Social Enterprise

Old age is revered here. Granny wisdom and the art of making wicks is celebrated at Wicksdom (Grandma Wicks). It is a passion that the Wicksdom project has tapped in order to not only provide a means of survival, but also to help the aged people live a life resplendent with dignity and happiness. Read about the bright idea here.

Not many of us know that there are more than 1300 monuments in and around New Delhi! And more importantly, there are only a few who care for the 3 World Heritage Sites, 174 National Protected Monuments and over hundreds of state protected monuments and several unprotected and lesser known monuments of this historical and epical city. Today we proudly feature someone who cares; presenting Vikramjit Singh Rooprai – the creator of www.monumentsofdelhi.com

Some stories, some people, some initiatives, make the passersby pause and take note. These are stories of courage, of passion, of change and of unparalleled determination. Kumar Ankit, an alumnus of XLRI Jamshedpur, is an epitome of all that a social entrepreneur needs to be. He is all of 25, but the milestones which he has achieved are not just remarkable but awe-inspiring too. Read on

A Teach for India fellow, Devanik Saha, found it difficult to leave the children he was teaching as part of the program, and also to stop teaching, once it came to an end. He also had a strong urge to do something more for the community he had come to love, especially the girls, who faced the most neglect and discrimination. Thus began Unnayan, a learning hub for these kids to come to after school and supplement their education and understanding, a dire need considering the state of most government-run schools in our nation. Here, Devanik recounts his journey so far.

>Dimagi, which means 'of the mind', is a team of intellectually committed professionals who envision applying innovative, scalable, open-source technology solutions to improve community health programs around the world. Here we present the Dimagi founders, Jonathan Jackson and Dr Vikram Sheel Kumar, two enthusiastic young men with Harvard and MIT background.

As India celebrates its 67th year of freedom, we wished to pause and reflect on eight milestones that have played an important role in shaping India’s social enterprise landscape and the lessons they teach us.

It is unfortunate that the normal human procedure of menstruation has been regarded as 'impure' and considered taboo for generations of Indians. However, things are changing now, and it is hearty to know that India is at the forefront of disruptive innovations in menstrual hygiene. Here we bring you a 'Bong' duo doing fabulous work in breaking stereotypes and creating a sanitary revolution.

Women in rural as well as many urban parts of Rajasthan may not have much formal education, but the one skill they possess is sewing. With the help of an organization, many of these women now have the opportunity to put this skill to good use and generate additional household income. This is empowering them in ways unthinkable a few years ago, and changing the very fabric of their lives.

An advertising creative professional, Swasti Ray, went beyond just feeling bad for the disabled, and worked hard to create a product that helps bring colour and art in the lives of the visually impaired. Read about his innovation and what inspired him to think out-of-the-box!

One of the main obstacles in the path of students in India is the absence of reliable sources of illumination. Electricity is non-existent or at best patchy in most parts of rural India, and other sources of light like the humble kerosene lamps pose health hazards, are ineffective, expensive and unreliable. Read how one organization is dispelling the gloom with a viable alternative.