HCL Foundation (HCLF) organized a symposium as part of its concerted efforts in sensitizing and creating awareness among NGOs, civil society organizations, and startups working in the social impact space about HCLTech Grant Edition IX in Guwahati on June 19.
Aligned with India’s G20 presidency this year, the symposium’s topic was “G20’s role in combating unemployment and creating jobs for the youth”.
The symposium was the fifth in a series of pan India symposiums being organized by HCL Foundation across various cities. Several NGOs and civil society organizations from Assam and neighboring states participated and actively engaged in discussion and dialogue on range of issues and themes relating to role of CSR in contributing towards nation-building.
Nidhi Pundhir, vice president, Global CSR, HCL Foundation, said: “HCL Foundation plays a critical role in combating unemployment and creating opportunities for the youth. We firmly believe that empowering young people with education, skills, and meaningful employment is not just a responsibility, but a pathway to sustainable economic growth and social stability. Through collaborative efforts, we aim to harness the collective potential of the G20 in India to implement policies and initiatives that address the pressing challenge of youth unemployment. By fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and inclusive economic frameworks, we can unlock the untapped talents and aspirations of the next generation, paving the way for a brighter future for all.”
“These symposiums strive to create a positive impact on the lives of millions through the establishment of a distinctive platform for NGOs to join forces, share insights, and cultivate inventive strategies to tackle the urgent obstacles that our nation encounters,” Nidhi Pundhir added.
The event featured multiple sessions and panel discussions with eminent speakers that included, Kalpana Sarathy, professor and deputy director, TISS Guwahati; Rousy Baruah, state project manager, social mobilisation, institution & capacity building, ASRLM, Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana, National Rural Livelihoods Mission; Santala Ronglo, development consultant & founder – Mountain Trails Thallem and Gaurav Majumdar; lead- skill development & livelihoods, HCL Foundation among others.
The symposium also included a masterclass on CSR laws and its amendments by Nikhil Pant, CSR advisor and former chief programme executive, National Foundation for CSR, Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Govt. of India and Bhomik Shah, founder and CEO of CSRBOX.
As part of the series of symposiums this year, symposiums have been held in Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Jaipur. Further, symposiums will be organized in Raipur, and New Delhi during this month, HCL Foundation said.
Through these symposiums, the foundation aims to educate NGOs, civil society and social impact organizations about the HCLTech Grant. The grant identifies NGOs that are undertaking groundbreaking work in rural development through an independent, robust, and democratic process. Grants are given to the three winners in the categories of education, health, and environment with a commitment of Rs 5 crore for a four-year project in each category. Additionally, a grant of Rs 25 lakh each is given to the other two finalists in each category for a one-year project. The total funding committed for the ninth edition is Rs 16.5 crore.
Three NGOs—Planatearth, Innovators in Health (IIH) India, and Meghshala Trust – were winners in the environment, health, and education category of the HCLTech Grant 2022 and received Rs 5 crore each for their projects.
Till date, HCL Foundation has committed more than Rs 130 crore (appx. $16 million) to NGOs since the launch of the HCLTech Grant programme eight years ago, reaching over 1.8 million beneficiaries in more than 25,000 villages in remote districts across 22 states and two Union territories of India.
Successful partnerships have been forged with 49 NGOs, of which 21 NGOs have been awarded grants of Rs 5 crore each, and 28 NGOs have received Rs 25 lakh each for their respective projects.
