Context
As an NGO we have understood that in upcoming days CORPORATES will get a boost with that the recent corporate-tax cut. The corporate social responsibility (CSR) movement began as a response to advocacy for corporations to play a role in ameliorating social problems due to their economic power and overarching presence in daily life. India has gone further than any other country. In 2013, it enacted Section 135 of the Indian Companies Act prescribing a mandatory “CSR spend of 2% of average net profits … during the three immediately preceding financial years” for all companies meeting specified financial thresholds. In other words, companies “having net worth of rupees five billion or more, or turnover of rupees ten billion or more or a net profit of rupees fifty million or more during any financial year” have to ensure that they spend 2% of average net profits made during the three preceding years on CSR activities.
So it is really important to categorically spend the corporate funds for the welfare of underprivileged. Lack of information on ‘How & Where to spend’ is one of the hurdles for any NGO/Corporate/any individual. Here comes the motive of our initiative of RESEARCH & ADVOCACY. We will please to guide on different aspects related to CSR or Individual Donation. The details of our Offerings are explained later.
Why Partner With Us
Livelihood Diversification Strategy for Host Communities
Orissa Cement Ltd. has a long standing CSR engagement with the host community for improving their socio-economic condition. Given that livelihood is the biggest concern in the CSR catchment, OCL has initiated an extensive livelihood program which targets 353 beneficiaries in age group 18 – 50 years spread over 4 villages covering 2 panchayats. Currently the livelihood options afforded by the project include; Tailoring & Craft Works, Sanitary Napkin Making, Hospitality Management Program for Youth and Entrepreneurship. While the livelihood programme has been largely successful in providing alternative income opportunities, an area for concern remains the non participation of about 35% of the target beneficiaries. OCL has mandated ToI to conduct the study.
Area of our Engagement:
• To understand the reasons for non-participation
• Possible measures that need to be taken to bring the non-participants into the project fold
• Suggestion for alternative income generation plan matching the aspiration of the youth, women, men and the OCL objectives.
Participation in Health Care
Knowledge of the predisposing risk factors is an important step in the modification of lifestyle behaviors conducive to optimal cardiovascular health. However, data on the knowledge of risk factors for CVD among Indian school children are limited. In a small study by Tanmoy Biswas (MBBS), Shweta Pandey (MBBS, MD com. Med) of North Bengal Medical college and Hospital, among Indian children studying in classes 6th–10th, awareness regarding non-communicable disease was found to be unsatisfactory with only 9.6% knowing that cardiovascular diseases are preventable. A cross-sectional study was conducted among school children studying in classes 5-10 of a single school of Kolkata. A total of 91 school children were included in the study using convenience sampling. Permission was obtained from the school authorities. Consent was taken from the school children. The study was approved by Institute’s ethics committee. The whole program was done in collaboration with us.