. compost from household waste etc. However, it is not just a matter of Visitors from all over the world are At the beginning, mass-mobilising quantity, but also of quality. From inspired to discover the results and poor people into entrepreneurship by the beginning, Hand in Hand India effects of Hand in Hand India´s creating micro-enterprises and jobs stressed the need to respect the poor efforts. was a new thing, and many working people we work with, as well as the in the charity world were skeptical. high efficiency required by our staff. I would like to thank our donors The outstanding achievements by As Dr. Kalpana expressed it, even around the world, who have funded Hand in Hand India, under Dr. one rupee lost through inefficiency is Hand in Hand India´s work. Above Kalpana´s leadership, have changed like stealing from the poor. all, I wish to express my gratitude to all that. Globally, Hand in Hand has Dr. Kalpana Sankar, Dr. Jeyaseelan Hand in Hand India´s holistic started or expanded some 1.8 million Natarajan and the Hand in Hand approach to achieving a better life businesses with India leading the India board members for their in addition to reducing poverty way. Our model has shown a superior leadership, as well as the close to has also been of great importance. way to lift people out of poverty 60,000 volunteers and employees for About 270,000 children have been at a low cost and high speed. The their valuable contribution. brought out of labour and into operation started in South India and schools. Medical camps have picked spread to Middle and North India, up sick people and transferred and thereafter, to other countries in them to hospitals, and established Asia and Africa. basic hygiene habits in several The impact has also been felt communities. Building toilets in outside the Hand in Hand group. homes and schools have been a vital Productivity, job creation and programme. entrepreneurship were at the top ‘Bridging the digital divide’ by of the list when the UN recently providing computer literacy training

6 Hand in Hand India Annual Report 2015-16 7 Message from the Managing Trustee

DR. Kalpana Sankar

“ As long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality exist in our world, none of us can truly rest " - Nelson Mandela.

It has been an interesting and Health helped this pillar on its way to inspirational year for Hand in Hand We are extremely proud of the sustainability in the coming year. India. Sick New Born Care Unit at The pillar is to be credited for the funding from Vodafone - the Apart from creating 2.5 million jobs Government Hospital, Cheyyar, project is a landmark one, although in India, Cambodia and Myanmar, near Kanchipuram. The team has challenging! In addition to this, we have strengthened partnerships found a niche area where the need 9 producer companies that are an over the past year within the country. was addressed appropriately and extension of the self help groups We have also set foot on geography effectively. Further, we have received have been formed with support from adventure, by establishing Hand funding for a project by UBS NABARD. Hand in Hand India was in Hand Lanka in Sri Lanka, the Optimus Foundation - a prestigious selected by DFID and SIDBI for launch of which will be early next organization to address women and training other MFIs on functional year! children healthcare in Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh. We are happy literacy and the project has been We have achieved a plethora of to inform that the entire pillar is very well received by SIDBI and the milestones in every pillar over the being funded by Indian (local) CSR clients. past year: funds. Solid Waste Management Child Labour Elimination Skill Development & Programme The pillar has had an amazing Technology Centre growth story - from one project in The pillar has graduated from While this is a new pillar, the team Mudichur to town panchayats and implementation to becoming an has ensured right positioning. They PSUs to projects in Rameswaram advisory authority for evaluating have attracted CSR funds from with ONGC, Hyderabad with Government Childcare institutions Vodafone, Mondelez Foods etc and BHEL and a project with the Indian in Tamil Nadu. There has been a also a valuable partnership with the Air Force! We have an excellent, focus on improving the quality of national level organization, National entrepreneurial team in place. learning for slow learners at Child Skill Development Corporation. Natural Resource Learning Centres in the VUP areas. They have ensured quality and have Management : Special attention is being given standardized systems and mode of We are extremely proud of the NRM to girl children in Northern India delivery in a short period of time. The team. They have done path-breaking where there is a huge gender divide. pillar is attempting to use technology work in very niche areas. From Another unique highlight is that we not only for developing training aids work in Pachamalai with tribals have managed to sustain the interest but also for evaluation. of the Child Rights Protection to an Organic Farmer Producer Self Help Group Committee volunteers with our Company, the team is committed vision and mission! This pillar has undergone a major and innovative, always coming restructuring in the past year up with excellent solutions in the and the synergy with Belstar has natural resource management space.

8 Hand in Hand India The team has now become a resource the requirements of the corporate agency for livelihood development donors. for NABARD addressing food I thank Dr Percy Barnevik, Adviser, security, a vital area! Hand in Hand India for his Village Uplift Programme relentless support in achieveing our The team has surpassed their target goals! My team, spearheaded by of 68 villages - they are currently Dr. Jeyaseelan, Group CEO is whom active in 98 villages. This is a all my thanks go to, as without them testimony of their hard work. we would not be where we are today. Specific achievements include The team (including volunteers) projects with NABARD, work full time to ensure that the KrishiVidyan Kendra (KVK) and organization is always moving expansion to North India. This year forward with no stops on the way! we have managed to attract the support of nearly 10 VUPs from local corporates. Apart from this, I must highlight other milestones. The Global Social Entrepreneurship Programme in February, the launch of Hand in Hand Academy for Social Entrepreneurship, our partnership with Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India are further testimonials for our hard work. In addition, we have increased our reach to a larger market by increasing our presence on Facebook, Instagram and through our revamped newsletter, Handprints.Hand in Hand Switzerland Association is making baby steps towards fundraising for India. Way forward Over the coming year, the focus will be to continue the child labour and health programmes in the needy areas with a focus on tribals with support from Government and corporates. The focus of the SHG pillar will be on sustaining producer companies, e-commerce and facilitating B2B linkages. A special area in skill development will be the skilling of youth and women. Expansion to the North East and other Indian states is in the pipeline for both the NRM and SWM verticals. The VUP is ever evolving into customised programmes based on the needs of the geographies and

Annual Report 2015-16 9 D eepening to drive growth with Sustainability

Dr.N.Jeyaseelan Group Chief Executive Officer

I am pleased to note that Hand and attracted the attention of SD&TC (Skill Development and in Hand India continues to be government and private sector. Technology Centre) has started an engine of growth through offering fee-based programmes As of March 2016, Hand in Hand its job creation process, which and started adopting standards India has reached more than 2 results in the prosperity of people prescribed by sector skills councils million people through its five- at the bottom of the pyramid. as Hand in Hand India has pillar programmes, spread over 10 The financial year 2015-16 was become a partner of NSDC states of India and has expanded a challenging year for Hand in (National Skill Development horizontally into new territories, Hand India, but it has exceeded Corporation), a government of which are underserved. Hand in many of the strategic plan targets. India enterprise, to train 50,000 Hand India is moving its focus to Hand in Hand India has made people over the next ten years. VUP vertical expansion by ‘deepening’ it a way of life to address the top (Village Uplift Programme), is a its interventions - a gradual shift five challenges of human capital, flagship programme of Hand in from its project-based interventions innovation, customer relationships, Hand India, where all the 5 pillar to an institution-based approach operational excellence and programmes are implemented in a leading to sustainability. The SHG sustainability on an on-going basis. designated village, is moving from pillar has moved from training For instance, in the human capital its conventional approach to its new to hubs to producer companies. development sector, we identified form of ‘Sustainable and Smart Now, SHG focuses on promoting 110 leaders and conducted a VUP’. To enable growth, Hand more producer companies for yearlong Culture Champions in Hand India will focus more on different products, which will Programme to integrate the five capacity building of its staff and ensure sustainability in the post- pillar staff. The Self Help Group other stakeholders through its new project period. Environment (SHG) pillar has come out with a outfit Hand in Hand Academy for pillar’s SWM (Solid Waste new concept of hybrid support of Social Entrepreneurship. Management) division is reaching quasi-equity (out Fund managed out to public sector undertaking To channelise the resources in by Hand in Hand India), through contracts and its NRM (Natural an optimal way, we have also which individual bank loans would Resource Management) division conducted a Social Return On be given without collaterals to has also been nurturing producer Investment (SROI) study by IIT SHG women willing to expand companies for organic farmers Madras, in 2015,which revealed their enterprises.Besides, IIT and has emerged as a resource that every one rupee invested in Madras is offering the technical agency for training other NGOs. SHG pillar yielded a return of INR support to build the skills of CLEP (Child Labour Elimination 41.29, highest among all the pillars. entrepreneurs in all the projects of Programme) pillar has conducted a Hand in Hand India. This is the I thank Dr. Kalpana Sankar, Child Care Institution mapping for major USP of the Hand in Hand Managing Trustee for her guidance the government of India and has model. Through various studies and and support and I also thank the moved into the next level. Health clients feedback, we revise product Board of Trustees, Donors, Bankers, pillar is moving towards projects offerings and processes to improve entire staff team and all other with evidence-based data through the productivity levels. This has stakeholders including our clients. partnerships with research agencies. resulted in operational excellence

10 Hand in Hand India Annual Report 2015-16 11 Milestones Achieved till 31.08.2016

Women Child Labour Health Empowerment, Elimination SHG, microfinance Programme and job creation

Jobs created No of Residential Special No of medical camps 2,553,922 Training Centres 4,987 9 SHGs formed No of toilets constructed 96,046 No of transit schools 11,254 22 Total Beneficiaries Women screened for anaemia 1,509,353 Children enrolled in schools 37,719 274,410 Total credit disbursed (INR Million) Children brought out of 21,790.45 Child Friendly panchayats malnourishment 1,124 8,058

12 Hand in Hand India Skill Environment Village Development & Uplift Technology Programme Centre

Women given skill training Households covered by waste Two-year base VUP 1,20,075 collection activities completed 448,185 190 Farmers given skill training 5,277 Natural Resource Total no. of active villages Management projects in VUP Youth given vocational training 65 109 4,531 Land area covered under NRM Cumulative Total Skill Training Centres (hectares) 299 68 45,667.29

People trained in e-literacy 8,42,596

Annual Report 2015-16 13 14 Hand in Hand India Ch ild Labour Elimination Programme

C HIldren ENROLLED IN SCHOOLS 2,74,410

Ch ildren in Children Learning Centres 187

C HIld-FRIENDLY PANCHAYATS 1,124

TRANSIT SCHOOLS 22

RESIDENTIAL SPECIAL TRAINING CENTRES 9

Annual Report 2015-16 15 R evolutionizing the volunteer movement "Be The Change That You Wish To See In The Wo –rld" M K Gandhi

Hand in Hand India’s efforts of the CRPC consisting of men, spirit and motivation to see change. to eradicate child labour have women and the disabled alike, no They have carried out Gandhiji’s been propelled by a set of non- age barrier also goes a long way in words of physically living the change negotiable principles and the right making it a unique body. The concept they wished to see in their villages. collaborative strategy with local of bringing people together as a The diversity in age and gender bodies such as gram panchayats, group strengthens the CRPC rather amongst volunteers is remarkable, school committees and child rights than having to work as a stand-alone, with the young and old coming protection committees. From its individual movement. Localised together for a common cause. inception, active steps have been committees with representatives A telling tale taken to identify interested youth from every village increase ownership in the villages or at the panchayat among group members as they can An interaction with the volunteers level and provide them with training better relate to the geography that at a recent meet highlighted the on the Right to Education and the has been their home. Moreover, the difficulties of working in regions importance of education for children. local community has a higher level that have been rooted in child labour Vouching for protection of acceptance for familiar faces. for a long time. It can take several of child rights Finally, the volunteers are not the years to impact change by way of rich, upper-class members of society, spreading awareness and conducting The Child Rights Protection rather one amongst the community, workshops. Although Hand in Hand Committee (CRPC) forms an who have undergone personal India’s presence in the area and integral component of Hand in challenges and have the passion for strategic efforts in the last ten years Hand India’s initiatives to end making a change. have created a large impact, the onus child labour. The CRPC has been What has been the change is on the local populace to make it set up in each panchayat with one over the last year? a lasting one and this is where the volunteer per village to ensure that CRPC volunteers play a pivotal role. children in the villages are enrolled Although there has been a strong As a spokesperson from the local in schools and to create an enabling collaboration between Hand in village, it is their duty to assist any environment for them to succeed and Hand India and the CRPC, it was child working as a child labourer, to eradicate child labour. The CRPC only during the last year that Hand educate them on child rights and volunteer could be a panchayat in Hand India’s mobilisers, who were ensure that they go to school. leader, an SHG member, youth responsible for identifying children In regions around Kanchipuram, or a teacher. The committee elects for specific interventions, were no the notion of child labour is heavily their President, Vice President and longer employed. Soon after, what ingrained in the communities. Secretary who are given intensive transpired was an interesting and During the course of their work, training on child rights and are inspiring transition. CRPC volunteers were braced sensitised on the importance of CRPC volunteers of each village with questions on their suitability education. took on the responsibility of to decide about a child’s future What makes the CRPC a identifying the children in need of to threats of dire consequences. unique body? Hand in Hand India’s support. This Despite all this, CRPC volunteers is a true testament to the volunteer are committed to their role, even While diversity is a standout feature

16 Hand in Hand India contributing their own earnings to “Back in my village, there are several Hand India has been supporting us help the children. tribal families who prefer to send to become CRPC volunteers. After their children to work for a few several years of training and practice, Shanthi from Medavakkam talks extra bucks. We would approach the we are finally confident of operating about her involvement as a CRPC families before the beginning of the on our own as a collective unit. volunteer. So far, she has helped academic year and convince them to The CRPC, if we were to become a enroll fifteen children in school send their children to school. Today, federation, would thrive and will be and has prevented several child no instance of child labour can be able to pass on the knowledge and marriages.“As a CRPC volunteer, I found in the village. We also ensure training Hand in Hand India gave us have learnt a lot more about child that there are ample supplies for to other people who might want to rights and the need to protect all the students in terms of books, join us.” them. As part of work, I have faced clothes and stationery. Even though several difficulties, particularly while I am not paid as a volunteer, it is my stopping child marriages as family passion that drives me. My aim is to While Hand in Hand India’s work members and others constantly ensure that every child has the right in child labour elimination has been raised questions and issued threats. to enjoy childhood.” exceptional, empowered with ideas I did not let any of these hinder me as to how they can raise resources to as I was focused on only one goal: Ravi’s words are received with help the needy children of their own Pulling every child out of bad hands applause and more people talk villages, and on ways and means of and enrolling them in a school, ” about their experiences. Some of the strengthening their local government she shared. Shanthi has also helped stories highlight how the volunteers schools, the CRPC volunteers have educate a young girl through self- are going above and beyond to found a better purpose for their own generated funds, a matter of pride ensure scholarships, construction lives. As part of this programme, the and joy for her. of buildings and any other facilities volunteers have absorbed the right needed to ensure a bright future Ravi, another CRPC volunteer, hails communication skills, negotiation for young minds. A question on from a village mostly inhabited by acumen and leadership principles. working as self-sustained volunteers tribal families. He works hard to Moving forward, the creation of a for child rights evoked unanimous convince these families to send their separate entity may be the best move consensus that now is the right time children to school and how being a to ensure a sustainable and lasting to gravitate towards self-regulation CRPC volunteer has a lasting impact impact of this volunteer movement. and sustainability. Dhanasekaran, on a person. a CRPC volunteer said,“Hand in

Annual Report 2015-16 17 Soaring new heights : Hand in Hand India reviews child care institutions in Tamil Nadu

Ministry of Women and Child Hand in Hand India was one among The operation was efficiently Development (MWCD) enforced 3 State Coordinating Agencies carried out by the Hand in Hand the Juvenile Justice Act ( JJ Act) as (SCA) nominated by Ministry of India’s Child Labour Elimination of January 2016. The bill allows for Women and Child Development Programme team. a Juvenile Justice Board consisting (MWCD)in Tamil Nadu to map of sociologists and psychologists to and review child care institutions decide on juvenile crimes and their in the five northern districts of trials. The introduction of foster Tamil Nadu namely Chennai, care is a new addition. Soon after Kanchipuram, Thiruvallur, Vellore the inception of the Act, MWCD and Thiruvannamalai. Hand in Hand nominated NGOs from across India received this opportunity due the nation to evaluate Child Care to their successful track record and Institutions. partnership with Childline India Foundation (CIF).

