Practical insights while working with vulnerable communities

Why local women self help groups play an important role when farmers bring huge arid areas back to life Vibha Varghees, CEO from the organization Vikasana, is one of our nine core NGO partners in the System Changer Network India. Vikasana is located in Karnataka, South India – a 6 hours drive away from Bangalore….

When sustainability investments have some bad site effects…

When sustainability investments have some bad site effects… Sustainable is good. Thinking sustainably, acting sustainably. Investing sustainably and, above all, in an impactful and socially entrepreneurial manner is a big trend. But what if there are unwanted side effects? Yesterday, I was in a children’s home in Tarikere, India. 25 girls between 11 and 17…

System Changer Network India – here we are!

There are many networks in the world, mostly topic- or people related, formal or informal, aiming to share or to put efforts together. There are also many networks in the NGO world, on national and international level. So, why another one? The System Changer Network India aims to build system solutions, following system of systems…

Understanding the impact of our hygiene program at primary schools

During the Making More Health Insights week, a very disruptive and experience based global leadership program, our colleagues visit also school projects that we run under the Making More Health Initiative. The hygiene awareness program has several components, from toilet and wash basin installations to a very powerful set of hygiene games developed under MMH…

Social workers need digital access and skills to optimize impact

In the last years, one of our activities and programs in South India also supported the digital access for our local kindergarten teachers ( who work as informal health care workers in the tribal villages, too) and for our local NGO partners. Often it is difficult – especially for smaller NGOs – to finance their…

…because the future starts with our children

A few days back, Eszter Harsyani, a social entrepreneur from Hungary, running the organization Nestingplay, and our local partner NGO in India, the Karl Kubel institute for development education, have run together a session with kindergarten teachers, teachers and parents on early childhood development. As one participant said:“I liked the teaching methods. They are easy…

Making More Health in India: what’s going on?

Also in India a lot of Making More Health (MMH) activities are happening. Just to name a few: besides two new MMH kindergarten/ Anganwadi buildings, a Making More Health leadership week in July, preparations for the launch of a system changer network India and the final preparations of an apprentice exchange program between Boehringer Ingelheim…

When cultural exchange makes a difference

I have worked now for several years with vulnerable communities in India and Kenya. Several activities and projects have taken place to make the life of the people a better one: training sessions on health and hygiene, income generating activities, water projects, digital training sessions, set up of infrastructure, mental health training sessions, and last,…

When microbusiness meets urgent needs of the modern world

The betel palm is known as a plant that in many parts of Asia and East Africa delivers betel, a dangerous drug that when it is chewed helps against the feeling of hunger and tiredness. Did you know? In Asia, unripe betel nuts are chopped up with betel cutters. Usually these are rolled in leaves…

Staying with scavenger families in India

During our visit at Vizhuthugal, one of our NGO partners close to Coimbatore, we met the whole team and many volunteers. Vizhuthugal engages on a daily basis for scavenger families and human rights. In the past two years of the Covid 19 crises we had given to the families various supports, such as health and…