150 Changemakers Unite In Hyderabad To Champion Grassroots Innovation

Hyderabad, Oct 10, 2024: As many as 150 changemakers — including prominent philanthropists and community leaders — came together to champion grassroots innovation at an event organised by SVP India’s Hyderabad chapter here. 

The Daan Utsav held at Daspalla Hotel earlier this week highlighted transformative social impact projects led by local NGOs. The event kicked off with powerful keynote speeches, setting the tone for an evening of heartfelt engagement and purpose-driven action.

Sunitha Krishnan, Padmashree Awardee and Co-founder of Prajwala Foundation, in her keynote address emphasized the transformative power of giving, saying, “Giving is not just about contributing to others; it’s about nurturing your own compassion. It’s an act of gratitude in motion.” She also highlighted how even small acts of giving can create exponential ripples of change in society. “It’s not just the privileged who benefit society; when we give, we also grow personally, expanding our capacity for empathy and kindness.”

Her sentiments were echoed by Govind Iyer, All India Chair of SVP India, who stressed the need for active and engaged philanthropy. “Our role as donors is not merely financial. It’s about becoming active participants in shaping outcomes,” he remarked. “These NGOs are transforming challenges into opportunities, and our engagement helps ensure these solutions reach their full potential.”

Following these speeches, three Hyderabad-based NGOs — Blood Warriors, Good Universe, and Inqui-Lab — presented their visionary DREAM projects, highlighting their unique approaches to addressing critical social challenges.

Blood Warriors, an NGO committed to tackling Thalassemia, focused on its groundbreaking initiative to make carrier testing more accessible. Their DREAM project aims to cut the medical expenses significantly — currently estimated at Rs 25,00,000 incurred over a patient's lifetime — by investing only Rs 24,000 to test 30 individuals for early detection of HPLC carriers. The estimated ROI of this campaign will be Rs 21.25 crores which implies for every Rs 1 there is a potential impact of Rs 61.

Good Universe is on a mission to implement a sustainable menstrual health program that will benefit 1,500 adolescent girls in rural Mahabubnagar. This program will provide these girls with access to eco-friendly menstrual products, menstrual education and general awareness about sustainable practices, and will prevent about 720,000 single-use pads from ending up in landfills.

Inqui-Lab took a different approach by nurturing future innovators and changemakers. Through their "Think & Make" program, they are encouraging public school students to find local solutions to local problems by developing their skills in problem-solving. The program will be led by Youth Innovation Fellows, aged 21-25, guiding 320 students in designing, prototyping and implementing creative solutions to increase student confidence and readiness for the future.

By raising Rs 35 lakhs during the event, the NGOs saw a huge boost to their spirits, fuelling their determination to drive greater impact through their invaluable work. 

Reflecting on the event’s impact, Ram Kaundinya, Chapter Chair of SVP Hyderabad, said, “At SVP Hyderabad, we are dedicated to fostering grassroots solutions that can redefine communities. Our focus is not on short-term contributions, but on long-lasting, sustainable impact.”

The gala attracted prominent figures like Kovelamudi Raghavendra Rao, filmmaker; Manisha Saboo, Head of Infosys Foundation and 65 partners from the Hyderabad Chapter. Additionally, 16 NGO partners of the Hyderabad chapter set up stalls to showcase their work, and raise funds for these initiatives.

The event was an important milestone in SVP Hyderabad's growing ecosystem of social entrepreneurship and NGO support. This initiative is part of Daan Utsav, representing the greater movement in India towards generosity and social responsibility.