18 Hand in Hand India T ransit to Technology

A technology-driven innovative Until now, transit schools were run These innovative additions to the transit school was inaugurated at with a classroom and a blackboard. transit school will provide a unique Madhurandhagam near Chengalpet However, today’s technology-driven opportunity and environment for in the suburbs of Chennai with transit school is equipped with an students to learn. It will provide a support from BNP Paribas Global LCD projector, audio visual aids, web practical exposure to students and Securities Operations Private camera, Wi-Fi connection, laptops motivate them to learn and review Limited. Hand in Hand India’s with pre-installed syllabus software their lessons in a systematic manner, transit schools target students (15- and CDs to teach the students. ultimately aiding in improving grades 18 years), who have dropped out of A science lab with live models of and performing well in the board school or have not passed Grade X experiments provides a practical exams. board exams, to mentor them and to exposure to students. To balance the assist them in re-appearing for the hectic study schedule, indoor games boards and encourage them to enroll such as chess, carrom and other board for higher education. games have also been provided.

Annual Report 2015-16 19 20 Hand in Hand India The Good Samaritan of Kuruvimalai

Losing out on the opportunity to be educated youth about the need to send the children is no deterrent for this quinquagenarian, to to school. He is an active participant ensure that children from his community are in discussions by the Parent Teacher sent to school. Learn how this school dropout Association (PTA) and leaders’ discussion is ensuring high school enrollment in his on dropout rates, issues children face and Kuruvimalai village after his association with how parents and elders should react. Some Hand in Hand India of the children, who registered in school through his efforts, have come out with President of Child Right Protection flying colours in board exams with scores Committee (CRPC), Ravi from above 430 in 10th grade and 1160 in 12th Kuruvimalai village in Kanchipuram is grade. passionate about educating the children of his community. Besides motivating students to go to school, Ravi looks after the upkeep of the panchayat Mired with financial constraints during his middle school in Kuruvimalai village. He childhood, Ravi’s parents could not afford makes sure the infrastructure is proper to educate him beyond grade five. After and toilets are clean and hygienic. The dropping out of school, Ravi’s father, a silk attendance registers are checked regularly weaver by profession, expected him to lend and transfer certificates are duly awarded to a hand in the family business. Bogged students once they finish middle school. down by the circumstances, Ravi buried his dreams of education and shouldered the Ravi says he owes it to Hand in Hand India, burden of his family. for being given an opportunity to make a change in the children’s lives. Last year, the However, during one of Hand in Hand panchayat middle school in Kuruvamalai India’s mass awareness programme on celebrated its 12th anniversary by planting child rights, Ravi drew renewed hope and 12 saplings in the school campus, an pledged to ensure that what happened to initiative that was kicked off by Ravi. He him would not happen to other children. is working towards making the school Drawn by the enterprising spirit, Hand in a plastic-free zone by encouraging the Hand India offered him an opportunity to children to cut down on plastic use. work with the CRPC. His contribution to the field after joining the CRPC has been immense. The community that he works with comprises of students (approximately 70%) belonging to the Irula tribe, a nomadic group that refrain from sending their children to school. Although it is a challenge for Ravi to convince parents to send their children to school, his tireless effort has led to enrollment of about five children in schools from this community, a herculean feat. He has also played a pivotal role in registering 15 children of migrant labourers into the school. The CRPC also imparts special tuitions in the evening for students who need extra guidance. He is actively involved in social mobilisation, which spreads awareness among parents, panchayat leaders and

Annual Report 2015-16 21 Working His Way Up the Ladder

The hardships faced by his family forced To show him a way out of bonded labour, nine-year-old Suresh to become a child Hand in Hand India facilitated a loan for labourer at the tender age of nine. With him to enroll in fifth grade in the middle the mother a homemaker, father, a flower school. On one hand, Suresh took up a vendor, who earns a meagre income of part-time job, even as he pursued his studies, INR 20 a day and two elder sisters, Suresh to support his parents; on the other Suresh worked 12 hours a day in a weaving loom, aced his exams in school. his nimble fingers incessantly moving in and Hand in Hand India’s ‘parcel scheme’ – that out of the looms to supplement his family provides basic kitchen and toiletry essentials income. to poor children’s families was a boon for In 2005, Hand in Hand India’s mobilisers them. Besides, he used to add up to the approached his family and counselled them family income by working part time as a on the importance of education, following painter, agricultural worker and construction which he was enrolled into Muthialpet worker and took up petty jobs like selling Middle School. Although his parents fish to earn some extra income. Suresh encouraged him to study, he was bonded to never wasted a single moment of his the weaving loom for a sum of INR 2000. pre-adult life, always working to help

22 Hand in Hand India uplift his family! He has been a have been able to afford this shirt model son and elder brother. that I am wearing!” Today, he works as a Project Accountant for Hand His family was bowled over when in Hand India’s Natural Resource Suresh not only aced the 12th- Management team. His initial grade exams but also managed to placement was in the tribal region gain admission in Bachelors of of Pachamalai, near Trichy. When Commerce with a scholarship in the team found Suresh was good at Pachayappa’s Men’s College! Even TALLY, they transferred him to the in college, he worked as a data entry head office, in Kanchipuram. operator at night and honed his skills in typewriting and TALLY Suresh currently earns INR 9700 whilst studying. per month! He gives a part of this back to his parents and spends the Even before he graduated, he had rest to educate his sisters who are in made up his mind to serve his 10th and 12th grade. He continues alma mater, Hand in Hand India! to give back to the society in any He wanted to give back to the way possible, be it identifying organisation that took him into children not going to school or its fold and rescued him from the buying books for those in school. child labour industry. When asked to encapsulate in words the impact Hand in Hand India had in his life, he is quick to add, “Without Hand in Hand India, I wouldn’t

Annual Report 2015-16 23 24 Hand in Hand India Wom en Empowerment, SHG, microfinance and job creation

Total Jobs 25,53,922

To tal Beneficiaries 15,09,353

SHG Members enrolled/afFiliated 12,99,948

F amily-based microenterprises (FBE) started and/or 14,32,751 strengthened

Microenterprises 48,908

Wom en given Literacy Training 1,67,677

To tal Credit disbursed IN INR MILLION 21790.45

Annual Report 2015-16 25 Driving Women's Entrepreneurship with Scale and Sustainability

India’s development problems and their holistic empowerment through these hurdles and to equip them with social issues are massive and multi- skill building, financial literacy, bank the right management principles, sectoral. To supplement Government linkages, management acumen and Hand in Hand India in partnership schemes, corporates, agencies, market access using technology. with Indian Institute of Technology non-government organisations and Enhancing skills and (IIT) Madras, conducted a unique multinational organisations need employability through workshop for these micro and to come together to address these partnership with the marginal women entrepreneurs. issues. Further, to match the nation’s National Skill Development The programme, titled, “Strategies for rapid growth, development needs and Corporation (NSDC) : Business Growth and Profitability demands, supporting agencies need for Micro and Marginal Women to operate on scale with equal focus Ever since 2004, skill training Entrepreneurs” took place in January on impact and sustainability. has been an important priority at 2016 with 60 women entrepreneurs Hand in Hand India. This concept, The focus of Hand in Hand India’s participating. The programme, however, has grown in focus, strategic self-help group and microfinance specifically designed for the needs intervention and scale. Hand in initiative is to alleviate rural poverty of women entrepreneurs aspiring to Hand India’s skill training and and empower women through scale up their enterprises from FBEs employability mission has been skill training and job creation. The (Family-Based Enterprises ) to ME strengthened by a partnership project initiative focuses on organising (Micro Enterprises), but lack the with the NSDC, wherein Hand in women into SHGs and training capital and collateral to source higher Hand India will be instrumental in them in capacity building, financial loans from the mainstream banking training and providing employment management and skill development. institutions, provided insights to 50,000 women and youth across 5 Hand in Hand India facilitates access on various areas such as finance, States, over the next ten years (2016- to affordable microcredit, where marketing, information technology, 26)! women are encouraged to build banking, soft skills, and so on. The Strategy for the future sustainable livelihoods for themselves sessions were delivered by faculty – the Missing Middle and their families. Bank linkages, members from the Department of Investment Fund (MMIF) which provide these women with Management Studies, IIT Madras Story: affordable credit to carry out income and experienced practitioners from generating activities, is also an active What happens when an entrepreneur the industry. component. starts a business successfully and MMIF has been created by Hand Over the years, Hand in Hand India gets stuck a couple of months or in Hand India from grants given by has worked consistently to create years later with stagnant profits Indian Bank and Pallavan Grama 2.55 million jobs across the nation. or no customers? This could be a Bank. Select 28 entrepreneurs were At this juncture of the growth stage where they would need to provided with quasi equity of INR trajectory, the question Hand in change their business model or 20,000/- each from MMIF managed Hand India asks itself is “what next”, change their target customer base by Hand in Hand India with to further enhance women’s economic or modify their marketing strategy. enabling terms & conditions (Interest empowerment. In the last year, Hand SHG women micro entrepreneurs, @12% per annum, 3 year initial in Hand India undertook some while financially literate and sound holiday for principal and repayable innovative partnerships and projects in their business, may lack the in 24 monthly installments in the 4 to augment women’s incomes and business acumen required to run a and 5th year) and a collateral-free opportunities to pave the way for successful business. To overcome business loan of INR 1,00,000/- each

1 Family Based Enterprises are those enterprises with investment not exceeding Rs.50,000.

26 Hand in Hand India by Indian Bank, Kanchipuram and have been pivotal in developing and transact amongst themselves. Pallavan Grama Bank, Kanchipuram sustaining their skills and enterprises This novel initiative will prove to be and Vallakottai. This kind of hybrid and in turn increase business and a marketing tool to enable women to support of equity plus debt to SHG income. reach out to each other and support women entrepreneurs is the first of its The quantity and quality of the each other’s microbusinesses rather kind in India. final goods produced at the hub is than transacting with external The graduation of these women crucial as it moves the entrepreneurs vendors and suppliers. This will micro entrepreneurs from mere from individual businesses to create a unique ecosystem of women businesswomen to successful a large scale, formal business entrepreneurs who will co-create women has been captured as the entity. Lakarmissionen has been value for each other through an true outcome of the missing middle supporting these hubs over the past innovative e-commerce portal. The investment fund programme. two years. The final phase (2015- duration of the project is three years. The entrepreneurs’ skills have 16) of the initiative has focused Promoting financial been honed in crucial areas of on strengthening these hubs for literacy and women's entrepreneurship. A stark feature sustainability. Different indicators empowerment through DFID is the fact that these entrepreneurs such as access to market linkage, and SIDBI's PSIG project : have effectively implemented their financial linkage, number of orders learning in their businesses. Setting etc. have been captured as a measure To promote entrepreneurship among up a website, using social media for of sustainability. illiterate women and to make them effective marketing, drawing out a access financial services, Hand in Enterprise hubs have opened the business plan and maintenance of Hand India has striven to promote doors to a more sustainable large stakeholder relationships are just a financial literacy amongst women. scale enterprise solution for SHG few of the visible outcomes of the To achieve this, Hand in Hand India women. 1436 members have been project that these entrepreneurs have has been nominated as a resource trained and are enrolled in the hubs implemented. IIT Madras continued agency under DFID and SIDBI’s as on date. handholding support to these Poorest States Inclusive Growth Bringing markets to rural entrepreneurs through mentors for a (PSIG) project to enhance income women entrepreneurs period of 6 months. and employment opportunities of through a partnership Creating sustainable poor men and women, by enabling between Hand in Hand India, enterprise hubs them to participate and benefit from Vodafone Foundation and wider economic growth by facilitating Hand in Hand India felt that Indus Towers : access to financial services through besides skill training, women financial literacy. The prime objective To bring to scale women’s needed additional support in terms of this project is to enable women to entrepreneurship in farm and non- of technology transfer, branding, access microfinance for enterprise farm sectors, Hand in Hand India packaging, marketing and other promotion and equip them with has entered into a unique partnership technical support. Our SHG women decision making abilities in access, with Vodafone Foundation and Indus were involved in more than 140 ownership and control of financial Towers to support 50,000 women income generation programmes and non-financial resources. As the entrepreneurs of Hand in Hand India (IGP). As each IGP requires different resource agency, Hand in Hand in Tamil Nadu to establish an online levels of specialisation, Hand in India delivers a composite training B2B marketplace. This exclusive and Hand India adopted a sub-sector programme on integrated aspects of unique marketplace will allow SHG approach and decided to focus on financial literacy, financial services women entrepreneurs to transact 4 sub-sectors viz. dairy, handicrafts, and women’s empowerment to train businesses amongst themselves. embroidery and tailoring, where 27,000 women of 6 partner MFIs Technology is the core of this project. more than 60 to 70% of our SHG in Madhya Pradesh. It is envisaged Starting with SMS marketing and women are engaged. With an aim that by the end of the project, women an SMS-based alert system in the to bring together women passionate clients will be skilled decision nascent stages, the project will evolve and skilled in similar trades Hand makers in both personal financial to develop an e-commerce app and in Hand India has established and management and in entitlement- eventually an e-commerce portal to promoted four enterprise hubs for based rights. enable and empower these women to SHG women since 2012. These hubs

