Promoting Women’s Entrepreneurship to Drive Economic Growth: Perspectives from India
By Irina Sinha, Project Concern International (PCI) India India has grown into the fifth largest economy in the world. The growth of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) indicates the existence of a plethora of opportunities that people can leverage to partake in the economy. Over the past decade, there has been a notable increase…
Read MoreMothers Take the Center Stage to End Child Marriage
By Sushmita Mukherjee, PCI India and Dennis Mello, Global Communities Proposals for marriage began coming for Pushpa three years ago, when she was only 15 years old. Pushpa felt too young to be married and wanted to continue her studies, something that many girls in Jharkhand – her home region of India – are unable…
Read MoreMothers in India Lead the Process of Change and Girls’ Empowerment
By Sushmita Mukherjee A healthy and skilled adolescent girl is best placed to make informed decisions not only for herself but also for others who solely depend on her when she reaches adulthood. Her ability to influence decision-making is appreciated and respected when she has the right skills to communicate, think critically and creatively. As…
Read MoreUsing the New Digital Savings Group Hub to Eliminate Paper, Inspire Savings
Digitization can feel overwhelming — and even risky when considering inherent equity and access issues. Yet, with the right resources, organizations can go paper-free, or at least reduce that paper output, and save money in the process. We chatted with Paulina Rudnicka, Senior Technical Advisor for Gender Integration at Global Communities, about the launch of…
Read MoreBreaking the Silence on Menstrual Hygiene in India
Menstruation is critical for the continuation of life on earth. Despite this being a natural process, it causes a severe hindrance in the growth and development of women and girls in our patriarchal society. Young girls are often told to discuss their period-related issues only with older girls or women, forming the impression that menstruation…
Read MoreRallying Mothers to Lead the Charge against Child Marriage in India
Naima*—now one of the most outspoken advocates for girls’ rights in her community—did not have an easy childhood. She grew up in Bokaro—a vibrant, cosmopolitan city in northeastern India, famous for one of the largest steel plants in Asia and often referred to as the “City of Scholars” for serving as an academic hub of…
Read MoreEnhanced Well-being for Millions of Families in India
A Story of Transformative Integration at Scale A series of papers recently published in the Journal of Global Health tells the story of Ananya, an initiative launched in 2010 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in partnership with the Government of Bihar (GoB) and several global implementing partners, including Project Concern International (PCI). Ananya’s…
Read MorePCI India and ‘Mobile Vaani’ Answer Call for Action Against COVID-19
When much of the world came to a standstill in the wake of COVID-19, one Indian social tech company rose to the challenge. Gram Vaani, which means “voice of the village” in Hindi, adapted its mobile phone-based social media platform—Mobile Vaani—to reach low-literacy, rural and remote audiences across India with important coronavirus prevention messages. Prior…
Read MoreAddressing India’s ‘Shadow Pandemic’ of Violence Against Women and Girls
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, women and girls face a heightened risk of domestic violence and exploitation. According to UN Women, this “shadow pandemic” is the result of economic, health and security strains brought on or worsened by movement restrictions, crowded homes and reduced access to peer groups and social networks. In two blocks of…
Read MoreSame Heroes, New Culprit: Pivoting from Polio to COVID-19
In India, the same unsung heroes who helped stop the spread of polio are working tirelessly to defeat COVID-19. Drawing on decades of experience in community engagement and communication on polio prevention and routine immunizations, PCI/India’s CORE Group Polio Project (CGPP) recently pivoted to raising awareness about the coronavirus. Staff are proactively reaching communities where…
Read MoreNeglected No More: Uniting to Beat Devastating Diseases in India
One of the biggest challenges to beating neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) lies right in their name. Failing to communicate what they are, who they affect and how they can be prevented or treated keeps more than 1.5 billion people—in the poorest and most marginalized communities—at risk of becoming blind, disabled or disfigured. NTDs can also…
Read MoreIndia Boys’ Home Residents Gain New Skills, Perspectives Behind the Lens
In June 1985, the piercing green eyes of an Afghan refugee girl peered out at National Geographic readers in what would become one of the magazine’s most iconic covers. Decades later, Steve McCurry, the photographer who captured the image started ImagineAsia, a nonprofit that gives vulnerable youth in Afghanistan the opportunity to be on the…
Read MoreFrom Mosques to Barbershops: Unconventional Allies in India’s Immunization Efforts
When India experienced a polio resurgence in 2001, those working to end the disease had to take a leap of faith. In western Uttar Pradesh, the majority of the cases were concentrated in poor Muslim communities, where access to sanitation and health services was low and suspicions about the vaccine were high. This created the…
Read MoreBecoming Babli: Young Widow Finds Purpose Empowering Women of Bihar, India
When Babli Devi was 15 years old, she had dreams of becoming a journalist. Instead, she became a bride. Like many adolescent girls and young women in rural India, she was forced to give up her education for an early marriage. Within a few years, Babli had her first child. For the better part of…
Read MoreVideo: John Deere Foundation and Global Communities Partnership
Video: John Deere Foundation and Global Communities Partnership Global Communities has been partnering with the John Deere Foundation since 2012 to implement community development projects in the vicinity of Deere’s operations in India, Brazil and the US. Our programs create long-lasting, community-led change by organizing multiple stakeholders in development decisions affecting their lives and their…
Read MoreGlobal Communities’ Programs in India
Beginning in 2003, Global Communities partnered with India’s local governments, national ministries, corporations and hundreds of communities across the country to design and implement programs to reduce poverty and empower communities to sustain positive change. Global Communities’ programs help stakeholders create more-inclusive growth by not only improving infrastructure and access to basic services, but also…
Read MoreThe Vital Role of Business in Global Development
The Vital Role of Business in Global Development Removing all barriers to mutually beneficial partnerships is smart business and good for our communities. By David A. Weiss, President & CEO for Global Communities | This article originally appeared on UPS Latitudes. “Many forward-looking companies have integrated CSR into corporate strategy and business operations.” The challenges…
Read MoreGlobal Communities in India: Empowering Communities to Sustain Positive Change
Global Communities in India: Empowering Communities to Sustain Positive Change Since 2003, Global Communities has been partnering with India’s local governments, national ministries, corporations and hundreds of communities across the country to design and implement programs that reduce poverty and empower communities to sustain positive change. Global Communities’ programs help stakeholders create more-inclusive growth by…
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