EdelGive Foundation celebrates 2020’s

 EdelGive Foundation celebrates 2020’s Heroes of Hope in Education

Empty blackboards, silent playgrounds and unread books – the lockdown posed a severe threat to the state of education. With the hope to spark the right conversations and find some answers, EdelGive Foundation conducted its annual programme EDGE 2020, last evening. EDGE is a collaborative platform initiated by the Foundation with the aim to connect exceptional non-profit organisations with the funding fraternity, in-turn facilitating conversations on collective impact.

Here are some key highlights from Day 2:

Two bright Class X students opened the evening by speaking about the learning challenges they faced due to the pandemic. Aksha Ali and Shahzadi Gulafsha from Samaritan Mission (High) School, along with their Principal, Vinod Ram, were in conversation with Atul Gandhi, Head, Investments, EdelGive Foundation. The key findings that emerged from this discussion was a stark reminder that internet connectivity was not a luxury for all. The financial pressure to gain access to a smartphone or internet is a big concern which leaves out many students from the right to education under such circumstances.

      “It is extremely important for us to remember that our work is for these children and millions of their kind. Their aspirations, fears and voices need to be heard and accounted for, while we build amplified solutions or technological innovations.”- Naghma Mulla, President & COO, EdelGive Foundation.

Nikita Ketkar, COO, Masoom and Aditya Natraj, Founder & Director, Kaivalya Education Foundation (KEF) were in conversation with Vivek Kumar, Co-Founder & CEO, Kshamtalaya Foundation, to explore the complexities of running education programmes amid the crisis at different scales and locations. All agreed that there was an opportunity and a shift in practices. EdTech had taken over some areas of learning seamlessly and was accepted widely, even though it had its limitations. Moving to an online system for education has worked beautifully, with institutional budgets coming down drastically. 

 

In the next segment, Osama Manzar, Founder and Director, Digital Empowerment Foundation was in conversation with Naghma Mulla, President & COO, EdelGive Foundation to look at the role of technology and how the digital-learning divide could be overcome. He firmly believes that there is a need to train teachers with digital skills. There is also a need for meaningful connectivity - 2G will not solve problems in remote areas. The plan now must go micro and at an individual level, not in classrooms alone, but into 280 million homes.

Two leading foundations that operate in education in India discussed the kinds of solutions they used to reach out to students during the lockdown. Geeta Goel, Country Director, Michael and Susan Dell Foundation India and Anurag Behar, CEO, Azim Premji Foundation were in conversation with Gayatri Nair Lobo, COO, A.T.E Chandra Foundation. The organisations have managed to work closely with state Government programmes, especially on offline neighbourhood classes. Education had to become a hybrid version, where online and offline practices had to blend.

“We need to consider the nature of education to reach curricular goals – the nature requires intimate interaction between a student and a teacher, holding the child’s attention, taking it step by step. This doesn’t happen online. Online education is therefore ineffective for kids.” - Anurag Behar - CEO, Azim Premji Foundation.

The final discussion for the evening was between Ashish Dhawan, Founder-Chairman, Central Square Foundation and Vidya Shah, Chairperson and CEO, EdelGive Foundation. Ashish shared his journey from Indian private equity investor to a philanthropist, along with some insights on how non-profit organisations could structure and function to deliver outstanding results. He believed that taking the time to think differently, looking at global strategies, seeking collaborations and finally investing in the right team was vital.

“Maharashtra with over 600,000 teachers alone employs more people than at TCS, one of India’s largest companies. But without the same organisation systems backbone that an equivalent private sector organisation has – in terms of people, processes, infrastructure, budgets. So, the scale of the issue is large.”- Vidya Shah, Chairperson and CEO, EdelGive Foundation

The final evening of EDGE 2020 concludes on Dec 17th, 6 pm on the www.edelgiveedge2020.com. The discussion focuses on challenges that women have been facing during the pandemic and the role organisations at the grassroots, philanthropic partners and the administration can play to support them. 

Nandita Das, Faye D’souza, Anita Dongre and M Hari Menon join EdelGive

 Nandita Das, Faye D’souza, Anita Dongre and M Hari Menon

join EdelGive Foundation

to examine the current gender narrative at EDGE 2020

·         Nandita Das, Actor, Director & Social Advocate, discussed her gut-wrenching short film, Listen To Her, exhorting women to break the silence on domestic violence

·         Faye D’souza, Independent journalist & entrepreneur, led an enlightening discussion with three panelists from distinct fields, M Hari Menon, Anita Dongre and Soumya Rajan, questioning why only 14% of entrepreneurs in India are women

·         Two of India’s most prominent women philanthropists had a candid chat about their philanthropic journeys – Rohini Nilekani, Founder-Chairperson, Arghyam and Vidya Shah, Chairperson & CEO, EdelGive Foundation

·         Supia Khatun, a leader from Utthan women survivors collective and a member of Indian Leadership Forum Against Trafficking (ILFAT) narrated the impact of the lockdown on women in India

·         #WomenSupportingWomen in rural India – Kamlesh, Chairperson, Savera Mahila Manch and Khatija Chairperson, Kranti Mahila Manch discussed how women’s Self-Help Groups leveraged power of community during the lockdown

Committed to addressing the socio-economic inequalities that prevent women and girls from achieving their full potential, EdelGive Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Edelweiss Group, concluded its annual flagship conference EDGE 2020, last evening. EDGE is a collaborative platform initiated by the Foundation to connect the funding fraternity with non-profit organizations doing remarkable work and facilitate conversations on collective impact.