2 Micro Enterprises are those enterprises with investment above Rs.50,000.

Annual Report 2015-16 27 W ay Forward

A successful combination of they experience a heightened sense of Hand in Hand India’s women self-esteem, confidence and economic empowerment and livelihoods empowerment. project along with partnership of Hand in Hand India’s path of external stakeholders to assist in the creating micro entrepreneurship upscale of entrepreneurship has led does not end here. Strengthening to meaningful results in the lives this micro entrepreneurship though of 2.5 million people directly and up-skilling, access to finance, markets, impacted 10 million members of promotion of producer companies their families. Equally heartening to and digitisation are just few of the note is the positive spillover effect roads that lay ahead! Hand in Hand that these initiatives have brought India looks forward to more positive in the lives of the family members collaboration and partnership with of the women, particularly children Government and other stakeholders in terms of enhancing access to to reach out to unreached women better opportunities, education and build them as sustainable and health. As for the women entrepreneurs. themselves, research indicates that

28 Hand in Hand India Annual Report 2015-16 29 Bangle Seller Breaks the Shackles

Sheela Bai Verma’s business is unique modus operandi as an entrepreneur, she and enterprising – like her personality. says that market analysis and interaction Her bangles have travelled far and wide. with customers keeps her abreast of the Here’s a glimpse of how her life has evolving market. While certain customers changed because of ADB and Hand in are specific about their orders and provide Hand India. her with vivid descriptions, others prefer traditional bangles. In addition, she makes Coming from a society where it was a frequent visits to the Baiora market as a taboo for a woman to step out of the customer to understand the latest trends, home, Sheela Bai Verma has come a long popular colours and customer preferences. way. Prior to establishing her business During the festive season, she puts up a stall in local areas to boost sales. While the project period ended in 2015, Sheela Bai went on to expand her day- to-day sales and has employed another woman from her SHG to work on a full-time basis.In order to augment her primary income, Sheela Bai supplies raw material purchased from wholesale markets in Indore to nearby villages. Through the Business Development Service Provider training offered by ADB and Hand in Hand India, Sheela Bai has in 2014, Sheela Bai was working as honed her negotiation skills to buy raw an unskilled farm labourer engaged in materials at cheaper prices for others in soybean harvesting, earning only up to the business in nearby villages as well.She INR 150-200 per day.The skill training dreams of owning her own bangle shop in provided to her by Hand in Hand India her village. Although money for renting through the Asian Development Bank- the space is a constraint, she says, she run Enhancing Livelihoods through is confident of a good turnover as there Energy Based Enterprises project has are no other shops in her village that sell instilled new confidence in her. Through bangles. the skill training and assistance, she Sheela Bai’s life has been transformed, purchased an electric-bangle-making ever since the programme. Her family machine. Reducing drudgery and has been supportive of her venture, with increasing output, she makes the most of her husband helping in the household her business by working 5-6 hours on the chores and tending their children, machine and ventures into the market, Aarthi, Kareena and Anmol. She exudes all by herself, to purchase raw material confidence and independence and brings without her husband’s support, a sea joy to her family and other women of change for her, coming from a background the group by linking them to the market. where women are not allowed to remove Sheela cannot express the success of the the head veil in public. project in words and admits that their lives Sheela Bai has always had the advantage have changed in many positive ways after of having a unique business, as no one the project with the highlight being that in and around the nearby areas has women are in the forefront of this success. ventured into bangle making, that too, with electricity. On being asked about her

30 Hand in Hand India Annual Report 2015-16 31 HEALTH

Number of medical camps held 4,987

Wom en screened for anAemia 37,719

Wom en brought out of anAemia 4,253

Ch ildren Brought out of malnOURISHMENT 8,058

To ilets constructed 11,254

32 Hand in Hand India Annual Report 2015-16 33 A journey towards a Healthier Life

A productive life is based on several rural villages. Hand in Hand India’s facilities in Cheyyar, a semi-urban factors, the most important being approach has shifted towards a region. Upon collating the results, health. Without adequate care of Public-Private-Partnership model to the lack of a sick newborn care unit the body and mind, it becomes facilitate infrastructure upgrade in (SNCU) in the Cheyyar Government difficult to be productive. In India, PHCs, Anganwadis, women sanitary Hospital of Thiruvannamalai District, the Government is unable to provide complexes and for a Social Healthcare System given newborn care the large population and the finances units in rural required to allocate funds per person. and semi-urban While Tamil Nadu has become the areas. To ensure first state to provide healthcare to that infant all citizens as a uniform right, it is mortality rates difficult to provide services in the and maternal remote and rural areas. Rural poor mortality rates are often subject to harsh conditions are reduced and have to cover long distances of significantly, around 100 km or more to access Hand in healthcare facilities. Hand India in collaboration with its CSR partners surfaced. Normally, each district The health interventions of Hand has ensured that transport facilities would have at least one of these in Hand India started off by merely reach the difficult terrains in several specialised cells. The lack of this providing curative healthcare through tribal pockets. This doorstep doctor facility in the Cheyyar Government free medical camps and clinical service has changed the lives of Hospital meant that patients would services. The focus was on promoting hundreds. Non-invasive Anaemia be forced to travel almost 50 km preventive healthcare by filling testing continues to be the most to Chengalpet, Thiruvannamalai knowledge gaps.Providing the rural popular service being offered in semi- and Vellore amongst other nearby poor access to basic healthcare was urban and urban areas. towns to access neo-natal care. The an organic next step to reach out to a cost and time taken to travel to larger target population in dire need The needs and requirements under the right hospitals could mean the of medical services. the umbrella of healthcare are difference between life and death different for different locations and To fill this critical gap, a slew of for newborns. UNICEF’s World’s settlements of people. Keeping this initiatives were launched including Children Report 2009 states that in mind, Hand in Hand India has carrying out interventions focusing approximately 80% of maternal and stratified the process of looking at on promoting preventive healthcare, infant deaths could be averted if the needs of the tribal, rural and conducting medical camps (both pregnant women and newborns had urban communities and is working to general and special camps), providing instant access to healthcare services. implement projects and services that sanitation loans to SHG women Hand in Hand India modelled the best meet the requirements of the to construct toilets, promoting SNCU at the Cheyyar Government community. early childhood nutrition through Hospital on the SNCU at Tirupattur Bridging the awareness and training to young Government Hospital in Vellore, in infrastructure gap mothers, curbing Anaemia amongst tandem with UNICEF norms. adolescent girls and training SHG A targeted approach makes for The SNCU in Cheyyar Government women on basic health and hygiene judicious use of resources and Hospital was constructed with the through structured modules. Over addresses specific problems rather support of CSR funds and of the the years, Hand in Hand India has than applying a ‘one shoe fits all’ local government. implemented innovative strategies method. Hand in Hand India did an The SNCU is a new addition to to improve the healthcare delivery initial scoping study to understand the Cheyyar Government Hospital facilities and filling the gaps where what was lacking in terms of health and stands out from the rest of the necessary, with a stronger focus on

34 Hand in Hand India buildings with four trained doctors terms of staffing, new staff have been Acute Diarrhoeal Diseases (ADD) and 10-12 nurses round the clock. employed to be present round the as they are the major cause of The rooms are fully equipped with clock at the unit. ailments among the poor, impacting highly advanced technology, having Total sanitation & their productivity and ability to the ambience of a private hospital. infrastructure earn income. ADD is caused due The critical component, continuous to consumption of unsafe drinking supply of oxygen is ensured through Hand in Hand India believes in water contaminated by sediments, a detailed piping system on the walls. initiating and sustaining rural effluents, indiscriminate disposal The infants, normally between ages development through integrated of wastes, and faecal coliform. 1 day to 1 month are monitored and Community Development Projects. Both surface and groundwater are attended, round the clock, by nurses One of the indicators of a developed contaminated by these elements. and doctors. Mothers are present community is the health of the Surface water sources are affected close by in the waiting room and people and efficiency of healthcare to a larger extent. Faecal coliform is check on their babies every hour. systems. Hand in Hand India found to be a major contaminant in understands that duplicating water, because of the practice of open The unit has been functional since government systems and building defaecation. March 2016, and has seen a lot of parallel structures is not sustainable activity, with the average number of Current sanitation in the long run, hence the focus on visits ranging between 40-45 times situation filling the gaps in the government a month. Previously, in the hospital, initiatives. The State and Central governments the number of cases being referred provide subsidies to encourage to other hospitals was quite high There is wide disparity between the construction of individual household due to lack of equipment and space. urban and rural regions in India, in toilets and community toilets. In Recently, however, there has been terms of facilities in healthcare and Tamil Nadu, a special scheme was a steady drop in referrals-out and awareness amongst people. Hand introduced a decade ago, to provide increase in referrals-in, which is a big in Hand India works on improving sanitation-related infrastructure win for the unit. both these factors and boosts the facilities through the Integrated general health in the rural areas. Apart from treating the infants for Sanitary Complex for Women and Raising awareness on prevention and illnesses, nurses and doctors also Children (ISCWC) in panchayats changing attitudes and behaviours is provide awareness on caring for their for poor communities, who did not the key focus of the health pillar. child during the initial few days, have land holdings to construct giving them leaflets with information Lack of personal hygiene and poor individual toilets. Hand in Hand on feeding, signs of illnesses and so sanitation is the cause for over India has worked closely with the on. Jagadishwari and Durga are two 50% of health issues in the rural government to renovate and maintain young mothers who have just had areas. Water-borne diseases are the the ISCWCs. With facilitation by their first child and are visiting the cause for 80% of the communicable Hand in Hand India, the user group facility to have their newborns looked diseases in rural areas and some of of ISCWC has been able to mobilise after. The young mothers are very the major causes for contamination a corpus fund and working capital happy with the services. are open defaecation by the villages for maintenance, caretaker wages and and poor drainage systems. This leads other bills. In addition to this regular “The doctors and nurses here are very to various communicable and water- maintenance, training and advocacy good. They ensure that our babies borne diseases due to contamination on women’s personal hygiene and are well attended do. The rooms and of water sources, skin infections and sanitation have been provided to facilities are also very clean. If not for urinary tract infection, especially complete the circle. A total of 22,258 this unit, we would be forced to go amongst the women. SHG members are responsible for to Chengalpet. This is a much more Rationale of the project the maintenance of the complexes in convenient location for women like their locality, a true sign of ownership us from Cheyyar. Overall, we’ve had a Close to 8.4 million people die and willpower to bring about positive very positive experience.” annually in India, of which nearly change. The neonatal care unit receives 0.78 million deaths are related support from the government to water, sanitation and hygiene through funds for maintenance problems. Diarrhoeal diseases are of equipment. For small building a major contributor, causing 0.4 repairs and so on, the unit manages million deaths. It is critical to have to provide for its own expenses. In a society with least incidence of

Annual Report 2015-16 35 Tribal takeover

Lalitabai, a 28 year old young mother villages under the health and education from a village named Patadi situated programme.Malnourishment and 30 kilometers from Nalcha block in Anaemia are the major issues that have tribal Madhya Pradesh was pregnant for been addressed. the third time. Due to work stress and Major components of the health initiative family responsibilities, she had become in Madhya Pradesh include training and very weak towards the last weeks of her advocacy. Over 1000 women from 50 pregnancy. The situation worsened when villages have been selected for training she suddenly started bleeding profusely in personal hygiene, maternal and with contractions. Clueless about what child health, nutrition, anaemia and to do next, her brother contacted the community health. While the training Hand in Hand India Mobilizer who aims to improve women’s health and rushed to the village and found her create awareness, their primary aim to be critical. Though he made every is to create an everlasting impact by effort to get medical help (108) it was uplifting women’s status in the society. not successful and she gave birth to a Malnourished infants and children are lifeless child at home. The episode did identified and provided with nutritious not end there as Lalita’s health started food supplements. Severely malnourished deteriorating. The Mobilizer rushed to children are referred to the Nutrition Bagdi PHC, convinced the staff and Rehabilitation Centre. Hand in Hand brought the ambulance ( Janani Express) India monitors the health of these along with a staff nurse. She was rushed children even after the referral. Advocacy to the PHC where the Medical Officer and sensitisation of stakeholders prove expressed his inability to provide her with to be crucial in sustaining efforts in the the needed medication due to lack of tribal regions. Through regular training advanced facilities at PHC and referred and meetings, elected representatives her to the District Hospital. With proper are sensitised and motivated with IEC care and attention received there she material to ensure that every woman was revived. Further diagnosis revealed and child in the village is nourished that her HB was only 04 at that point of and healthy. Hand in Hand India’s time. Immediately two bottles of blood relationship with village stakeholders, were arranged by the Mobilizer and two health institutions, health workers and weeks later she was discharged with an the government has led to a sustainable advice of intensive care. The medical team model of providing basic access to health appreciated the support of Hand in Hand services to tribal communities in Madhya India Mobilizer and the family members Pradesh. expressed their gratitude with tears as even though the child could not be saved, Lalita was still alive! Hand in Hand India’s interventions have created a high impact in the field of health, education and livelihood. Health interventions have covered 149

36 Hand in Hand India Annual Report 2015-16 37 H IH India takes to the road less travelled: A Kalvarayan Hills intervention

In 2012 Hand in Hand India with in the area, with the number of home support from Ford India, started a deliveries gradually dwindling.The project to fill in the gaps in maternity vehicle has facilitated 112 institutional and child health in Kalvarayan Hills in deliveries till date. It is an incredible shift Tamil Nadu. The project was aimed at considering the fact that most women had providing affordable healthcare for tribal their first delivery at home. communities and creating awareness on accessing the various health services. Owing to the remote location of the village, government health services were unable to penetrate the area. Hand in Hand India held discussions with the government officials and rolled out the plan for a vehicle that could operate on all terrains in Kalvarayan Hills. The Ford Endeavor was thus rolled out with the collaborative efforts of Hand in Hand India and Ford India. The vehicle provides free pick-up and drop services from the area to the medical centres and back. This has greatly improved the number of institutional deliveries and pregnancy monitoring

