India Giving Day Interview: Akanksha Education Fund & Pratham USA
The following interview of Akanksha Education Fund Executive Director Sejal Desai and Pratham USA CEO and Global Executive Manisha Bharti was conducted by India Philanthropy Alliance Executive Director Alex Counts in early February 2023. It covers the topic of philanthropy broadly and also focuses on IPA’s India Giving Day Campaign that begins with an “early giving” period on February 14 and culminates in the first-ever annual day of giving to India on March 2, 2023. Sejal and Manisha have served as co-chairs of the India Giving Day Steering Committee since its inception. This interview has been condensed for clarity and length.
Alex: Thanks to both of you for your leadership – within your terrific organizations, within IPA, and within the India Giving Day campaign as Steering Committee co-chairs. Perhaps you could start with telling me about yourselves, such as about your background and personal values, and why Akanksha or Pratham is the perfect place for you to be working and providing leadership right now?
Sejal: I have been a passionate advocate and supporter of various U.S. and India based nonprofits focusing on education, hunger relief and women’s issues. My 30-year career includes work in sectors like venture capital, M&A, accounting, entrepreneurship, nonprofit and corporate social responsibility. I was born in India and lived and worked in Mumbai for 20 years. My role at Akanksha Education Fund has offered me the opportunity to contribute to the country of my roots and give back in a way that makes a transformational difference in the lives of children, their families, and communities. My personal values are rooted deeply in family, community, relationships, and compassion. My work at Akanksha allows me to authentically live out my values every day and bring others along on the journey.
Manisha: I tease my parents that I have spent more of my professional life in India than they have. These early professional experiences established a deep sense of connection with India that I have taken with me to the multiple global organizations at which I have worked during the last 20 years. Coming to Pratham has allowed that full set of experiences to come full circle.
My work has pretty consistently been about helping organizations to write their next chapters – and right now, Pratham is entering that next chapter. Over the next five years, we have ambitious plans to scale what we do, building on the impact of our work to overcome pandemic learning loss – both in India and also by sharing those lessons with countries around the world.
So, Pratham and I are a great match: Pratham is the perfect place for me to apply my experience to the country I love, and I bring the type of experience Pratham needs to reach even more people.
Alex: Within the India Giving Day campaign, we talk about giving that is impactful and joyful. Can you share an example or two of what you have seen in your organizations in terms of giving that leads to positive change for those in need and giving that leads to fulfillment for those who are making the donations?
Sejal: At Akanksha, we provide a free, holistic education in English to children from low income communities. Through a 20 year partnership with our students and alumni, we seek to transform their lives in meaningful and measurable ways. We have hundreds of stories of students that have now embarked on career paths quite different from the daily wage earning lifestyle of their parents. Whether it’s the story of Salman Sayyed, a boy born on the streets of Mumbai who eventually found his way to the U.S. to get an MBA through the intense support of Akanksha teachers to another student named Pragati, who was raised by a single parent, her mom who is a janitor at a hospital in Pune, but with the support of an Akanksha School Education is about to graduate from the University of Rochester and recently spoke at UN’s Transforming Education Summit in New York. Or take this example: Amit, a boy whose mom was a helper in one of our schools and continues to work there now is a proud mother of a gold medalist in Physics. Amit also serves on our Board in India, a great way to give back and lend voice to the programs that helped support him on his own educational journey. For our donors, knowing that $600 a year can help change the life trajectory of a student is so rewarding. Imagine that is just $12,000 over a 20 year period. This is not a large sum, but it can make a huge difference in the life of a child, family or community.
Manisha: Two examples come to mind.
First, we run a program called Hamara Gaon – ‘our village’. This is a three-year effort within communities to help schools, parents and other institutions embed sustainable learning practices at the village level. Each community is funded by an individual or small group of donors in the U.S. This initiative is programmatically designed to increase local engagement and ownership of the children’s education. It has also created the opportunity for donors themselves to develop real relationships with the communities they’re supporting. They get reports showing the impact their money is having, they’re able to talk virtually with people in the community, and many donors even visit the villages to which they’re giving – which gives them an amazing sense of fulfillment.
Individual stories bring joy too. Take the story of Bushra as an example. Her family did not believe that she, as a girl, needed to be educated. But Bushra wanted more. After prolonged efforts –and even quite extreme tactics (she fasted for three days!) – she convinced her parents to let her enroll in Pratham’s Second Chance program. This program helps young women who have left their education for a multitude of reasons to finally achieve their tenth-grade certificates. Given how tenacious she is, completing tenth grade was simply not enough for Bushra. From there, she flourished: she got her MBA, became the number one sales rep at a multinational company, and then started her own business. Now she employs other women, giving them the second chance she had. And all of this positive change happened because someone donated to give a young woman a place in our Second Chance program.
Alex: Wow, those are impressive and inspirational stories! I am sure you have many more. Now, could you share what excites you about the India Giving Day campaign, which begins with early giving on February 14 – Valentine’s Day! – and culminates in the first-ever national day of giving to India on March 2, 2023? In what ways is this effort already energizing your colleagues, board members, volunteers, chapters, and donors? What are you hoping will come of it, both this year and beyond?
Sejal: I am very excited about the collaborative philanthropic effort we have embarked on within IPA and with other participating nonprofits engaged with India Giving Day. This is our first India Giving Day, and we are sowing the seeds for some amazing outcomes for our nonprofits, our beneficiaries, and our donors – all with the focus on a Better and Stronger India. These steps of coming together with a spirit of collaboration is what will create magic for us going forward. I am hoping that through the numerous campaigns and events around the country we will help create awareness about the important work each of our organizations is doing. Many of our Board members are excited to host India Giving Day gatherings at their home or office to share why they are engaged in India focused causes and what about Akanksha resonates with them.
Manisha: I’m excited because India Giving Day will not only mobilize our current donors, but I believe it will also attract a new wave of supporters. It has also created a spirit of collaboration, rather than competition, between the 20+ organizations involved. There’s sometimes a feeling that we’re competing with each other for donors. But I believe in an abundance mindset: together, our community has plenty to give and all of our diverse organizations are needed to help solve these collective challenges. India Giving Day will help donors identify causes that are close to their hearts. All our organizations fulfill different roles, and India needs all of us.
Alex: Can you give the people reading this interview some tangible and concrete examples of ways that they can join this movement to grow giving to India by actively participating in India Giving Day in their homes, communities, places of worship, and schools?
Sejal: Here are a few:
Go to www.indiagivingday.org, identify a cause that resonates with you and learn more about how you can get involved by giving to or volunteering with the organization.
If you already are passionate about an organization, create your own fundraising page on India Giving Day platform and share with your friends and family.
If you are an organization with a large membership/fellowship, please consider talking about the importance of giving back and share India Giving Day as a concrete way to get adults and children engaged.
Post about India Giving Day on your social media.
Share information about India Giving Day with ERGs in your company
Manisha: Let me add these:
Lots of our supporters will also be hosting India Giving Day fundraising pages and sharing these on social media with friends, family and colleagues to give them the chance to donate.
A few of our chapters will be hosting local events to engage their local communities in India Giving Day opportunities.
We are also excited to host a national virtual celebration that we are in the midst of designing right now. We will share more details soon.
We are excited to be part of this inaugural effort and looking forward to the creativity it unlocks nationwide.
Alex: Thank you both for your leadership and for talking with me today.
Alex Counts (@AlexCounts) is the Director of the India Philanthropy Alliance, the principal at AMC Consulting LLC, and the author of four books including Changing the World Without Losing Your Mind: Leadership Lessons from Three Decades of Social Entrepreneurship.