 The evening theme titled - ‘Whose Voice is it Anyway – building for the gender narrative’ was dedicated to the issues that have plagued women during the last year-Issues around violence, justice, financial stability and leadership.  Here are some key highlights from Day 3:

Uma Chatterjee, Co-Founder & Executive Director, Sanjog drove a powerful discussion with Supia Khatun, a leader from the Utthan women survivors collective and a member of Indian Leadership Forum Against Trafficking (ILFAT). Supia worked very closely with the survivors of domestic abuse who suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), as the lockdown simulated some of the earlier experiences. Being a victim and survivor herself, Supiya today provides much needed leadership, counselling and therapy to these women.

"Our responsibilities as individuals is that no matter where we are seated, we must first become aware of the system and ensure more discussions & dialogues take place on pressing issues. We can then possibly reach a solution without slotting or confining someone as a victim or survivor or putting the onus back onto her."- Naghma Mulla, President & COO, EdelGive Foundation

Grassroot Leaders, Kamlesh, Chairperson, Savera Mahila Manch and Khatija, Chairperson, Kranti Mahila Manch spoke with Aiswarya A, Chief Manager Partnerships, EdelGive Foundation. Both leaders rallied support from women’s self-help groups in their own communities and bravely fed low-income communities during the lockdown, via their Grain Bank initiative. Khatija painfully recounted the kind of mistrust she faced in the beginning when people suspected the organisation would keep the grains for their own benefit. Kamlesh too faced similar allegations but the thought of letting the vulnerable suffer kept her awake at night. Women empowerment focused NGO, Ibtada, helped both women by directing the management of resources and creating kits that carried other emergency aid.

In the next segment, Actor, Director & Social Advocate, Nandita Das and Anju Gupta, ADG, Uttar Pradesh Police joined Naghma Mulla, President & COO, EdelGive Foundation to examine the gender narrative in light of the pandemic. Using her short film, 'Listen to Her', as an example, Nandita spoke extensively about the kind of conversations that need to come to the forefront to make women empowerment a part of everyday discussion. She also highlighted the need for men to be included in these discussions and become a part of the solution. Anju shed light on how the law and its processes needed to be viewed. The system is robust and offers solutions like the domestic abuse helplines, which are one such way to access the support system, both during the pandemic and otherwise.

"Of course, we must speak up. But it's easier said than done for women who are conditioned to keep quiet. There is such a culture of silence that until we don't begin to listen; women are not going to speak up. People who have the power to influence have to ask themselves how to get engaged and involved because there's no dearth of issues, no dearth of messaging that is required."

- Nandita Das, Actor, Director & Social Advocate

 Leading journalist and women entrepreneur, Faye D’Souza led an enlightening discussion with three panelists from distinct fields - Anita Dongre, Designer & Founder, House of Anita Dongre, M Hari Menon, Country Director, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Soumya Rajan, Founder & CEO, Waterfield Advisors. The discussion circled around the issues women face as entrepreneurs in India. Citing their own experiences, the speakers came up with three aspects that could turn the tide, if addressed – financial literacy, overall social upliftment and finally, inclusion by policymakers.   

“It has been pointed out in the past that equal is not just better, equal is excellent! Until we have an equal number of women and trans people in rooms where decisions are being taken - whether those are boardrooms, parliaments, state assemblies or banks - we have to have more women in rooms where decisions are being made. They create systems that are more equitable and more sensitive.”

- Faye D’Souza, Leading Journalist and Entrepreneur

“One of the blocks is financial literacy. Not only was it a mind block for me but it is one for many women entrepreneurs. Somehow, finances frighten us. But I made a decision to not let numbers faze me. All of us have dreams but social conditioning has taught us that it is unfeminine to be ambitious.”

- Anita Dongre, Designer & Founder, House of Anita Dongre

The evening reached its finale with a candid conversation between two of India’s most prominent women philanthropists, Rohini Nilekani, Founder-Chairperson, Arghyam and Vidya Shah, Chairperson and CEO, EdelGive Foundation. The central focus of this conversation was the role that civil society, and women in particular, can play by collaborating with the government and with other agencies to bring about impact.

“From our experience with the EdelGive Hurun Philanthropy List, we find that there is a great reluctance or shyness about any conversation on what the wealthy are doing for public good. It's pertinent for philanthropy to be bigger, bolder and more edgy moving forward, because it is only with discussions, sharing of experiences and thus collaborations, that we can increase our impact." - Vidya Shah, Chairperson and CEO, EdelGive Foundation

“The task before civil society, the media and all of us who care about such issues is to make people see that the whole idea of “business of business is business” is over. We understand the inter-connections so much better, especially in 2020, that I think it is time for more businesses and wealthy people to start giving forward into areas where they directly don’t benefit from. It is also up to us to tell these stories a little better than we are doing right now to draw in more people into this adventure.”

– Rohini Nilekani, Founder-Chairperson, Arghyam