38 Hand in Hand India Annual Report 2015-16 39 Skill Development & Technology Centre

Wom en given skill training 1,20,075

Fr a mers given skill training 5,277

Youth given skill training 4,531

Skill Training Centres 68

People given e-literacy training 8,42,596

40 Hand in Hand India Annual Report 2015-16 41 Empowering through Skill Development

In the contemporary era of Livestock, Apparel, Handicrafts & the lower rung of demography knowledge economy, ‘Information Handlooms, Beauty & Wellness, in the villages. Each Technology is power’ but in rural India, the Electronics, Automotive and IT & Centre is equipped with computers poor still lack access to elementary ITES. for training the local population information services. In addition, primarily adolescent boys and girls Creating opportunities through there is a skill gap leading to by charging a nominal fee; providing partnership with National Skill a majority of the employable related services such as photocopy, Development Corporation population being unemployed or scanning, photography; library and to (NSDC): Since 2003, skill training under employed. As a strategic step promote various government welfare has been a top priority for Hand to address both these issues, Hand schemes. These centres assist the in Hand India. This concept, in Hand India’s erstwhile Citizen local communities to file e-petitions however, has grown in focus, Centre concept was redesigned as with the government. Additionally, strategic intervention and scale. Skill Development and Technology the Centres are used as forums for Hand in Hand India’s skill training Centre with an aim to create conducting meetings, counselling and employability mission has information-literate and skilled rural sessions, discussions and deliberations been strengthened through the fraternity. With the prime objective on issues of local importance. collaboration with NSDC. As part of “ bridging the skill deficit among Currently, both the components are of this project, Hand in Hand India women, youth and farmers for being implemented in Tamil Nadu, will be instrumental in training creating sustainable livelihoods by Puducherry, Karnataka, Madhya and provide employment to 50,000 enhancing their entrepreneurship”, Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha, Andhra women and youth across five states, employability and productivity, Pradesh and Maharashtra and will over the next ten years (2016-26). the pillar aims to reach 200,000 be extended to the Indian states Technology Centres beneficiaries by 2020. of West Bengal and Bihar. Over Skill development Technology Centres are built around the last few years, Hand in Hand programme the concept of improving access to India has exclusively focused on information and communication, youth-based and fee-based skill Holistically understanding the gaps pivotal for the economic and social training programmes, both of which in the skill training initiatives across empowerment of the underprivileged stem from the regular training the country such as capacity and The social component of this programmes. quality of training, training outputs, initiative focuses on promoting insufficient focus on workforce aspiration, market-oriented approach, ensuring better employability, lack of assessment, certification and common standards. Hand in Hand India aims at fulfilling these gaps through its training interventions, not only among the rural women but also among the youth and farmers. As a timely recognition NSDC has approved Hand in Hand India as one of their partners and awarded a Certificate of Partnership on April 1, 2016. Training is currently provided in the sectors of Agriculture,

42 Hand in Hand India Rcnea hi g out to the youth Driving, computer and laptop in the learning process. SD & TC servicing for boys and courses like has trained over 12,000 beneficiaries It is estimated that by 2020 around tailoring, data entry, beauty therapist, in the year 2015 -16, out of which 500 million people in India will be embroidery etc for girls through one-third enrolled themselves in in the working population bracket, better training infrastructure and the fee-based training programmes the largest in the world. Currently, innovative formats. Livelihood during the pilot phase. more than 80% of youth have not support is provided by creating completed school, so it can be Market Tie-up opportunities in the organised inferred that these youth, unless given sector by facilitating placement to An important shift in strategy vocational skills, will neither have those youth through placement by Hand in Hand India, was to the competency to work as a skilled assistance. Over the past one year, foster an entrepreneurial spirit workforce, nor will they work long more than 2500 youth have been amongst women rather than merely enough as casual labourers as they reached through our various training suggesting job placements. Distance quickly fall prey to addictive habits. initiatives. Of these, approximately and difficulty in travelling to the Through similar experiences, Hand in 70% are gainfully employed either workplace along with socio-cultural Hand India has realised that school through a wage or self-employment. beliefs such as ‘a woman’s presence dropouts are mired in economic as To strengthen this, Hand in Hand is essential at home’ are factors that well as social poverty. Social poverty India spends dedicated time and have led to this shift. Curating a is the absence of a social support resource and has tie-ups with many demand-driven training course and system and the presence of the right small and large companies -from curriculum, establishing the right atmosphere to enable these children retail outlets to spas and beauty market linkages and identifying to improve themselves. parlours, computer hardware the potential training are a few The Skill Development & companies and mobile phone service of the steps taken. The focused Technology Centre initiative of Hand shops to larger corporates such as training programme aims to assist in Hand India has provided a ‘second TVS and Sutherland Global Services. trainees who want to start their chance’ to out of school unemployed Introduction of Fee-based own business and who will create youth to enable them to earn a training programmes jobs not only for themselves but decent living. By providing vocational also for others. The programme is training and life skills, Hand in Hand Until this year, training was offered interactive, and participants are taken India aims to turn the less privileged free of cost to encourage participation through topics such as identifying youth into an asset for their family. and reach out to a larger population. the business opportunity, setting With the help of livelihood training Over time, a fee-based methodology up the business venture, running and livelihood support, the paradoxes has been evolved under which a fixed it efficiently, maintaining books of confronting the livelihood space programme-based fee is collected accounts, marketing, understanding for youth are addressed. ‘Livelihood from the beneficiary. The idea behind the concept of break-even point, Training’ aims at solving the problem launching the fee-based programme the importance of quality control, of school dropouts and unemployed is to reach out to the right trainees delivering their product or service on without marketable skills. This who will have undiminished time, etc. The programme also takes training enables them gain expertise commitment throughout the training participants through the process and in skills in smartphone servicing, program and will exhibit greater sources of raising finances / loan to home appliance servicing, LMV seriousness start a business.

Annual Report 2015-16 43 On the Road to Success

Here’s the story of Navin, a school long Data Entry Operator Skill training drop-out, who through his grit secured course in Chromepet. With renewed a job with a reputed IT major, bracing vigour, Navin instantly enrolled in it. barriers within and without. “My trainers Ramya and Swathi are my driving force. They taught us the usage of One look at Navin, and you will judge advanced MS Excel tools. Besides, they him as a reserved boy ; however, on also honed my English speaking skills.” interacting, you will realise that beneath Interview etiquette including mock the reticent boy is a storehouse of interviews and the basics of grammar and determination and confidence. Navin vocabulary were taught. Participants were led a modest life with both his parents also trained on attending to customer employed at a city college and his service calls and using chat services to brother working with a reputed MNC. respond to customer queries. During the His parents expected that Navin would skill training, Navin received an interview follow his brother Praveen’s footsteps. call from Nokia Networks as a Logistics Unfortunately, that did not happen. Coordinator at a salary of INR 12,500. “I Soon Navin got dissuaded and cleared learnt to use Pivot table, V-Lookup and his Grade X board exams with a passing other functions in MS Excel during the percentage. Further, the sight of his training – this, coupled with my English brother slogging out to clear his Grade speaking skills helped me clinch the job XII board exams – escalated his fear at Nokia” he beams. and the mere thought of appearing for another board exam sent shivers down his Navin is now busy checking supply and spine. His family tried to convince him logistics of tower units, maintaining in/ to complete schooling, but he had already out registers and generating weekly and decided to drop out. monthly tracking reports using MS Excel. He is now upgrading himself by learning In 2014, after board exams, Navin SAP. What’s more, he’s also applying enrolled for a Diploma in Electronics & for part-time jobs in data entry so that Communication at Central Polytechnic he can effectively utilise his time after College Chennai and after completion his working hours and supplement his of the course, he joined the production income. team of the tower base unit at Nokia Networks with a pay of INR 6000. Three months later, an apprenticeship offer from Schneider Electric with a salary of INR 8500, came through and he willingly agreed. All was going good yet Navin felt that the lack of communication and the inability to speak English greatly deterred his career growth. It was at this point that his cousin, a member of Hand in Hand India’s Self Help Group, told him about the month

44 Hand in Hand India Annual Report 2015-16 45 46 Hand in Hand India Po wer Couple: Sarala & Rajenderan

Sarala & Rajenderan are first generation about twenty customers a day for all their entrepreneurs, gleaming with joy as services.The couple earns a profit of INR footfall increases in their new mobile 8000 a month. On being asked about the service shop. Take a look at how Hand in impact of the training on their business, Hand India has empowered them with Rajenderan responds, “I was quick to pick the right skills to take their passion to new up mobile phone repair concerning IC, heights . speaker mic and charging pin. I want to learn more about software”. Sarala on the Although Sarala is a homemaker, she other hand wants to expand her venture doubles as a bank correspondent for and incorporate Xerox and DTP services Central Bank of India and nurtured a as she finds them most in demand in the desire to start her own enterprise. Similarly, locality. She also wants to teach Tamil her husband, Rajenderan was a driver typing to students. Rajenderan wants to for over 20 years and wanted to kick-off expand to a car/bike repair outlet and the his business. Soon after, the couple had Hand in Hand India team is encouraging established their own store, HRS travel him to take the training for the same from and Mobile in Mambakkam catering Hand in Hand India. to tours and travel services and sales of mobile phones. Located in a busy area of Chennai, a majority of their earnings currently comes from cell phone accessory sales and recharge of cell phones. In order to give a facelift to their venture, the couple registered for the Cell Phone Service training offered by Hand in Hand India in May 2016. During the month-long training, they learnt about hardware and basic mobile phone repair. Soon after the training, they added a mobile phone service component to their business. They now effectively handle issues with mic, sound system, motherboard and screen with a quick turnaround time and receive

Annual Report 2015-16 47 Ernvi onment

Households covered under waste collection 4,48,185

N atural Resource Management projects 65

A rea Covered (Hectare) 45,667.29

48 Hand in Hand India Annual Report 2015-16 49 R ecycle for Life: A story of achieving 100% source segregation of waste

Problem Processing of compost, generation of (AAI), Bharat Heavy Electricals biogas in select locations, setting up Ltd (BHEL) and Oil and Natural Domestic, industrial, commercial, of community safe drinking water Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) to agricultural are a few types of plants, environmental advocacy either implement projects or to run waste generated in urban areas as and environmental study tours for awareness campaigns on Swachh a result of economic development, school students are some of the other Bharat Abhiyan. urbanisation and improved living activities that are currently being standards in cities (Gupta, Yadav, With a long-term objective to taken up as part of the programme. Kumar, 2015). Accumulation of reduce environmental degradation Hand in Hand India works in such wastes, in public spaces, due to caused by improper disposal of solid a partnership model with local lack of proper disposal mechanisms waste, the Solid Waste Management bodies such as town panchayats and in urban and rural areas leads interventions of Hand in Hand municipalities. to a spiral of environment and India have expanded rapidly over health issues. A vicious circle of Scale and reach the last eight years. They have not environmental degradation right only expanded in terms of a number What started off as a single project from contamination of groundwater of geographies but also in terms of in Mudichur has now mushroomed to spreading of greenhouse gases the size, type of communities and into project interventions in seven entails when waste is not properly geopolitical situations. districts in Tamil Nadu and one segregated managed and disposed of. project each in Andhra Pradesh Approach and Puducherry.The graduation is captured not only in terms of Hand in Hand India’s Solid geography and size of operating Waste Management (SWM) regions but also by the fact that Hand intervention has been working in Hand India has been recognised towards cleaning, segregating and by Public Sector Undertakings effectively managingwaste since 2007. such as Airport Authority of India

50 Hand in Hand India Model – Recycle for Life

Hand in Hand India’s Recycle for December 2014. Under the project, biodegradable waste food generates Life project was launched with a every household in the area was power to illuminate street lights. vision of 100% source segregation provided with green coloured bins The achievement was largely due of waste. Despite efforts to ensure (for biodegradable waste), black to constant advocacy and active segregation of waste at source coloured bins (for non-biodegradable participation of target households through advocacy and live in-person waste) and a large white bag (for and emphasis on the importance of segregation by Green Friends who recyclable waste). The community was source segregation for effective solid collect the waste, only 25% of the sensitised on the types of wastes, its waste management. The Resource waste that comes to the compost adverse effects on the environment Recovery Park at Mamallapuram pit is segregated. Bringing out a and the benefits of source segregation is now a ‘Key Resource Centre’ behavioural and attitudinal change through a motivator, who was for awareness and knowledge in people such that they understand engaged for every 800 households. In dissemination on solid waste the impact of improper waste addition, motorised waste collection management. disposal is particularly a challenge. vehicles were used to gather waste Conclusion Nevertheless, the challenge was taken and were custom-made to transmit head on through the Recycle for prerecorded messages and songs on The graduation from working Life initiative. A pilot programme in the importance of source segregation closely with town panchayats to 800 households in Mamallapuram of waste. Using the motorised vehicle municipalities is a key indicator of proved successful, with 75% of waste instead of the regular tricycle model the scale in which the operations are being segregated at source and an itself was a technological graduation expanding. A profession that deals enthusiastic participation by the for the intervention. with waste is usually looked down members of the household. upon. But, Hand in Hand India’s Biodegradable and non- team thinks otherwise. The success of the pilot motivated biodegradable wastes are collected Hand in Hand India to team up with everyday, while recyclable waste is Mamallapuram Town Panchayat collected once a week. The project and to obtain funding support from has achieved 75% source segregation Sweden-based Postcode Lottery. among target households and 80% Together, they launched the ‘Recycle diversion of waste from reaching the for Life’ in Mamallapuram town in landfill as of December 2015. The

Annual Report 2015-16 51 Dnreami g of a Green Rameswaram

Rameswaram, a holy city, known for the implementing a waste management initiative famous Lord Shiva temple by the waterfront, in such places with volatile populations, the is home to 45,000 residents and has a huge Green Rameswaram project is proving to be a floating tourist population that bustles with success. Several pockets of the city are dotted activity at the crack of dawn as scores of with attractive dustbins created as part of devotees from around the nation throng Recycle for Life that encourage even tourists this city throughout the year to perform to segregate and dispose waste. In addition, traditional rituals and bathe in the holy the behaviour change efforts by HiH India’s sea. Hand in Hand India’s Green Friends Green Friends to sensitise the local residents are always on their toes to preserve the about segregation of waste is a commendable environmental aesthetics of this holy land. achievement. This is the story of Hand in Hand India’s From an initial pilot phase consisting of just commitment to the cause of reducing 2 wards and few streets in Rameswaram, environmental degradation due to improper the project now covers 10 wards and waste disposal mechanism. 5000 households through support from Owing to Hand in Hand India’s presence Rameswaram Municipality, Swedish Postcode and achievements in the waste management Lottery and Vivekananda Kendra. By sector, the Solid Waste Management and December 2015, the project achieved 70% at the Recycle for Life projects were replicated source segregation among target households in Rameswaram Municipality in February and 80% diversion of waste reaching the 2014. The Green Rameswaram project was landfills. In addition to these achievements, initiated along with Rameswaram district in February 2016, Oil and Natural Gas administration, Vivekananda Kendra, Corporation (ONGC) as a part of its Rameswaram Municipality and Hand CSR funds, gave support to infrastructure in Hand India. Given the obstacles in development and project implementation

