Pune: HCL Foundation, the CSR arm of HCL Technologies has been funding Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) for path breaking projects in areas of health, environment, education and livelihood since 2015 across 12 states of India. The Foundation organised symposiums (workshops) for capacity building of NGOs on the theme of ‘CSR for Nation Building’ at Pune, Patrakar Bhavan on Saturday.
The day-long event was attended by eminent personalities such as MP Vandana Chavan; Vijay Wavare of Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation; Pratap Bhosale, Trustee, Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan Trust; Vishwas Patil, Executive Director of Marathwada Shikshan Prasarak Mandal, Aurangabad.
Nidhi Pundhir, Director, CSR and Head, HCL Foundation, told Sakal Times, “Through the CSR activity, we work on various social developments issues through an integrated community development approach.
HCL grants is a programme where we are looking at path breaking models being executed by NGOs. Rs 5 crore is granted for five years for three NGOs selected every year from the registered participants from india in the categories of environmental, education and health.
“We have already committed Rs 35 crore to 26 districts across 12 states of India and covering around 9 lakh people in 3,567 villages. Saturday’s event marks the third in the series towards our PAN India Symposiums, where about 200 NGOs from all over Maharashtra participated in it.”
Pundhir said, “To get the grants from us, the NGOs must have an element of scalability, sustainability, relevance, innovation and financial modelling.
“From Maharashtra. Mel Jol, an NGO of Mumbai is currently working on education in Yevatmal. From 72,000 children, 68,059 students are being given education. 540 teachers are trained.
The NGO has taken children to the bank to understand banking modules.
The village was once illiterate, but the children of this village are now literate and able to take admissions in foreign universities.
HCL Grant
In its 4th year now, HCL Grant has opened the application for HCL Grant 2019. The last date to submit entries is June 4
Last year, symposiums were held in cities like Kolkata, Mumbai, Patna, Raipur, Guwahati, Chandigarh, Imphal, amongst other.
These projects are already operational in the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, West Bengal, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand, etc.
Chavan said, “After the implementation of CSR law every private company has to allot funds for any social project which is compulsory, but in some cases the funds are not really reaching the receiver. So somebody has to become the bridge between the giver and the taker. There are several NGOs striving hard for social issues, but funds are the biggest problem they face. There should be a federation which of private companies so that the gap could be filled between the donor and the receiver.”
