Organization for Social Impact and Assessment (OSIA) Trust organization
Enhancing the livelihoods of the poor and poorest households is critical to every country’s poverty reduction effort. South Asia has the longest documented history of community-based rural livelihoods programs anywhere in the world (that is, reducing risks and vulnerabilities that the poor face); and increasing empowerment (explicitly recognizing that established power structures need to be enfeebled through interventions that allow the poor, especially poor women, to voice their demands and views).
Despite India’s impressive economic growth, there is still a staggering population of 70 million people who are struggling to access stable and sustainable livelihoods in its rural hinterlands. The growing urgency to address the country’s wealth gap has spurred rigorous efforts from the social economy – from the Government of India to social investors to an array of Social Purpose Organisations (SPOs)*. While this is a promising trend, one of the biggest barriers that prevent high-impact solutions from developing and reaching their full potential is the lack of relevant financial and nonfinancial support at their various growth stages. Being a critical stakeholder in meeting the needs of the last mile, SPOs need to be well supported – not only through financial means but also on operational and ecosystembuilding levels – to grow sustainably.