52 Hand in Hand India in four wards of the municipality in Phase India’s Solid Waste Management team. 1. Being recognised by a Public Sector Even though the Resource Recovery Park Undertaking such as ONGC in a niche area in Mamallapuram was submerged in the and succeeding such that a Phase 2 is in the floods, with all the machinery and vehicles pipeline is a testament to the dedication, completely damaged, the SWM team passion and hard work of the team. performed door to door collection of wastes through hired vehicles. To process the waste, a In October 2015, Hand in Hand India makeshift arrangement was made at a nearby ventured into the Union Territory of location. “It was very difficult to sweep the Puducherry and implemented its first project roads since roads were flooded with garbage in Yanam Municipality. The town has about and carcases of dead animals. Also, we had to 13,000 households and generates 15 tonnes remove fallen trees and trunks along the way. of municipal solid waste everyday. Currently, Moreover, almost all the streets were flooded Hand in Hand India is piloting the Recycle up to 4 feet”, said K Banumathi, a Green for Life project in 800 households. Friend from Mamallapuram. The Green Flood Relief Efforts: friends of Perungalathur and Mudichur (the Nature had taken its own course during worst affected places) braved the odds and recent monsoons in Chennai. Subsequent ensured the continuous execution of the floods left an adverse imprint on an individual project. This shows that our Green Friends as well as community level. Garbage menace will go to any length to safeguard and inspire exacerbated the situation to an unprecedented communities to show the right attitude scale where a disease outbreak looked towards our environment. In a nutshell, the like an imminent threat. But, even this recent flood has taught us a priceless lesson catastrophe couldn’t shake the perseverance that “we become what we repeatedly do”. and never-say-die attitude of Hand in Hand

Annual Report 2015-16 53 Development of a Seed to a Banyan Tree

“It has been observed that our ancestors lived in a healthier environment than what we live in today despite the available amenities and technologies. All aspects of life are polluted - air, water, land and even the food we consume. In olden days, the food was hard to earn but easy to digest, now it is easy to earn but hard to digest our food! Every new invention now points us back to where we originated from and to a natural way of life!“

Natural resources form the main blossomed into a Banyan tree by an integrated development approach source of livelihood directly or becoming a resource centre to many in which all aspects of development, indirectly for a majority of the organisations working in the space conservation of soil and water, which rural poor. As Hand in Hand India of natural resource management and remains at the base for agriculture, works closely to address poverty and livelihood development. plantation of trees, the creation create livelihoods, the organisation of agriculture allied livelihood or In 2006, agriculture development identified that restoring the depleted augmentation of the livelihood of the programme opened up opportunities natural resources would be a unique landless were included. for local farmers through vegetable intervention to enable communities cultivation training, direct market The pilot initiative in Arapedu in to uplift themselves by going back linkages and subsidised agriculture Kanchipuram district was received to their roots. The ten-year journey credit facilities. Supplementing with enthusiasm and interest from since 2006 that originated with agriculture development with the local community. The results of water conservation and agriculture watershed management proved to be the intervention that led to positive enterprise development programmes a game changer in 2007. This novel impact were visible as groundwater has come a long way. The programme model encompassed a larger scale and surface water levels had increased that started off as a seed has not covering a watershed area along with through new ponds. These immediate only established its roots but has

54 Hand in Hand India effects generated demand in the came together to form district-level owing to their mindset and behaviour nearby villages and multiple such producer organisations, who have in patterns. Despite difficult conditions, programmes were then replicated. turn come together to form a national Hand in Hand India initiated three level producer company, Indian Tribal Development Projects with Owing to the success of this Natural Farmers Producer Company funding support from NABARD intervention and to work with a Limited, in 2015. in Tamil Nadu. Further, giving a smaller budget, the nano-watershed thumbs up to Hand in Hand India’s concept was initiated in 2008. As part The Green Livelihood Development collaborative approach, NABARD of the programme, a huge watershed initiative, which includes enterprises recognised Hand in Hand India was hydrologically divided into was scaled up in the year 2011 and as the resource agency for training smaller units and the project was 2013. Several livelihood initiatives NGOs on soil and water conservation implemented in the villages within were kicked off such as beekeeping, and livelihood development in Tamil the smaller units. A total of ten such mushroom cultivation, input Nadu. As on March 31, 2016,around nano-watersheds were developed production for organic agriculture 65 NGOs working with NABARD covering three micro-watershed units. and commercial cattle rearing. In have been trained by Hand in Hand addition, community drinking water The years 2009 and 2010 saw a major India. projects were initiated to ensure breakthrough with the large-scale the provision of adequate and safe What started as a simple journey initiation of the Organic Farming drinking water for the needy villages. to improve agricultural practices and Agriculture Development The project was expanded to dry amongst local farmers has blossomed (OFAD) Program. The programme zones of Madhya Pradesh and some into working in organic farming aimed to ensure a sustainable future villages in Tamil Nadu, where the and creating livelihoods for farmers for agriculture, while promoting impact was evident. Studies showed and tribal communities living in organic farming which is profitable that due to this initiative, the challenging terrains. Covering for the farmer and affordable for the water supply has gone up and the all aspects of food security, water end customers. An organic farming number of productive man-hours conservation and livelihood group was formed and large scale increased leading to higher income or development, Hand in Hand India collective organic farming practices educational level of the villagers. has truly graduated over the last ten were initiated. After specific training years from being an amateur to an and handholding support for organic The next phase of growth in 2014 expert in these fields. farming, the output reflected that the and 2015 was the establishment of net profit for organic produce was the Tribal Development Programme higher than conventional cultivation (WADI). Working with tribal methods. The organic farming groups communities is a challenging task,

Annual Report 2015-16 55 56 Hand in Hand India The Hills Are Alive, with a helping hand from NABARD

It is barely 2pm when we are midway conservation pond or a well. Thus, also shown a sample cashew crop through our hike uphill. Thunder bringing about a behavioural change (variety VRI-3) where the ideal fruit roars above us, the clouds are dark in these communities with fixed size has been reached. This is almost and ready to pour. The terrain is lifestyles is challenging. three times the average size of cashew hard, steep and we break into a that is being produced by the farmers. The tribal communities of sweat. We reach atop a hillock to see Pachamalai live in rough terrain and Farmers who have shaded areas a middle-aged woman’s (Chandra are cut off from urban facilities like of land with woods have been w/o Pichaikkaran) farm. Her dog infrastructure and communication. encouraged to grow coffee. Coffee welcomes us with a bark as we With poor access to health, education plantations usually take about three approach the neatly contoured land and safe drinking water, people to five years to mature, but once with rows of cashew, coffee, mango heavily depend on farming for they do, the yield lasts them a good and exotic pineapples. Her farm area sustenance and usually harvest only 15 years. Apart from agricultural is awe inspiring. Cultivation of such rain-fed crops. In particular, Cassava, activities, the NRM team has trained crops in inclined terrains is no easy commonly known as Tapioca, a the local villagers on bee keeping task. But this is the way of life for highly resilient crop is grown in this and piggery. They have also provided the men and women in Pachamalai. region. However, during the off- revolving fund loans for purchase of This is the story of their lives and season, farmers leave to neighbouring cattle for the production of milk. A how Hand in Hand India along with States including Kerala lured by recurrent problem for the villagers NABARD is equipping them with better pay. This migration of farmers is the lack of procurement agencies, skills and opportunities that will last can be checked by adopting horti- be it for their cashew or the milk a lifetime. forestry. It involves planting different produced by the cows. NABARD set up a Tribal varieties of crops including cashew, Pachamalai is an agro-biodiversity Development Fund in 2003-04 mango, silver oak and coffee. hotspot with rich natural resources. with an initial corpus of INR 50 The WADI project in Puthur needs Before the project was initiated, crore and an objective of creating a special mention. Most of the plots the team faced resistance from the models of integrated development for here are lined with silver oaks as they governing authorities, given its tribal families through WADI and have the capacity to grow quickly and challenges in terms of terrain and implementing need-based, alternative provide shade. The bark is ideal for people. Bringing about behavioural sustainable livelihood activities. the growth of pepper vines – a simple change requires dedicated staff, Hand in Hand India has been chosen and quick source of income. Alternate perseverance and time. Each NRM the implementation partner for rows of mango and cashew plants staff member displayed each of NABARD’S Pachamalai Integrated are neatly arranged on contoured these characteristics. To live in an Tribal Development Project. land. As part of the soil conservation alien terrain and to be accepted by NABARD has provided funding work, field bunds and tree bunds were people who are very different and assistance for a period of six years. formed to stop leaching of eroded to successfully implement a project The project targets 1,330 households topsoil from the field. Another in Pachamalai is no easy feat. The in the region and the project plan interesting innovation, added by the WADI project with NABARD truly includes soil and water conservation team, as a part of micro irrigation resonates with the pillar’s mission of and horti-forestry plantation support initiative was fixing an earthen pot establishing sustainable livelihood for tribals residing in remote areas. that allows for slow and continuous development. The local community is Besides, other sources of livelihood percolation of water into the soil area grateful to the support yielded by the such as piggery, cattle rearing, surrounding the plant. Two years Hand in Hand team. vermicomposting etc are taught to into the project, the mango plants are the tribal community. The tribal slowly growing, but the cashew has community doesn’t mind spending started to give initial yield. enormous amounts on a village The farmers are warned against festival but hesitates to take a loan harvesting fruits, as it does not grow (with interest) for building a water to its optimal size. The farmers are

Annual Report 2015-16 57 Village Uplift Programme

Ai ct ve Villages 109

58 Hand in Hand India Annual Report 2015-16 59 Sustainable Smart Villages – A non-traditional approach to eradicating poverty

The road to ending poverty is fraught with challenges. As the name suggests the ‘poverty trap’ is inescapable without access to the right kind of incentives. The Millennium Villages is a demonstration project of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, the United Nations Development Programme and Millennium Promise aimed at proving that its integrated approach to rural development can be used to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. The Millennium Villages Project provides services such as health, education and business opportunities so that communities can be enabled to move were expanded to four or more villages in a similar approach, it is evident that they out of the poverty trap. The Millennium the same area. Not only did this turn out are achieving greater success in their villages have been an inspiration to bring to be cost effective, it also allowed for the clusters. One such cluster is Avalurpettai about the end of poverty in developing delivery of advanced schemes that could in Villupuram district. and under-developed countries. be applied to more than one village. The Balwadi in Parainpattu has been Drawing parallels to the Millennium Through the SSV model, the process of refurbished with colourful walls adorned Villages project, Hand in Hand India addressing issues in several villages is with pictures of animals, fruits, numbers has structured their flagship Village easier, when compared to the VUP model. and letters to foster an environment of Uplift Program (VUP) to target the This is achieved through a collaborative learning. A group of women in one of needs of the village by way of providing effort by other villages, in comparison these Balwadis explained their difficulties access to healthcare, education, business to a VUP. This makes for an excellent with no access to regular healthcare, opportunities and other amenities that model of collaborative development. education or income-generating activities. might be missing. This helps the local Furthermore, through a cluster approach, They point out the specific difficulties community to foster economic growth it is easier to reach a wider range of they faced, highlighting the problems in and improve their livelihood. The project participants, making social mobilisation the village and how Hand in Hand India lasting around two years provides a hassle-free and spreading greater and the Panchayats have come together timeline within which the desired goals awareness on key topics such as health, to solve these problems. “We never knew of the VUP are met, and the same is education and new income-generating about anaemia or diabetes. Learning monitored for a project period of two initiatives. about these kinds of diseases has been an years. eye-opener. Hand in Hand India has also In a nutshell, from an economic helped us grow vegetables and fruits that Several villages under VUP are located in perspective, as the level of technology can help us to control these health issues.” the interior pockets of various areas. The in the form of deliverables increases, the cost of providing services in such remote economy will grow as the population Charging a fee of INR 20 per visit, the areas is high hence the Sustainable Smart adopts new skills and techniques through Kai-Raasi clinic in Avalurpettai has Village (SSV) cluster approach was technological assistance. Technology is benefited several people as the women implemented. The SSV came through the the main driver of economic growth and chime in time to time with anecdotes of creation of village clusters.The services development. As the SSV model follows their own or their relatives’ experiences

60 Hand in Hand India in the clinic. “I have been facing trouble vermicomposting. The cyclical process of The Citizen Centre’s in-charge talks with my ears for several years and had to providing feed and subsequently using about the various activities undertaken travel to Pondicherry for the check-up at cow dung as vermicompost truly makes it there, ranging from computer training to quite an expense. It was at the Hand in a sustainable process. Kasima is a member small awareness programmes. A stone’s Hand’s health camp that I was detected of an SHG group and acquired loans to throw away from the Citizen’s Centre is with the issue and underwent the surgery supplement the expenses on her cattle. the village school. The student retention at a hospital in Pondicherry . The surgery rates have gone up after the RO purifier As part of our models, it is a regular was completely free and as the only has been installed in the schools. The practice for women in SHGs to acquire earning member in my family, this was computer classes and Activity Based loans and set up or further their a huge weight off my shoulders,” says Learning classes have promoted a higher businesses. In Parainpattu, Banumathi Vanitha, with tears in her eyes. quality of education and student retention and Kuppu, both SHG members, run rate. The tuition classes have helped One of the bigger problems in the shops funded by the loans acquired from students who struggle to read and write villages is education. A constant worry their SHGs. Banumathi has taken loans in specific subjects, with separate classes shared by parents is the concern for worth INR 10,000 to set up five shops for different levels of writing and reading their child’s whereabouts after school in the village that sell grocery items like ability, amongst students. hours. By instituting tuition classes and soaps, spices, powders and other eatables. computer classes, this has eliminated the Her monthly income is close to INR The Multipurpose Technology Centre is worry greatly.“My son wasn’t very good 6000. Similarly, Kuppu, who runs a being operated at Avalurpettai. Muthu, a at writing or learning. The introduction chicken shop, has taken loans worth INR teacher, provides insight on the Transfer of the evening tuition classes has really 10,000 to set up her business. While the School and other activities at the MTC. benefitted him. I am able to see a marked fluctuation in prices of chicken does not The students who come here are often improvement in his writing and learning provide much certainty as a monthly short of confidence due to negative capacity. He is very enthused about his income, she claims that she makes around experiences. The primary task is to rebuild studies and goes to the tuition classes Rs.1000 per day. their confidence by preparing them for with great zeal.” the training and making them re-appear Adjacent to the shops of these two for the exams. This system has worked The computer classes and transit school beneficiaries, Neilmadhi runs a small very well, as there are no repeat failures classes are held at the Multipurpose tailoring shop. She had acquired a loan or drop-outs. New additions like the Technology Centre or MTC based out of INR 10,000 through her SHG to hole-in-the-wall computers have added of Avalurpettai. There are a variety of purchase a tailoring machine. Earlier, she an interesting element of learning for training courses and regular workshops used to earn about INR 200 in a day, now these students, adding to their computer available at the MTC too. The women after a child, she makes around INR 100 learning and English vocabulary. speak of a number of training courses a day. She also makes significant savings The MTC is also the hub for various they have undertaken from rearing cattle at INR 1200 per month. Kasima’s son training seminars. Agricultural, health and poultry to jewellery making and from Kodambaddi acquired training on and education seminars, workshops, computer training. The dairy and poultry fish farming and has used a part of the training are all provided here. There are training, in particular, has helped them loan his mother acquired, to finance the even opportunities to make field visits, set up side-businesses to gain additional purchase of fish eggs and feed for his fish organised by the MTC. With ample income. In the nearby Kodambaddi farm as well as towards expanding the facilities and space, the MTC provides village beneficiaries Kasima and her fish pond. A part of the loan also goes the perfect space for initiating long- husband, shared about their cattle rearing towards maintenance of their groundnut lasting change through awareness. venture.“Apart from providing training on shelling unit. Kasima’s son tells us that how to care for the cattle and poultry, the the Hand in Hand team regularly visits The transformation from a VUP to SSV Hand in Hand team assisted us with the the fish pond and provides assistance on has brought about significant changes to right market linkages and improving milk breeding and pond maintenance. the local communities. While the path to quality through training on the growth becoming fully sustainable is challenging, The Citizen’s Centre located in the of enriching feed like Azolla. Veterinary even for urban cities, this cluster Thalagunam village is lit up with camps once in four months help assure approach is a step in the right direction several paintings and posters spreading the health of the cattle.” and will pave the way for growth and awareness on various issues. Equipped development. Kasima and her husband also undertake with computers for public use, the room integrated farming methods, particularly is centrally located for ease of access.

