Our approach
India is the world’s largest democracy, a spacefaring nation and a digital pioneer. It is also a country where the place a child is born can still predict the shape of their life. We did not come to admire the problem. But the first act of respect is to see it clearly.
1 · What India needs most
Enrolment is near universal in primary grades, yet foundational mastery lags. UDISE+ shows retention falling in secondary grades, especially for girls in poorer states. Cheap data expanded digital access, but devices and usable skills remain skewed towards cities and boys. Without a bridge, schooling does not convert into income.
Periodic Labour Force Surveys show youth unemployment elevated and women’s labour force participation historically low, though rising. MSMEs employ crores of people yet face a credit gap measured in lakhs of crores. Informal women producers create value daily but capture little of it.
NFHS-5 found anemia in 57 percent of women and 67 percent of young children, and stunting near 35 percent, with wide variation between states. The Jal Jeevan Mission expanded tap connections dramatically, but functionality, quality and maintenance vary by habitation.
These are not separate problems. They are the same problem wearing different clothes. Programmes that connect learning to earning, and health to both, multiply. Standalone distributions do not.
2 · How leading Indian NGOs deliver
| Organisation | What they do well | What CJF India adopts |
|---|---|---|
| Pratham | TaRL camps, ASER measurement, low cost and scalable | Level based grouping, 6 week reassessment, volunteer tutors |
| Educate Girls | Door to door enrolment, village volunteers, data dashboards | Girl retention tracking, community ownership, SMC work |
| SEWA, Jeevika, Kudumbashree | SHG federations, collective enterprise, bank linkage | Work through federations, collective orders, revolving funds |
| Akshaya Patra, Annamrita | Central kitchens, school meal quality at scale | Local SHG kitchens plus a school snack model, not parallel kitchens |
| Goonj, Sulabh, WaterAid India partners | Last mile goods, sanitation behaviour, water maintenance | Repair plus maintenance funds, behaviour plus infrastructure |
| BAIF, PRADAN | Livelihoods tied to agriculture, aware of seasons | Season calendars, kitchen gardens, farmer sourcing |
The common thread: stay with the community, measure simply, hire locally, coordinate with government. We codify it as सुनो Suno, साथ निवेश Saath Nivesh, साथ चलो Saath Chalo and फैलाओ Failao.
3 · Prioritisation
We scored nine possible domains on need, fit with our global mission, leverage per rupee, feasibility within 12 months, and risk. Three emerged clearly.
We deliberately defer capital heavy institutions. India needs accompaniment more than new buildings.
4 · Legal and partnership readiness
A Section 8 company or trust with 12A and 80G registration, NITI Aayog Darpan registration, and CSR Form 1 for CSR funds. FCRA only if and when foreign contribution is sought, with a separate account and strict use rules. Until then, domestic sourcing only.
Schedule VII areas: education, employment enhancing vocational skills, gender equality, health, sanitation and safe water. Utilisation certificates, outcome reports and site visits for every CSR partner.
Child safeguarding policy, POSH compliance, DPDP Act 2023 consent for photos and data, and background checks for all staff and long term volunteers.
No individual online donations in the launch phase, in line with global policy. Budgets published per hub every quarter. Independent documentation before any scale up.
साथ चलो · Walk with us
Teachers, nurses, accountants, designers, coders, drivers, cooks. Schools, NGOs and companies. Every craft and every partner has a place.
