Freedom to earn a livelihood with dignity
Private companies need to adopt policies and practices that take responsibility for a critical element in their functioning—migrant workers – – By Priya Naik
Coronavirus impact: Time for employers to up skill employees
For the quantum growth of the economy, investments in education and skilling of informal workers are key, especially because a huge share of population has very little skills
Reviving India’s Small Businesses
The United States Embassy in India featured Samhita-CGF’s REVIVE Alliance as “one of the largest private sector and philanthropy-led alliances in India working on economic recovery efforts from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The REVIVE Alliance provides grants as well as returnable grants, which give zero-interest support with a moral, not a legal, obligation to repay. These loans are used as working capital or funding for skilling to enhance the income levels of the recipients. This finance model creates a beneficiary impact multiplier of 5 to 7 times compared to a normal grant. With support from USAID, the REVIVE Alliance is able to bolster its efforts by linking U.S. International Development Finance Corporation-backed credit guarantees with the platform.
Samhita-CGF’s REVIVE Alliance Among 34 Initiatives Worldwide to Receive Support from Google.org Impact Challenge
Samhita – CGF has been named one of 34 selected organizations to receive funds from the Google.org Impact Challenge for Women and Girls.
The Google.org funding will strengthen the efforts Samhita-CGF launched in October 2020 via the REVIVE Alliance, one of the largest private sector and philanthropy-led alliances in India to help facilitate a long-term recovery of the informal sector, with a focus on women, youth, and other marginalized populations, whose livelihoods are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Samhita-CGF is one of 9 Asia-Pacific projects selected for this funding cohort out of nearly 8,000 applications globally. In addition to funding, Samhita-CGF will participate in a four-month accelerator program led by Google’s Accelerator and Women Techmakers communities and Impact Challenge partner Vital Voices to move projects forward.
Samhita-CGF’s REVIVE Alliance Awarded Best CSR Project in Skill Development & Livelihood
Samhita-CGF’s REVIVE Alliance has found a place among the best CSR projects conceptualised and executed in the year 2020-21 for our efforts to support and restore the livelihoods of informal workers, nano and micro-entrepreneurs, artisans and women collectives who have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The jury for selecting the best social projects for “TheCSRUniverse COVID Response Impact Awards 2021” included Dr Rishikesha T Krishnan, Director, Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) Bangalore; Dr Himanshu Rai, Director, Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) Indore; Dr Umakant Dash, Director, Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA); and Prof Shalini Bharat, Director, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai.
In addition to the top academicians, the renowned social sector experts in the jury panel included Mr Nixon Joseph, Ex-President & Chief Operating Officer, SBI Foundation; and Mr Sanjay Sinha, Managing Director, M-CRIL.
Are We Moving Towards a Truly ‘Social’ Stock Exchange?
SEBI recently approved the creation of India’s social stock exchange. We analyse some of the strengths and shortcomings of its proposed framework and operational structure.
The purpose of establishing the SSE in India is to ‘take our capital markets closer to the masses and meet various social welfare objectives related to inclusive growth and financial inclusion’.
While it is too early to determine if the SSE will be able to achieve this purpose in the long run, Samhita’s Anushree Parekh, Amiya Walia, and Shivina Jagtiani examine whether the proposed mechanisms are defined and designed in a manner that furthers this goal. In doing so, we draw upon the insights and learnings published in our comprehensive research that reviewed seven global SSEs
Samhita’s Report on Social Stock Exchanges from 7 Countries
Samhita recently conducted a study of SSE’s in 7 countries to evaluate its importance in India
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) approved the creation of the ‘Social Stock Exchange’ which is widely perceived to be a game changer in the social impact segment.
According to Samhita’s report, SSE holds the potential of becoming an agent of change for civil society. It can theoretically unlock new capital, promote equity, introduce new instruments for donors to fund operations, streamline regulations and create an ecosystem of enabling frameworks for civil society.
But on the other hand the report also lays down the risks such as duplicating the operations of a conventional stock exchange, segmenting or further exacerbating inequalities within and between sectors, and failing to create a strong culture of giving. Stakeholders must create a representative that incorporates the concerns and wisdom of civil society and social organisations.
An SSE can be a means for the markets to serve the society; not for society to serve the markets.
USAID Administrator Samantha Power launches Women@Work
USAID Administrator Samantha Power, during the launch event of the U.S.-India Alliance for Women’s Economic Empowerment, announced the Alliance’s first initiative: Women@Work.
As a member of the US-India Alliance, Samhita-CGF will develop a coalition of businesses, philanthropies, and other stakeholders to drive the economic recovery and resilience of low-income women workers and small entrepreneurs, and enable them to grow and thrive.
Women@Work is an initiative by the USAID-funded REVIVE Alliance, one of the largest private sector and philanthropy-led alliances in India, which is helping to facilitate a long-term recovery of the informal sector workers whose livelihoods are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Vinati Organics and Samhita-CGF to Empower 5,380 Women in Maharashtra
As per the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2021, the country has now slipped 28 places to the 140th position in the index. The pandemic has further impacted livelihoods, putting 4 out of every 10 women out of the workforce. HERS is a step towards bridging this gender gap and will aim to empower 5,380 women across Maharashtra.
Samhita and Cipla collaborate to empower Indian pharmacists in building community healthcare
Samhita and Cipla have collaborated to tap into the potential of pharmacists as a key driver of community healthcare in the country. The collaboration was established after a study of over 1,100 pharmacists titled Future of Pharmacies, conducted by the two companies across India, and shaped by the insights of Nachiket Mor, PhD, Cipla said in a statement.