Annual Report 2015-16 61 CAPTIVATING CAMBODIA

Established in 2014, Hand in Hand savings amongst the group and Cambodia aims to improve the living orderly bookkeeping. The internal standards of subsistence communities loan disbursal has touched a figure of in rural Cambodia. The mission of 282.469 Riels, proving that the the organisation has a specific focus original savings corpus has been on economic and social empower- rotated to the tune of 1.85 times! ment of women, and thus society, by Hand in Hand has motivated creating enterprises and jobs, in line SHG women, trained to become with Hand in Hand India’s goal. entrepreneurs and facilitated credit Hand in Hand Cambodia has support, which resulted in promotion partnered with like-minded NGO of 2479 enterprises and 9916 jobs Cambodian Rural Development have been created in different fields Team (CRDT) to explore the such as tailoring, cooking, piggery, possibilities of joint initiatives in job bee keeping etc, proving the positive creation through financial inclusion impact of livelihood training given and integrated community by Hand in Hand. The women have development. become empowered financially and socially. Differential lending rates for As of March 2016, 223 SHGs have their internal loans are being used by been formed of which 87% percent SHGs based on purpose. comprise women. The repayment rate is 97.1%. Hand in Hand Cambodia’s While competition with other MFIs training and motivation has led to a is stiff, Hand in Hand Cambodia’s great sense of solidarity, cohesiveness SHG model is unique with and trust amongst themselves. components of training, livelihood This inclusiveness amongst groups support and credit, hence attracting has allowed for a voluntary savings SHG members towards it. component, highlighting the maturity in the lifecycle of SHGs. The training provided has materialised as good rotation of

62 Hand in Hand India Partnership with a human touch

Hand in Hand India has facilitated high impact short and long term projects for corporations, Foundations, individual philanthropists and public sector undertakings over the past year. The impact of these is immeasurable in smiles, happiness and gratitude. Read on to understand how Team Partnerships and Alliances have played a crucial role in fundraising in 2015-16.

The Companies Act of 2013 has as well as vertical re-engineering. introduced a plethora of provisions This law now provides a platform that aims to change the manner to co-create, develop as well as in which business operations are nurture innovative ideas and models. conducted in India. In harmony Marrying the scale and technical with the sentiment of ‘giving back to knowledge brought in by Corporates, society’ prevailing all across the globe, with the experience and customised the novel provision of Corporate strategy of Hand in Hand India is Social Responsibility (CSR), the key for this. redefines community development work in India. This provision has Just as each human being has unique enumerated a structure by virtue features, desires and aspirations, of which corporates, who have similarly each donor also has unique crossed particular thresholds, would requirements based on their vision, need to contribute towards socially mission and social values. Flexibility responsible activities and causes. and innovation to cater to the donors’ requirement is now the buzz word. Hitherto, while Corporates did As a logical corollary, not only have contribute towards such causes, it existing programs been refined but was common for large entities to simultaneously, innovative projects channelise the earmarked funds have been introduced, aligning with through their own foundations. the aspirations of the corporate Consequently, the residual amount partners. for non-profit organisations was comparatively meagre and largely Hand in Hand India’s operational inadequate. Quite naturally, this new teams have walked the extra mile to enactment has been welcomed by the deliver in new geographies as well sector. as new project types. Further, while all corporate donors look towards Apart from the financial perspective, deep and long-lasting impact in the this law has opened up various other communities which they serve, Hand uncharted avenues, all of which will in Hand India has now introduced contribute in a major way in poverty both long as well as short duration alleviation and in an oblique manner, projects, thereby representing a are leading to a rapid transformation paradigm shift. of Hand in Hand India. From a macro perspective, the organisation This is especially the case in the is in a state of concurrent horizontal comprehensive Village Uplift

Annual Report 2015-16 63 Program (VUP) where a marked level of 9 nine months to 3three years. of increased support from Corporates has been noticed. These crisp two-year Hand in Hand India played a crucial programs have now undergone organic role in identifying the most affected growth, changing the narrative to the areas where relief and rehabilitation have concept of Sustainable Smart Villages not reached to the desired levels and (SSV). The impactful use of technology have looked at a holistic and sustainable for education, water harvesting for upliftment process for these victims. drinking and agricultural purposes, Different types of programmes were e- literacy and solar lights etc are some designed to have a seamless merging of of the innovations in an SSV. Thus the areas of most vehement requirement vis- pristine VUP has a different orientation, à-vis the donors’ focusal points. Poultry focusing on specific areas where the farming leading to livelihood promotion, Corporate’s vision is more pronounced. SSV with rebuilding dwelling units etc. are some of the areas, previously unexplored in Last December, Chennai and adjoining a major way. localities witnessed one of the most devastating natural disasters in over a The new legislation has strengthened century. Incessant rainfall with flooding non-profit organizsations in various other not only clogged roads but led to an ways as well. The obligations upon the increase in water levels to over 14 feet Corporates signify a need for greater in certain pockets, leaving residents accountability and transparency. This has absolutely helpless. The rich and poor naturally, led to scaling up of non-profits were both equally affected, proving that in these vital spheres. Emphasis is on nature doesn’t pick favourites after all! timely, effective and empirical reporting, which has led to Hand in Hand India in While relief operations commenced soon further building upon the already firm after the rains subsided, rehabilitation foundations in this area. efforts are still in progress, months later. Corporates have again lent a hand to Indeed, Corporate Social Responsibility bring back normalcy to those affected. has hastened the journey of Hand in Hand 5 Five mega initiatives have been India in serving the people, and is now specifically undertaken for this purpose poised to be in the upper quartile of its with project periods ranging from periods growth trajectory

64 Hand in Hand India Bca kstage Number Crunching :- Monitoring and Evaluation

At Hand in Hand India, monitor- real-time management information ing and evaluation frameworks form systems. an integral part of all the pillar in- The Indian government has launched terventions. These frameworks have several social welfare schemes such as been developed over the last decade the Pradhan Mantri Jan-DhanYojana based on the experience gained from (PMJDY), Skill India, National Rural our key areas of operation and are Livelihood Mission, Swachh Bharat incorporated when new interven- Mission and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan tions are designed and implemented. (SSA) that are in line with Hand in Monitoring systems are embedded Hand India’s mission. Monitoring in the intervention process to ensure & Evaluation is working to identi- achievement of objectives of specified fy geographies that will benefit from quality and external evaluations are these schemes; it is also expanding the conducted to measure impact. possible scope of existing program to Our monitoring systems accentuate align them in line with the objectives the quality of outputs and achieve- of the government while at the same ment of targets; our evaluations mea- time filling the gaps in the programs sure the impact of our work in the at the implementation level. lives of the target beneficiaries. We challenge the assumptions in the the- ory of change of interventions; ensure rationale for interventions and the proposed delivery of benefits; provide regular feedback for making needed course corrections. External consul- tants are employed to measure impact using a variety of approaches. As Corporate Social Responsibility becomes deep-rooted in India, the need to have evidence-based inter- ventions and results is paramount. Toward this end, Hand in Hand India has strengthened its data analytics in- frastructure and is working to develop

Annual Report 2015-16 65 Dream to Reality Hand in Hand Academy for Social Entrepreneurship

On February 10, 2016, warm (EDI), a Government of India ap- sunshine streamed through the many proved institution based in Ahmed- beautiful arches of Hand in Hand abad. This program is being curated Academy for Social Entrepreneur- to serve those wanting to start their ship’s campus at Kaliyanoor. The own business, improve their existing Academy was formally inaugurated businesses or those who are looking by Dr Prof Bhaskar Ramamurthy, to build careersin the development Director, IIT Madras in the presence sector. The Academy has additionally of Dr Bruce Grant, Chairman Hand partnered with Sri Chandrasekha- in Hand International, Prof Kasturi rendra Saraswathi Mahavidya- Rangan, Harvard Business School, laya,Kanchipuram to conduct a Trustees and staff of Hand in Hand six-month Certificate Programme India. The inauguration of the in Banking. This course, ideal for Academy was at an opportune time, graduates who want specialised immediately following a successful training and skills in microfinance Global Social Entrepreneurship and banking technology will act as Programme steered by Prof Kasturi a springboard to a successful career Rangan of Harvard Business School. in the banking sector. In addition to With a theme of ‘building and these courses, short term courses in sustaining high-performance social specialisations such as monitoring enterprises’, the intense module and evaluation, CSR, microfinance, had a total of 60 highly qualified NGO management etc will be participants. The participants were introduced. The Academy is also a spread across industries including certified test centre for Frankfurt corporates, microfinance institutions, School of Finance & Management, UN agencies, financial institutions, Germany. advisories, NGOs, education profes- sionals and social entrepreneurs. With the success of the Global Social Entrepreneurship Programme and to ensure alignment with the vision and mission of The Academy, partnerships with two reputed insti- tutions were formed. Nurturing the dream to create entrepreneurs who have a balance of business acumen and entrepreneurship skills, the Academy has launched a one-year certificate program in Management Studies and Social Entrepreneurship in partnership with Entrepreneur- ship Development Institute of India

66 Hand in Hand India Communications Knitting the pillars

A major focus area of Hand in important partnerships, features Hand India over the past few years case studies and achievements of was to strengthen its channels of the organisation. The content and communication across various layout were redesigned to capture platforms. Hand in Hand India’s reader attention and engagement. official Facebook page (facebook. HANDPRINTS now also doubles com/hihindia.org) has garnered up as an internal organisational the attention of a cross-section of communication booklet that helps well-wishers all over the world with its staff and other stakeholders keep the number of ‘likes’ breaching the abreast of the key accomplishments 10,800 mark! The page has vividly and interventions of the organisation captured the interventions and every month. impact of the organisation’s efforts in Our organisation’s 2016 diary was community development through job based on United Nations’ Sustainable creation. Development Goals (SDGs) and HANDPRINTS, Hand in Hand the various outreach programs of the India’s monthly e-newsletter, a organisation that align with it. window to connect with its donors, Hand in Hand India aims to create stakeholders, corporate partners and a footprint in the global arena by well-wishers globally underwent a further developing these avenues of transformation to become a monthly opportunity. newsletter showcasing the activities,

Annual Report 2015-16 67 Hand in Hand Switzerland Association Expanding our community

Hand in Hand Switzerland 2) Children: A partnership with Association (HIH Swiss) was Switzerland-based Humanium was founded in June of 2013 and is one formally established in July 2015. of the most recent additions to Hand Humanium works to curb violations in Hand India’s Group Institutions. of children’s rights along with HIH HIH Swiss was conceived as a Swiss and has joined hands with the functional unit to promote the Hand group to develop and promote in Hand India brand globally and projects in harmony with the visions raise funds for group entities such of both organisations. as Hand in Hand Cambodia, Hand A comprehensive project addressing in Hand Myanmar and the recently rescue, rehabilitation and educational launched Hand in Hand Sri Lanka. mainstreaming of children engaged in child labour, and including Registered in Switzerland as a training on child rights related topics, tax-exempt, non-profit association, has been jointly designed through HIH Swiss supports the vision of this partnership. Hand in Hand India, to alleviate poverty through job creation and 3) Environment: In December of integrated community development. 2015, with the support of This is done through three main Humanium and its partner, programs: Women Empowerment, Erbacher Foundation, amongst other Children’s Education and donors and well-wishers, a two-year Environment. Sustainable Organic Farming Technology project was launched Since its inception in 2013, HIH in Tamil Nadu with the aim of Swiss has successfully built key maintaining the social, economic and strategic partnerships in each of its ecological balance, and thereby three program areas: contributing to sustainable 1) Women’s Empowerment: development and reduction of A unique and multi-faceted project negative external impacts on the that addresses the twin issues of environment particularly on quality institutional support and agricultural land. This is to be building capacities of the caregivers, achieved through organising and especially mothers in providing early training farmers groups on organic childhood care received funding farming techniques and providing from UBS Optimus Foundation in market linkages to these farmers 2015 following an in-depth study, to help improve their economic consultative meetings and proposal condition. submission. The project is being In addition to these long-term implemented by Hand in Hand strategic partnerships, HIH Swiss India from 2015 to 2018.

