Yamuna Sastry’s Post

Recently, I've been thinking about India's rapidly growing senior population. Did you know, by 2031, it's expected to reach a whopping 194 million, that's one in every five adults! [NSO report 2021] While some might see this as a burden, I see it as a massive opportunity. Few social startups across India are innovating like crazy to support our elders, and it's truly inspiring. Here's what excites me the most: these startups aren't just focused on physical care, but also on social engagement and mental well-being. Platforms like GetSetUp are creating online communities where seniors can learn new skills, connect with peers, and combat loneliness. This focus on holistic well-being is a game-changer. It allows our elders to stay active and independent. What are your thoughts on India's growing senior population? #SocialEntrepreneurship #ElderCare #India #Anil Agarwal #Goodfellows India Tata Trusts British Asian Trust PATH Plan_India Plan International Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Shantanu Naidu

A Decade of Change: My Journey in Social Impact 🚀 Looking back on the past 10 years, I’m reminded of how one simple idea can spark real change. Gandhi’s words—"In a gentle way, you can shape the world"—have stayed with me since I first started this journey with the #GandhiFellowship. That’s where it all began in 2014—working alongside passionate fellows from 20 states of India, learning the power of community, and getting a firsthand look at the challenges faced by marginalized groups. One of my most defining moments? Advocating for Digital education and community engagement in School Governance. It showed me how small actions can create a ripple of positive change. 🌊 From there, each step of my career has been about empowering others. At Digital Empowerment Foundation Digital Cluster, I helped break the information barriers for handloom weavers by setting up resource centers that gave them control over their futures. At Industree Foundation, I witnessed how economic empowerment can transform lives, supporting artisans in Tamil Nadu as they build sustainable livelihoods. 💪 Connecting artisans to markets through The Better India’s Karnival brought new opportunities to revive traditional crafts. Through Yaadhum Community, I helped families access chemical-free products directly from farmers—strengthening the ties between consumers and producers. 🌾 And at the YellowBag Foundation, we equipped women with the skills to create eco-friendly cloth bags alternative to single-use plastics, driving sustainability and independence. Now, I’m leading an exciting new chapter as Project Lead at StartupTN, managing India’s first state-owned equity fund to invest in startups from marginalized communities, propelling #Socioeconomic Growth by Investing for Inclusive Progress. Every day, I’m inspired by the power of entrepreneurship to spark lasting change. Through all these experiences, I’ve learned one key lesson: Change happens when we work together. Whether you’re an entrepreneur or a fellow changemaker—thank you for being part of this journey with me. Together, we’re shaping a better world. 🌍💫 Gratitude to Aditya N., Osama Manzar, Neelam Chhiber, Dhimant Parekh, Palaniyappan, Krishnan Subramanian, Sivarajah Ramanathan #Empowerment #SocialChange #InclusiveGrowth #CommunityDevelopment #GandhiLeadership #Gratitude

🌾 Empowering Rural India: Pathways to Prosperity and Development 🌾 India's heart beats in its villages, where millions strive for better livelihoods amidst various challenges. As we work towards a poverty-free India, it’s crucial to address these issues with innovative solutions and inclusive strategies. Key Challenges: Limited Access to Resources: From education to healthcare, rural areas often lack essential services. Financial Literacy: Many are unaware of financial tools that can transform their lives. Market Access: Farmers and artisans struggle to reach broader markets, limiting their income potential. Solutions & Opportunities: Education & Skill Development: Invest in education and vocational training to empower rural youth and women. This not only enhances employability but also encourages entrepreneurship. Financial Literacy Programs: Raising awareness about savings, credit, and insurance can safeguard families and foster economic resilience. Digital Inclusion: Leverage technology to bridge the urban-rural divide. Online platforms can connect rural producers directly with consumers, ensuring fair prices and eliminating middlemen. Agricultural Innovation: Introduce sustainable farming practices and modern techniques to increase productivity and income. Government Schemes & NGOs: Utilize existing programs for support, and encourage NGOs to create community-driven projects that address local needs. Marketing Outputs & Awareness: Promote Local Products: Showcase rural artisans and farmers through branding and marketing initiatives, tapping into the growing demand for organic and handmade goods. Community Involvement: Engage local communities in planning and implementing development projects, ensuring that solutions are tailored to their unique challenges. Creating a poverty-free India is not just a dream but a shared responsibility. By empowering rural communities, we can unlock a wealth of untapped potential and create a more inclusive and prosperous society. Let’s work together to build a future where every Indian has the opportunity to thrive. 🌟 Follow-Tanmoy Sarkar Will make a graphical detailed carousel on 'how to' in each topic. Stay tuned. #RuralDevelopment #PovertyAlleviation #FinancialLiteracy #Empowerment #SustainableDevelopment #RuralIndia #DigitalInclusion #AgricultureInnovation #CommunityDevelopment #MakeInIndia

India’s service sector has hit a stride that resonates with the sound of progress, registering the highest growth in the past seven years—an achievement that speaks volumes about the economic fortitude under BJP's governance. This surge is not just a number but a narrative of empowerment and opportunity, particularly for the major beneficiaries: the youth, women, and burgeoning entrepreneurs of our great nation. The leap in service sector growth reflects the government's successful strategies in fostering an environment conducive to business and innovation. Firms are hiring more than they have in the recent past, a beacon of hope for millions, and a testament to the effective policies of the Modi administration that prioritize job creation and skill development. Women, who have always been at the core of the BJP's empowerment initiatives, are finding new avenues for growth in this sector. Programs that target women's participation in the workforce are seeing significant payoffs, with more women joining and leading in service-oriented roles than ever before. Youth, the driving force of our nation, are another major beneficiary, with the expanding service sector offering a plethora of new career paths. The government's emphasis on digital innovation and startup culture has paved the way for youthful energy to be harnessed into productive enterprises, contributing to this commendable growth. Entrepreneurs, the backbone of India's economic resurgence, have leveraged the conducive policy environment to create value, drive innovation, and scale up their ventures, further fueling the service sector's expansion. The BJP government celebrates this milestone and remains dedicated to nurturing these sectors, ensuring that every citizen has the opportunity to contribute to and benefit from India's economic renaissance. This is the New India—resilient, inclusive, and on a steadfast march towards becoming a global powerhouse. #ServiceSectorGrowth #NewIndia #EconomicDevelopment #BJPGovernance #YouthEmpowerment #WomenInWorkforce #Entrepreneurship

