Swaniti Initiative

TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUTH IN INDIA BY AIDING IN THE STRENGTHENING OF THE EDUCATION, HEALTH AND GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS. TO CREATE A GENERATION OF CIVICALLY ORIENTED INDIVIDUALS THROUGH EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND EMPOWERMENT.

PROVIDING KNOWLEDGE SUPPORT TO THE MINING RICH STATE IN CHHATTISGARH TO TRANSITION TOWARD GREEN ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES (JOINTLY FUNDED BY SED-3 AND MCARTHUR). THE MINING RICH STATE OF CHHATTISGARH HAS BEEN ACTIVELY LOOKING TO TRANSITION AWAY FROM IT'S RELIANCE ON COAL TOWARD A GREEN INDUSTRY WHILE ENSURING THAT EQUAL REVENUE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES ARISE FOR IT'S RESIDENTS. SWANITI TEAM HAS PROVIDED RESEARCH SUPPORT AND A TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TEAM TO HELP UNDERSTAND HOW THE STATE CAN LEVERAGE IT'S FOREST COVER TO SUSTAINABLY HARVEST GREEN PRODUCTS LIKE BAMBOO, ORGANIC HERBS, TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURAL METHODS ETC. AND BRING THEM TO MARKET. WE CONDUCTED ON GROUND RESEARCH TO MAP OUT PROSPECTIVE PRODUCTS AND THEIR MARKET VIABILITY. ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE ALSO FACILITATED DISCUSSIONS WITH INDUSTRY LEADERS TO HELP THE STATE UNDERSTAND HOW BEST THEY CAN BRING IN GREEN AND RENEWABLE INDUSTRIES WITHIN THE STATE. OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO CREATE AN ECONOMIC CASE FOR TRANSITION TOWARD CLIMATE FRIENDLY OPPORTUNITIES WHILE ALLEVIATING POVERTY AND SWANITI HAS HELPED CREATE A FOUNDATION FOR THE SAME WITH THROUGH THE MCARTHUR AND SED FUNDED PROJECT.

JHARKHAND GREEN STATE PROGRAM (FUNDED BY SED FUND): THE COAL RICH STATE OF JHARKHAND HAS RELIED ON MINING FOR DECADES. THIS PROGRAM LOOKS TO DEPLOY TALENTED YOUNG PROFESSIONALS TO MOVE THE STATE AWAY FROM MINING AND TOWARD GREEN INDUSTRIES BY CREATING THE ECOSYSTEM TO ALLOW FOR PRIVATE ENTERPRISES IN THE GREEN SPACE TO THRIVE.

LEVERAGING GOVERNMENT FUNDING IN JHARKHAND TO TRANSITION TO GREEN TECHNOLOGIES (FUNDED BY SED FUND). EACH MINING FOCUSED DISTRICT HAS DISCRETIONARY FUNDS IN INDIA CALLED THE DISTRICT MINERALS FUND THAT IS EXPECTED TO BUILD A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR IT'S RESIDENTS. THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOT BEEN AS EFFICIENT IN ALLOCATING THESE FUNDS TO EFFECTIVELY BUILD A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. SWANITI TEAM PUT IN PLACE ASSOCIATES IN THESE ECONOMICALLY DISEMPOWERED DISTRICTS TO ENSURE THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD THE REQUISITE SUPPORT TO FUND MEANINGFUL PROJECTS LIKE SEED FUNDING LOCAL SELF HELP GROUPS TO SUSTAINABLY FISH, OR UPSKILL THE YOUTH SO THAT THEY CAN HELP KICK START LOCAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP OR EMPOWER YOUNG WOMEN TO BUILD THEIR CAPACITY TO COLLECTING KEY HERBS THAT CAN BE TAKEN TO MARKET. WE HAVE MOBILIZED OVER 7 MILLION USD OF GOVERNMENT FUNDING TO CREATE SUSTAINABLE JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES IN THE LAST 2 YEARS IN MINING DISTRICTS IN INDIA.

ENSURING ACCESS TO PUBLIC SERVICE PROGRAMS AMONGST TEA GARDEN WORKERS IN NORTH BENGAL (FUNDED BY OAK FOUNDATION). TEA GARDEN WORKERS ARE SOME OF THE MOST ECONOMICALLY DISEMPOWERED COHORT IN INDIA WITH ACCESS TO POOR HOUSING, WEAK PAY AND LITTLE OR NO SOCIAL BENEFITS. SWANITI IS WORKING IN SOME OF THE MOST DEPRIVED TEA GARDENS TO ENSURE THAT A.) GARDEN WORKERS UNDERSTAND THE GOVERNMENT BENEFITS, AND B.) WORK WITH THE ADMINISTRATION TO ENSURE ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS. OUR TEAMS WITHIN THE TEA GARDENS ARE WORKING JOINTLY WITH THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION AND TEA GARDEN UNIONS. WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ESTABLISH A STRONG PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN TEA GARDEN WORKERS AND THE LOCAL ADMINISTRATION.