68 Hand in Hand India has promoted the work of HIH launched, showcasing the work done India and group within Switzerland by the group as well as achievements through events and networking at of the entity. With the development platforms such as the Geneva Non of a digital strategy for HIH Swiss, Profit Network, The Indian an Instagram account, Facebook page Association of Geneva and Giving and e-newsletter called Hand Post Women in 2015. were also launched in this year. In November 2015, a sale of Whilst building the website, an handicraft products, made by Hand online fundraising effort was also in Hand India’s Self Help Groups, initiated and HIH Swiss was was organised at the Diwali, Guru successful in being granted Charity Purab, Milad-un-nabi and Christmas status by PayPal which powers the celebration of the Indian Association donation portal. This means that of Geneva. Guests who were present donations can be made online at the event in Geneva appreciated through a PayPal account or with the handicrafts and this was an any major credit card directly on encouraging indication of the our website www.hihswiss.org and possible market for such products PayPal charges a reduced fee so that here in Switzerland. HIH Swiss more of the donation amount can go plans to explore future marketing towards the projects directly. possibilities for handicrafts made From forging partnerships, by Self Help Groups and hopes to designing and managing projects to be able to support these talented fundraising, networking and artisans and budding entrepreneurs promotion, and going back to the in this way. classroom as well, it has been a Harnessing the power of the web dynamic year for HIH Swiss! and social media to spread the word We thank all those who have been about the HIH model and the part of this incredible journey as we inspiring stories from the field has have gone from strength to strength, also been a major focus for HIH expanding the HIH community Swiss in the past year. In early 2016, across the globe. a new website for HIH Swiss was

Annual Report 2015-16 69 P artners & Donors

Hand in Hand International District Rural Development Agency, Lakarmissionen Tiruvallur Hand in Hand Sweden L&T Public Charitable Trust DWDA ACC Limited L&T Rubber Process Machinery Eicher Group Foundation Apollo Tyres Ltd Lotus Footwear Enterprises Ltd Emerald Jewel Industry India Ltd Ashok Leyland Madambakkam Town Panchayat Ericsson India Private Limited Asian Development Bank Madhya Pradesh Paschim Kshetra Eurkokids Vidyut Vitaran Co. Ltd. BNP Paribas Global Securities Operations Pvt Ltd Flextronics Technologies (India) Pvt Madhya Pradesh Madhya Kshetra Ltd. Vidyut Vitaran Co. Ltd. BNP Paribas India Solutions Pvt Ltd. Ford India Pvt Ltd Madhya Pradesh Poorva Kshetra Vidyut Vitaran Co. Ltd Cantonment Board St Thomas Forum Syd Mount cum Pallavaram Madukkarai Town Panchayat FMO Computer Age Management Mahalir Thittam, TN Corporation Give2Asia Services (CAMS) for Development of Women Global Giving Foundations Chennai Corporation Mamallapuram Town Panchayat Godhand Radhakrishnan, USA Cheyyar SEZ Developers Pvt Ltd Mangadu Town Panchayat Grupo Antolin India Private Ltd. ChildLine India Foundation Mondelez International GSRD Foundation Chitlapakkam Town Panchayat Mudichur Village Panchayat Gudalur Town Panchayat Cognizant Foundation National Bank for Agriculture & Guduvanchery Town Panchayat Rural Development (NABARD) CREDAI Chennai Hand in Hand Inclusive Narasimanaicken Palayam Town Dalmia Bharat Group Foundation Development Services Panchayat Department of Tourism UP Hyundai Motor India Ltd. Nordsterjnan-Salcomp Deshpande Foundation Harvard Business School ORG Marg Properties Dimexon Diamonds Ltd. Humanium Switzerland Pallapalayam Town Panchayat Coimbatore JK Tyre and Industries Ltd Panchayat Union – Nemalli Directorate of Rural Development, TN Jochnick foundation Periyanayakkanpalayam Town Panchayat District Administration JSW Salem Steel Plant Ramanathapuram District Karumathampatti Town Panchayat Perungalathur Town Panchayat District Rural Development Agency, Kundrathur Town Panchayat PPG Asian Paints Pvt Ltd Kancheepuram

70 Hand in Hand India Praveen Madhanagopal, Australia Tamilnadu Pollution Control Board Ms. Geeta Padmanabhan Primark Better Lives Foundation Tamilnadu Slum Clearance Board Mr. G Sekar Radiohjalpen TAWDEVA Prof. Karen Kayser Rameswaram Municipality Tata Consultancy Services Mitsubishi Elevator India Redhands Limited Australia The Coca – Cola Foundation Private Ltd. Renault Nissan India Private Limited Thirulkazhukundram Town Oil and Natural Gas Panchayat Rotary Club Madras South Corporation Limited Thiruneermalai Town Panchayat Salcomp Manufacturing India Pvt B.S. Abdur Rahman University Ltd TRIUM Sarkarsamakulam Town Panchayat Trelleborg Sealing Solutions State Bank of India Turbo Energy, Thiruporur Sir Ratan Tata Trust UBS Optimus Foundation Social Venture Partners UNICEF Sri Sai Trust Uthiramerur Town Panchayat SRM University Varanasi Municipal Corporation State Balanced Growth Fund Vestas Wind Technologies Pvt Ltd State Institute of Rural Development Veerapandi Town Panchayat Stifenlsen Svenska Journalen Velankanni Town Panchayat Lakaarmissionen Vallalur Town Panchayat Stiftelsen Voxtra Vivekananda Kendra, Sundaram Global Securities Kanyakumari Operations Pvt Ltd Vodafone Foundation, Sundaram Global Services Indus Towers Sutherland Global Services Walajabad Town Panchayat SVP Philanthropy Foundation Water.org Swed Fund Wipro Private Limited Tambaram Municipality Mr. Sasikumar Gendham Tamilnadu Energy Development Agency Ms. Mihoko Kobayashi

Annual Report 2015-16 71 Key executives

Name Designation

Dr. Kalpana Sankar Managing Trustee Dr. N.Jeyaseelan Group Chief Executive Officer Ms. Madhumathi C Group Head HR Mr. Sandip Mookerjee Deputy Chief Executive Officer – Partnerships & Alliances Mr. Amuthasekaran. N Senior Vice President - Group Admin & Environment Mr. K. Thiyagarajan Senior Vice President - Building & Maintanence , Public Relations , Compliance Mr. Srinivas Krishnaswamy Vice President – Academy and Monitoring & Evaluation Dr. Madhu Sharan Vice President – North India Operations Mr. Krishnamoorthy.T Vice President - SHG, Microfinance, MED, Spl Projects & Training Mr. K.S.Sudhakar Vice President - CLEP, Health , SDTC & Communications Ms. Sahaana Sankar Chief Operating Officer - HIHCSPL Ms. Veena SS Manian Director – HR Mr. Badrinarayanan.V Chief General Manager – SDTC Mr. Suresh Rajkumar. Chief General Manager – Admin Mr. Meenakshisundaram C General Manager shg & Microfinance Operations Mr. Parthasarathy R General Manager finance and Accounts Mr. J. Antony Vincent Raja General Managermicrofinance - SMBT Mr. P.K.S.Velmurugan General Manager Finance And Accounts Mr. Dr. Joe. Y General Manager VUP Mr. Santhus Gnanapragasam General Manager Consultant, Training Mr. Narayanan H General Manager Partnerships & Alliances Mr. M.Mageswaran General Manager Natural Resource Management Mr. C.Jalasayanan General Manager HR – SHG Mr. Raghuraman S G General Manager IT & Systems Mr. Lokesh Kumar Ganapathy General Manager Partnerships & Alliances Mr. Thondiraj General Managerconsultant-SHG MF Operations Mr. Balu Swaminathan Advisor Admin & PR Mr. Balasubramanian .S Advisor Administration Ms. Sandhya Abraham Director Consultant -Communications Mr. Swaminathan E Deputy General Manager – CLEP & SDTC Ms. Sugantha Priscilla Deputy General Manager Microenterprises Mr. A. Abdul Gaffoor Deputy General Manager Special Projects Mr. V.Parisutham Deputy General Manager Solid Waste Management Mr. Daniel Jesudason Deputy General Managerbusiness Development Enterprise Development Mr. Babu K Y Deputy General Manager Health Ms Princess Beula Deputy General Manager Monitoring & Evaluation

72 Hand in Hand India Name Designation

Ms. G. Kannan Deputy General Manager Natural Resource Management Mr. R.Ganesan Deputy General Manager Admin Mr. Maya Nirmala Consultant R&D Ms. Benoy T D Assistant Deputy General Manager MP Operations Mr. P. Joseph Raj Assistant Deputy General Manager Special Projects Mr. Kumaar ST Assistant General Manager Operations – SHG Mr. Ayyappan. CN Assistant General Manager – Belstar – IT & Systems Mr. K.Sriraman Assistant General Manager Solid Waste Management Mr. N.Aravindan Assistant General Manager Human Resources Mr. Nagarajan. P Assistant General Manager Accounts Mr. B.Arumugam Assistant General Manager Portfolio Monitoring Mr. S.Joseph Kennedy Assistant General Manageroperations - SHG Mr. K. Devarajan Assistant General Manager Operations - SHG Mr. Arun Katiyar Assistant General Manager Operations – SHG Rajasthan Mr. A.Pream Anand Gnanasekar Assistant General Managersmp & Training - CLEP Ms. Deepalakshmi Assistant General Manager Communications Mr. Rajarethinam P Assistant General Manager Consultant – Special Projects Mr. Ramesh Menon Assistant General Manager SIDBI Ms. Priyanka Dale Assistant General Manager Monitoring & Documentation Mr. Rahul Kumar Singh Assistant General Manager SHG Operations North Mr. K Ranganathan Consultant Visual Documentation Mr. R.Unnikrishnan Chief Manager Gr CEO Office Mr. Abubacker Siddick Chief Manager Natural Resources Management Mr. B.R.Robert Rajathilagam Chief Manager Health Mr. B.Ravisankar Chief Manager Village Uplift Programme Mr. Sparjan K Chief Manager Village Uplift Programme Mr. N.Gopala Krishnan Chief Manager IT Infrastructure Mr. John Britto M Chief Manager Skill Development & Technology Centre Mr. Chandra Guptha B Chief Manager Natural Resource Management Mr. Telesphore Lakra Chief Manager Operations - SHG Odisa Mr. Madhan Charles Kant Chief Manager Risk Assesment Mr. Ramasamy Chief Manager Risk Assesment Mr. Ragupathy. N Chief Manager Solid Waste Management Mr. Ravikumar. C Chief Manager Solid Waste Management Ms. Anitha Rajan Senior Manager CMT Office Ms. Ambika M Senior Project Manager SVP Karnataka Ms.

Annual Report 2015-16 73 A wards and recognitions

Woman of Excellence Award Woman Achiever Award 2016

Bannari Amman Institute of Technology Mega TV, a popular regional television felicitated Dr Kalpana Sankar, Chairperson and channel honoured Dr Kalpana Sankar with Managing Trustee, Hand in Hand India with the “Woman Achiever Award 2016” on the the “Woman of Excellence Award” for being a occasion of International Women’s Day role model for women and in recognition of her outstanding accomplishments in self-help group movement, poverty reduction and job creation for the needy and downtrodden

Certificate of Appreciation ICTACT Women Social Entrepreneur Award

The District Administration of Rameswaram ICTACT Women Social Entrepremeur Municipality recognized Hand in Hand India’s Award for the year 2016 was given to the contributions at Rameswaram and issued a Managing Trustee in recognition of the certificate of appreciation during Republic outstanding community commitment, service Day Celebrations at the District Collector ‘s and dedication towards creating a larger Office, Ramanathapuram. The Solid Waste impact in the society, specifically in the areas Management Project at Rameswaram with the of education, skill development and labour aim of 100% source segregation is supported elimination and microfinance. by Postcode Lottery, Sweden under Recycle for Life Project and is being implemented in 10 wards of Rameswaram Municipality benefiting 5000 households and a population of 25,000.

74 Hand in Hand India Management Accounts HAND IN HAND INDIA / SEED TRUST CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENT Balance Sheet as at March 31, 2016 (All amounts are in Indian Rupees unless otherwise stated) Particulars March 31, 2016 March 31, 2015

Trust Funds and Liabilites Trust Funds a. Corpus Trust Funds Initial Contribution 7,127 7,127 Corpus Fund 444,173,162 444,173,162 Interest on Corpus Funds 264,118,013 307,668,748 708,298,302 751,849,037 b. Surplus in Income and Expenditure Account 70,280,960 63,270,233 c. Grants Capital Grants 187,354,927 129,107,543 Revenue Grants 241,026,070 172,455,335 428,380,997 301,562,878 Total (a+b+c) A 1,206,960,259 1,116,682,148 Non Current Liabilities a. Long Term borrowing 328,945,469 206,208,676 b. Long term provision 35,942,975 33,152,908 Total B 364,888,444 239,361,584 Current Liabilities a. Sundry Creditors 18,198,644 2,557,428 b. Other Current Liabilities' 293,049,932 208,874,276 c.Short Term provision 2,906,520 - Total C 314,155,096 211,431,704 TOTAL (A+B+C) 1,886,003,799 1,567,475,436 Assets Non Current Assets a Fixed Assets Tangible Assets 134,592,563 112,723,832 Intangible Assets 2,594,458 3,348,204 Capital Work-in-Progress (Building) 50,167,908 13,035,507 Total 187,354,929 129,107,543 b. Long term Investments 609,406,324 643,642,242 c. Long term Loans & Advances 636,927,985 514,614,690 Total (a+b+c) A 1,433,689,238 1,287,364,475 Current Assets a.Cash and bank balances 248,067,985 170,596,343 b. Short term Loans & Advances 180,572,214 90,030,129 c. Other Current Assets 23,674,362 19,484,489 Total B 452,314,561 280,110,961 TOTAL (A+B) 1,886,003,799 1,567,475,436 The Statutory Audit of Hand in Hand India and Socio Economic and Educational Development Trust standalone financials has been conducted by M/s. PKF Sridhar & Santhanam LLP Chartered Accountants, Chennai. The Auditors Report along with the Financial Statements of both Trusts are available on our Website.

Annual Report 2015-16 75 Consolidated Statements HAND IN HAND INDIA / SEED TRUST CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENT Income and Expenditure Account for the Year Ended March 31, 2016 (All amounts are in Indian Rupees unless otherwise stated)

Year ended Year ended Particulars March 31, 2016 March 31, 2015

INCOME Grants 381,839,711 380,356,845 Interest Income 154,691,646 109,734,598 Income from Solid Waste Management 1,114,594 16,135,521 Other Income 16,053,279 11,191,742 TOTAL 553,699,230 517,418,706 EXPENDITURE Programme Expenses 451,629,535 429,871,602 Administrative and other expenses 35,500,790 27,397,643 Interest Charges 59,558,179 53,646,899 Depreciation / Amortisation 13,382,717 11,597,249 Less: Amortisation from Capital grants-being depreciation/Amortisation (13,383,717) (11,597,249) TOTAL 546,688,504 510,916,144 Excess of Income over Expenditure before tax 7,010,726 6,502,562 Provision for tax: - Current tax Surplus carried forward to balance sheet 7,010,726 6,502,562

The Statutory Audit of Hand in Hand India and Socio Economic and Educational Development Trust standalone financials has been conducted by M/s. PKF Sridhar & Santhanam LLP Chartered Accountants, Chennai. The Auditors Report along with the Financial Statements of both Trusts are available on our Website.

