Under the MoU, 3 SVP partners will work with SAGE Foundation over 3 years to expand operations
Mumbai: SAGE Foundation, the CSR arm of The Shahani Group, has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Social Venture Partners India (SVP India), the Indian chapter of SVP International, a global philanthropic network, to scale up operations across the country as well as Asia. SAGE Foundation works with companies and NGOs to train underprivileged youth and make them employable for entry-level white-collar jobs, while SVP brings together donors, nonprofits and social enterprises to create a greater collective impact.
Discussing the partnership, Dr. Akhil Shahani, Managing Director, The Shahani Group, and Director, SAGE Foundation, said, “At SAGE Foundation, our focus has always been on nation-building through strengthening one of the most vulnerable sections of our population: the youth from low-income backgrounds. Due to a number of factors, they are deprived of access to quality education which, in turn, prevents them from being able to find secure and well-paying employment that can empower them to improve their lives as well as those of their families. We help them upskill in areas such as BFSI and Digital Marketing and assist them in finding well-paying jobs that provide them with financial stability. We are thrilled to partner with SVP India – through this partnership, we hope to reach many more such youth across India as well as Asia and help them in improving their lives.”
Commenting on the partnership, Gunjali Singh, CEO (Mumbai), SVP India, said, “We are immensely proud to collaborate with the SAGE Foundation and support them in their work that is enabling the livelihoods of a large number of Indian youths. The very essence of SVP lies in working in partnership to amplify impact, we can build a stronger ecosystem when we work together. In SAGE we perceive a shared vision. Their methodologies and programs designed to impart and enhance skills for sustainable growth are aligned with the social goals SVP espouses. We extend a very warm welcome to SAGE in joining the SVP fraternity and look forward to creating change that will define our collective future.”
SAGE Foundation has been working with various partners since 2008, to provide skills training and job placements for India’s under-resourced youth. Typically, due to their background, these youth only have access to low-paid blue-collar jobs, which are often short-term and uncertain as well. SAGE Foundation works to upskill these youth with the right training and knowledge to be able to secure entry-level, white-collar employment, which gives them the stability and security of a sustainable livelihood. Over the last few years, SAGE Foundation has trained thousands of low-income youths and has helped them secure corporate jobs at salaries ranging from INR 2.50 lakh to INR 5 lakh per annum.
SAGE Foundation uses an AI-driven ed-tech platform to help the students develop key employability traits, such as English communication, sales skills, industry knowledge, professionalism, collaboration, and critical thinking and problem-solving, within 45 days. The organisation’s employability model is highly capital-efficient, with the technology and admin costs being subsidised by its sister company, Smart Institute. The preponderance of the funds raised are utilised for implementing skilling projects.
Social Ventures Partners India, launched in 2012, is committed to improving communities, with a mission to cultivate effective philanthropists, strengthen nonprofits, and invest in collaborative solutions to tackle critical social challenges. The organisation helps interested entities in their philanthropic journeys by introducing them to the nonprofit and development ecosystem, giving them opportunities for hands-on work with credible NGOs, and connecting them to other like-minded individuals in the city, country, and globally. SVP India has 7 chapters in the country, including Mumbai, Pune, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, and Kolkata. Globally, SVP has over 40 affiliate organisations in 9 countries and is the largest network of engaged donors in the world with over 3,400 partners.
Drawing upon its legacy of over a hundred years in the Indian education sector, the Shahani Group devotes itself to enhancing the careers of lakhs of students via its academic initiatives aimed at providing them with employment in diverse industry sectors. Helmed by Maya Shahani and Dr. Akhil Shahani, the Shahani Group is now in its fourth generation and encompasses a new generation of institutions in areas of management, media, banking, real estate, digital marketing, and more. Along with praiseworthy initiatives such as ask.CAREERS, Thadomal Shahani Centre for Management, Thadomal Shahani Centre for Media & Communication, and Ask Talent Services, the Shahani clan is a part of the HSNC Board which runs over 24 iconic colleges in Mumbai, such as Thadomal Shahani Engineering College, HR College, KC College, and National College, among others.
The Shahani Group has been widely recognized for its work in the educational sector, receiving a bevy of awards, including the Best Employability Award for Youth, CFBP Jamnalal Bajaj Award for Ethical Business Practices, the Clinton Global Initiative Award, and the CII Education Excellence Award. Operational in four cities, the Group also has an educational technology division and job placement division under its banner and runs several CSR initiatives aimed at providing education and healthcare for the underprivileged.
