By Priyadarshini Nigam
In a well-established organization, if there are any hiccups, infrastructure and manpower is readily available, that can be used to foster and accelerate the project. Moreover, every corporate encourages innovation, experimentation and new skill development. These are very important parameters required when venturing into unexplored and neglected areas in the social sector. Till date, welfare schemes run by government or other agencies have either hesitated or have not been able to tread this path without faltering. A large number of projects and schemes have been withdrawn or unsuccessfully implemented due to lack of managerial skills, bad planning, unethical practices, and wastage and inefficient use of resources.
Every big or small CSR project needs careful planning, execution and right tools to study the impact. At every stage, projects have to be evolved, customized for the target group. Quick decision making and risk taking are two critical factors that are in the DNA of every corporate which greatly helps when projects get stuck or stagnate in the social sector.
Newgen’s Digital Discovery Pathshaala (NDDP) was launched in April 2016. It is an innovative, creative and the core CSR program of the company. This stems from the vision of Newgen’s Managing Director.
NDDP is a specially designed program to impart knowledge to school children by the use of web based technology. It aims at transforming their classroom sessions into fun–learning activities and to make their school curriculum more meaningful. In order to promote digital education and develop e-learning skills of the children, Newgen has adopted a Government Girls Sr. Secondary School near its office in Okhla, New Delhi.
NDDP sessions are conducted daily by trained Newgen facilitators and volunteers, for students of 6th and 7th standard. Every week more 900 students attend these sessions where they are taught lessons using Ipads. Children are also shown AVs and presentations based on topics taught in their class.
We monitor our projects very closely, systems have been set so that the children get the maximum benefit. We have formed a group called Newgen CSR Samarth Shikshaks whose members are Newgen’s facilitators, volunteers and the school faculty. To study the impact of NDDP on the students, we hold regular meetings of the group to discuss the content and progress of the students.
Today, under the CSR mandate of the Government, corporates have to comply with strict guidelines. Thus, in every organization, CSR policies have been defined by senior management, and resources to the tune of 2% of the average untaxed profits of the last three years has been allocated for the CSR projects. At the end of the year, an impact report of the projects undertaken and an audited financial report has to be presented to the entire board of directors of the organization.
Corporates in India, are capable of holding the mantle, and making a success of the projects that they undertake in the social sector. With their training, mindset, innovative approach, and ethical working standards, they are the best and most dependable people for creating equal opportunities, and empowering the marginalized people of India.
In part 1 of this article, I have describe how Newgen efforts and impact an even greater number of lives.
Priyadarshini Nigam is Head CSR at Newgen Software and plays a pivotal role in driving Newgen’s CSR initiatives through programmes like Sadbhavna, Newgen Digital Discovery Paathshala (NDDP) and SOS village adoption. Under her leadership, Newgen started the ‘Sadbhavna’ initiative in 2006. It is an educational program for children and is designed to focus on their overall development. After almost a decade of its inception, the program is running successfully and has multiple successful stories to share. Under the NDDP program, quality education is being imparted to over 900+ students of a government girls school in Delhi.
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