70 percent of India resides in its rural heartland, where the paradox 'Nothing has changed, yet everything has changed' vividly captures the essence of its transformation. The journey is well traveled, yet there is still a long way to go. Heroes like Dr. Nandini Azad stand tall, paving the path forward. In 2018, when she got elected to the board of the international Raiffeisen Union (IRU), becoming the first Indian as well as the first woman to be appointed to the assignment, the world witnesssed the profound impact of women coming together as a cooperative society and helping the economy grow! I am grateful and privileged to have met her and other eminent figures in the field with a vision of a world where #corporates and #cooperatives can synergize. Corporates can learn from cooperatives about sustainable practices and community engagement, embedding social responsibility into their core strategies. Cooperatives, by adopting certain corporate efficiencies and innovative approaches, can enhance their operational effectiveness and broaden their impact. Kudos to PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry for this initiative where collaboration could lead to a more inclusive economy, where the benefits of progress are shared more widely, and the drive for profit is balanced with the need for social good. Where do we fit in here ? It’s a vision of an economy that is not just about growth, but about growing together. And each one of us has a role to play! Why should we care ? Because such a collaboration harnesses the best of both worlds—driving economic growth while fostering social equity—ultimately creating a resilient and thriving society for future generations. And as #leaders in our own right, we must pave the way for a future where business serves all of humanity. What do we do? To start with, support the cooperative societies near us to collaborate with technology and innovation through our network! #collaboration #coexist #corporates #cooperative Ministry of Rural Development, GoI CSR Projects | India

If you’ve been to rural India recently, you know how nano enterprises by women are changing communities. Shops, CSC centres for digital services, Internet cafés, restaurants, tailoring units, beauty parlours and more - women are not only creating local jobs but enriching rural economies. Often the thing holding them back is access to affordable credit. You can change this. Enable women and women led enterprises in rural India within minutes and get repaid with interest. Interested? Invest as low as Rs.500 in women entrepreneurs from rural India at rangde.in/groundbreakers Rang De ✨

🙏Thought to repost - In support to Women Entrepreneurs🙏 🌺Women entrepreneurs are changing the rural economy🌺 Invest on Rang De - Invest in change Invest in women entrepreneurs at rangde.in #WomenEmpowerment #NanoEnterprises #SocialEnterprises

📣 Transform Rural India (TRI) recently organized an inspiring consultation workshop in Ranchi, Jharkhand, centred on the theme of "Women Entrepreneurship- Challenges, Possibilities, and Collaboration." 🤝 From civil society organizations to government agencies, employers to skilling agencies, and academia, the event saw a powerful convergence of stakeholders dedicated to advancing women's entrepreneurship in rural India. 🎙 The discussions were electric, diving deep into the complexities of women entrepreneurship and labour force participation. Inspiring panels shed light on challenges faced by women entrepreneurs and unveiled collaborative solutions, featuring voices from esteemed organizations like Kudumbashree, WASSANIndia and SEWA Bharat. TRI's 'whole of system approach' was on full display, underscoring our commitment to driving holistic change. As the workshop concluded, it marked the beginning of actionable plans aimed at propelling women entrepreneurship to new heights in rural India. Heartfelt thanks to all participants for their fervent dedication. Let's continue to champion women entrepreneurs, reshaping the landscape of rural India together! The Global Development Incubator, The Global Opportunity Youth Network, Ministry of Rural Development, GoI, Jharkhand State Livelihoods Promotion Society Neha Tirkey, Kaushik Samanto, Abhishek Kumar Singh  #WomenEntrepreneurship #RuralDevelopment #ChangeMakers #TransformRuralIndia #WomenEntrepreneurs

Stories from the Field : From Household Chores to Entrepreneurial Ventures According to a study conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) in 2018, the female labor force participation rate in Himachal Pradesh is only 27.7%, much lower than the national average of 32.8%. Women in the Hilly Regions face various challenges and barriers that prevent them from participating in the economic and social development of their communities. Society for the Upliftment of Villagers & Development of Himalayan Areas (SUVIDHA) is working towards  promoting and executing projects for the promotion of Sustainable Agriculture Practices, Water Resources Management, Rural Development, Clean Development Technologies, Digital Education and Health related aspects of Mother and Child Health Care. SBI Foundation, in partnership with SUVIDHA, is tackling the social and economic challenges faced by women in Himachal Pradesh's Sirmour and Solan Districts. Through training programs, group-based enterprise development, and access to finance and markets, the project empowers women to overcome economic vulnerability. Utilizing innovative methods like mobile training units, the initiative ensures that women in remote areas gain the skills and resources needed to start and grow their businesses. This initiative has showcased profound impact by turning housewives and laborers into successful entrepreneurs. With 500 women across 50 villages following suit, the “Himalaya Hill Fresh Fruit Processing Group” serves as an example of empowerment and transformation. State Bank of India SUVIDHA Sanjay Prakash Rajaram Chavan | Minal Gomase #Sbi #Sbif #WomenEmpowerment #Entrepreneurship #CommunityImpact