76 Hand in Hand India Management Accounts HAND IN HAND INDIA Balance Sheet as at March 31, 2016 (All amounts are in Indian Rupees unless otherwise stated) Particulars March 31, 2016 March 31, 2015

Trust Funds a. Corpus Trust Funds Initial Contribution 1,000 1,000 Corpus Fund 232,124,387 232,124,387 Interest on Corpus Funds 121,396,776 142,676,915 353,522,163 374,802,302 b. Surplus in Income and Expenditure Account 41,471,417 35,477,274 c. Grants Capital Grants 95,571,090 812,11,938 Revenue Grants 230,884,487 134,587,554 326,455,577 215,799,492 Total (a+b+c) A 721,449,157 626,079,068 Non Current Liabilities a. Long Term borrowing 233,945,469 106,208,676 b. Long term provision 28,297,580 26,736,447 Total B 262,243,049 132,945,123 Current Liabilities a. Sundry Creditors 148,81,770 15,30,096 b. Other Current Liabilities' 290,689,345 205,226,003 c.Short Term provision 2,453,352 - Total C 308,024,467 206,756,099 TOTAL (A+B+C) 1,291,716,673 965,780,290 Assets Non Current Assets a Fixed Assets Tangible Assets 90,035,214 66,601,963 Intangible Assets 25,94,458 3,159,460 Capital Work-in-Progress (Building) 2,941,419 11,450,515 Total 95,571,091 81,211,938 b. Long term Investments 280,139,048 324,753,582 c. Long term Loans & Advances 512,902,397 379,424,624 Total (a+b+c) A 888,612,536 785,390,144 Current Assets a.Cash and bank balances 240,456,127 85,633,401 b. Short term Loans & Advances 147,507,177 84,110,042 c. Other Current Assets 15,140,833 10,646,703 Total B 403,104,137 180,390,146 TOTAL (A+B) 1,291,716,673 965,780,290

The Financial Statements of Hand in Hand India for the year ended March 31, 2016 was audited by M/s. PKF Sridhar & Santhanam LLP, Chartered Accountants (ICAI Firm registration number: 003990S/S200018) . The completed audited Financial statement can be viewed on our website.

Annual Report 2015-16 77 HAND IN HAND INDIA Income and Expenditure Account for the Year Ended March 31, 2016 (All amounts are in Indian Rupees unless otherwise stated)

Year ended Year ended Particulars March 31, 2016 March 31, 2015

INCOME Grants 343,993,917 343,243,980 Interest Income 143,331,314 103,113,405 Other Income 14,867,901 10,073,936 TOTAL 502,193,132 456,431,321 EXPENDITURE Programme Expenses 413,042,807 374,627,858 Administrative and other expenses 29,042,628 23,394,499 Interest Charges 54,113,554 53,592,104 Depreciation / Amortisation 11,559,452 9,728,912 Less: Amortisation from Capital grants-being depreciation/Amortisation (11,559,452 ) (9,728,912) TOTAL 496,198,989 451,614,461 Excess of Income over Expenditure before tax 5,994,143 4,816,860 Provision for tax: - Current tax Surplus carried forward to balance sheet 5,994,143 4816,860

The Financial Statements of Hand in Hand India for the year ended March 31, 2016 was audited by M/s. PKF Sridhar & Santhanam LLP, Chartered Accountants (ICAI Firm registration number: 003990S/S200018) . The completed audited Financial statement can be viewed on our website.

78 Hand in Hand India Management Accounts Socio Economic and Educational Development Trust Balance Sheet as at March 31, 2016 (All amounts are in Indian Rupees unless otherwise stated)

Particulars March 31, 2016 March 31, 2015

Trust Funds and Liabilites Trust Funds a. Corpus Trust Funds Initial Contribution 6,127 6,127 Corpus Fund 212,048,775 212,048,775 Interest on Corpus Funds 142,721,237 164,991,833 354,776,139 377,046,735 b. Surplus in Income and Expenditure Account 28,809,543 27,792,959 c. Grants Capital Grants 91,783,837 47,895,605 Revenue Grants 10,141,583 37,867,781 101,925,420 85,763,386 Total (a+b+c) A 4855,11,102 490,603,080 Non Current Liabilities a. Long Term borrowing 95,000,000 100,000,000 b. Long term provision 76,45,395.00 6,416,461 Total B 102,645,395.00 106,416,461.00 Current Liabilities a. Sundry Creditors 3,316,874 1,027,332 b. Other Current Liabilities' 23,60,587 3,648,273 c.Short Term provision 4,53,168 - Total C 6,130,629 4,675,605 TOTAL (A+B+C) 594,287,126 601,695,146 Assets Non Current Assets a Fixed Assets Tangible Assets 44,557,349 46,121,869 Intangible Assets - 188,744 Capital Work-in-Progress (Building) 47,226,489 1,584,992 Total 91,783,838 47,895,605 b. Long term Investments 329,267,276 318,888,660 c. Long term Loans & Advances 124,025,588 135,190,066 Total (a+b+c) A 545,076,702 501,974,331 Current Assets a.Cash and bank balances 7,611,858 84,962,942 b. Short term Loans & Advances 330,65,037 5,920,087 c. Other Current Assets 8,533,529 8,837,786 Total B 492,10,424 99,720,815 TOTAL (A+B) 594,287,126 601,695,146

The Financial Statements of Socio Economic and Educational Development Trust for the year ended March 31, 2016 was audited by M/s. PKF Sridhar & Santhanam LLP, Chartered Accountants (ICAI Firm registration number: 003990S/S200018) . The completed audited Financial statement can be viewed on our website.

Annual Report 2015-16 79 Socio Economic and Educational Development Trust Income and Expenditure Account for the Year Ended March 31, 2016 (All amounts are in Indian Rupees unless otherwise stated)

Year ended Year ended Particulars March 31, 2016 March 31, 2015

INCOME Grants 37,845,794 37,112,865 Interest Income 11,360,332 6,621,193 Income from Solid Waste Management 1,114,594 16,135,521 Other Income 1,185,378 1,117,806 TOTAL 51,506,098 60,987,385 EXPENDITURE Programme Expenses 38,586,728 55,243,744 Administrative and other expenses 6,458,162 4,003,144 Interest Charges 5,444,625 54,795 Depreciation / Amortisation 1,823,265 1,868,337 Less: Amortisation from Capital grants-being depreciation/Amortisation -1,823,265 -1,868,337 TOTAL 504,89,515 59,301,683 Excess of Income over Expenditure before tax 1,016,583 1,685,702 Provision for tax: - Current tax Surplus carried forward to balance sheet 1,016,583 16,85,702

The Financial Statements of Socio Economic and Educational Development Trust for the year ended March 31, 2016 was audited by M/s. PKF Sridhar & Santhanam LLP, Chartered Accountants (ICAI Firm registration number: 003990S/S200018). The completed audited Financial statement can be viewed on our website.

80 Hand in Hand India TRUSTEES Hand in Hand India

D r. Kalpana Sankar A visiting faculty in M.S. Sundararajan Managing Trustee several Business Schools, Advisory Trustee Mr Chandrasekar has had Dr. Sankar has been involved M.S. Sundararajan is a banking a diverse exposure in team in the women’s self- help consultant, economist and was management. movement for long and has previously the Chairman & been a consultant on gender and Managing Director of Indian S. Chinnappan microfinance issues to global Bank. His core expertise is in Trustee development organisations. investment banking, project She has been involved in Mr. Chinnappan has vast finance, corporate restructuring, the women’s self-help group experience in gender issues, and capital market. He won the movement in Tamil Nadu for microfinance and self-help Golden Peacock Award on behalf the last 18 years. She is a double groups, and is the Founder of of Indian Bank in October 2009. doctorate in Physical Sciences the Tamil Nadu-based NGO K.N. Krishnamurthy and in Women’s Studies and Kalvi Kendra. He also edits Self-Help Groups. She is Muttram, a government- Advisory Trustee sponsored monthly magazine for currently the Managing Trustee Mr. Krishnamurthy is a former self-help groups. He has worked of Hand in Hand India. General Manager and Special in the policy-making team for Director in automotive major Amuthasekaran Dutch development organisation Ashok Leyland. With over Nachiappan Cordaid. 38 years of experience in Trustee Dr. Mangala Ayre the manufacturing industry, At present, the Senior Mr. Krishnamurthy has also Trustee Vice President (Admin & served with the Confederation Environment) at Hand in Dr Mangala Ayre is an educationist of Indian Industries (CII) Hand India, Mr Nachiappan’s with over 30 years of experience, in various capacities. He is experience spans education, specialising in kindergarten and currently the Chairman of the monitoring, evaluation and pre-school teaching. She is a lecturer Indian Roads and Transport grass-roots activities. He started and counselor for teachers and Development Association his career with the Indian social- parents and has developed various (Southern Region). service organisation Vivekananda alternative teaching methods using N. Srinivasan Kendra. He has worked on music, storytelling, and dance. Advisory Trustee watershed management, P. Kottaisamy renewable energy for rural areas Formerly Chief General Manager Trustee and rural development issues. of NABARD (National Bank With over 15 years of experience S. Chandrasekar for Agriculture and Rural in development work, financial Development), Mr.Srinivasan is an Trustee services and business, consulting, expert in microfinance and livelihood Mr. Chandrasekar has more than Kottaisamy has contributed towards development. He has worked with 25 years of corporate experience. the enterprise transformation and the World Bank, IFAD and UNOPS His career graph includes stints change management programmes of on various projects. Mr Srinivasan is at AF Ferguson, Coopers & several firms. He has specialized in founder-member of Alliance for the Lybrand, National Finance process transformation and business Fair Microfinance, and chief author Company – Oman. architecture, offering development of the State of the Sector Report and governance of not-for-profit 2008 on microfinance. development programmes.

Annual Report 2015-16 81 SEED Trust

D R.Kalpana Sankar Dr N. Jeyaseelan Trustee Trustee Dr. Sankar has been involved in the Dr Jeyaseelan has two decades women’s self-help movement for of rural banking experience. He long and has been a consultant on has been a consultant to UNDP, gender and microfinance issues to UNOPS, GTZ, Agricultural global development organisations. Finance Corporation, Tamil She has been involved in the Nadu Corporation for women’s self-help group movement Development of Women Ltd., in Tamil Nadu for the last 18 years. various microfinance institutions She is a double doctorate in Physical and Water Partner International Sciences and in Women’s Studies and (USA). He is currently the Self-Help Groups. She is currently Group CEO at the Managing Trustee of Hand in Hand India. Hand in Hand India. K. Thiyagarajan S. Chinnappan Trustee Trustee Mr .Thiyagarajan has 10 years Mr Chinnappan has vast experience of experience in cost effective in gender issues, microfinance construction and five years of and self-help groups, and is the experience in the social sector. Founder of the Tamil Nadu-based He has planned and constructed NGO Kalvi Kendra. He also edits various buildings for Hand in Muttram, a government-sponsored Hand India. He is currently monthly magazine for self-help the Senior Vice President groups. He has worked in the policy- (Building & Maintenance, PR, making team for Dutch development Compliance) at Hand in Hand India. organisation Cordaid.

Padma Shri Dr. Mangala Ayre Dr. HANUMAPPA SUDARSHAN Trustee Advisory Trustee Dr. Mangala Ayre is an Dr Sudarshan is a social worker who educationist with over 30 years has for over 30 years worked towards of experience, specialising in improving the health of rural and kindergarten and pre-school tribal people in India. He is the teaching. She is a lecturer and founder of Vivekananda Girijana counselor for teachers and Kalyana Kendra and Karuna Trust. parents and has developed Dr Sudarshan has been awarded various alternative teaching the Padma Shri and the Right methods using music, Livelihood Award (Alternative storytelling, and dance. Nobel Prize).

82 Hand in Hand India HOW TO GET INVOLVED

Our activities have expanded rapidly over the past few years and so has the need for funding and support. If you would like to help us with funds or by volunteering, we welcome you to join us... Our commitment to transparency and accountability ensures that the end-use of funds is clearly identifiable in all activities and at all times. Attention to productivity, using mainly local employees and over 50,000 volunteers, has helped us to keep our costs very low. We have also limited our overhead costs to 8-10 percent in India.

Donors all over the world are welcome to make donations to our Indian account. HAND IN HAND INDIA

Account Name : Hand in Hand India FCRA Account Account Number : 0939101020217 Bank Name : Canara Bank Branch Name : Theradi Bank Address : Gandhi Road, Kancheepuram Beneficiary : Swift Field 59 Swift Code : CNRBINBBBID

SOCIO ECONOMIC AND EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRUST

Account Name : Socio Economic and Educational Development Trust Account Number : 10860239943 Bank Name : State Bank of India Branch Name : Tiruvannamalai Bank Address : 34, Kosamada Street, Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu Branch Code : 0938 IFSC Code : SBIN0000938 Swift Code : SBI NIN BB 471

INTERNS

We also welcome applications from interns pursuing studies in different areas of social development. The interns will have to apply online at www.hihindia.org. The 3-stage process will require interns submitting their application, along with the necessary documents; selected applicants will be asked to submit a letter of intent and be interviewed by the Internship Manager; and finally the shortlisted interns will be interviewed by the project head. Interns are expected to bear the entire cost for boarding, lodging and transportation.

Annual Report 2015-16 83 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Our endeavour to uplift rural communities has become a reality thanks to all our partners and well-wishers - Government, Corporates, Financial Institutions, Donors, Development Organisations, Educational & Research Institutions and Community Members - whose relentless support has helped us in creating livelihood opportunities for women, sending child labourers to school, provide job-oriented skill training to women, youth and farmers, ensure affordable basic healthcare services to remote pockets and provide sustainable communities for future generations through organic farming and solid waste management practices.

Special thanks to all our volunteers and staff for their commitment and hard work.

We thank Mr K.S Sudhakar, Ms Sahaana Sankar, Ms Deepa Lakshmi, Ms Shwathi Srinivasan, Ms Rajeshwari Swaminathan, Mr Nikhil Punnen Skaria, Mr Ranganathan, Mr Rajasuriya for their efforts in seamlessly knitting this report together.

84 Hand in Hand India