QNET India is proud of its long-lasting social impact initiatives that have gone the distance in helping various underserved communities across the country improve their health, lives, and social and economic status.
At the heart of these initiatives is RYTHM Foundation, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of QNET. From powering remote villages to empowering rural communities and joining the frontline war against the COVID-19 pandemic, the Foundation has been central in helping the QNET family of entrepreneurs work closely with those far removed and underprivileged across the sub-continent.
Here are some of our proud initiatives.
Standing with India: Solidarity in the Fight Against COVID-19
As India struggled amid COVID-19, lockdowns and restrictions left millions of people without access to necessities often taken for granted.
QNET joined hands with employees, distributors, and charitable organisations to help those in need and comfort the communities struggling with the devastating impact of the pandemic by providing food kits, cleaning supplies, groceries, medicines and medical equipment, and other essentials.
Bangalore: Turning an Abandoned Hospital into a Full-Fledged COVID Facility
A remarkable initiative QNET India participated in during the pandemic was Project CoHeal – converting a vacant hospital building into a fully-functional, 100-bed COVID care facility for the underprivileged – at no cost to the patients.
RYTHM lent a hand to this inspired programme by funding oxygen concentrators and ventilators and contributing to the salaries of the facility’s doctors and nurses for six months.
Tamil Nadu: Treating and Protecting the State’s Tribal Population
In Kolli Hills near Salem, Tamil Nadu, RYTHM worked with a local social entrepreneur to distribute facemasks to tribal agriculture farmers and workers allowed to work during the lockdowns.
However, RYTHM’s assistance to the Kolli Hills populace was not limited to the farming community. Working with NGO Abhinavgram Society and the region’s medical fraternity, the Foundation also helped establish a COVID-19 care centre and sponsored medical equipment purchases for the facility and a government-managed hospital in Sollakadu.
Chennai: RYTHM and Lions Club Roar Back Against COVID-19
The Lions Club of Thiruneermalai was one of many NGOs that actively supported community efforts to provide medical treatment and care in Chennai at the height of the pandemic.
RYTHM partnered with the club by contributing water purifiers for distribution to several local hospitals. The Foundation’s other COVID-19 relief efforts with the club included funding for oxygen masks and wheelchairs.
Maharashtra: Mobilising Collaborative Action Against the Virus
In preparation for a possible third wave of the pandemic, Mann Deshi Foundation set up a medical diagnostic and vaccination facility, with equipment like an automatic haematology analyser sponsored by RYTHM to perform blood tests and diagnose diseases.
As the pandemic worsened across India, some 10,000 grocery kits were distributed in rural Maharashtra during the lockdown. In addition, Mann Deshi set up several community kitchens to feed the unemployed and the underprivileged.
Bihar and Jharkhand: Bolstering An NGO’s Response to the Pandemic
Like in Maharashtra, QNET supported crucial COVID-19 relief efforts for marginalised communities in Bihar and Jharkhand by partnering with Parinaama Development Foundation. Funding from RYTHM provided the families with essential items and ration kits alongside medical equipment for COVID-19 treatment and care.
As an organisation focused on creating sustainable livelihoods for marginalised communities, Parinaama also ramped up manufacturing cottage-industry products like soaps, sanitary napkins, and face masks for distribution to the impoverished.
Commitment to Sustainable Change
Over the years, QNET has worked closely with RYTHM on numerous projects to make a tangible difference and work toward sustainable change across diverse communities.
From providing electricity in remote locations and nurturing disadvantaged youngsters in sports to helping rural women become financially independent, the initiatives through QNET mirror our concerted efforts to enhance society and their living conditions.
Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in Eastern India
To aid marginalised communities in eastern states like Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha, RYTHM partnered with Parinaama Development Corporation in a grassroots development initiative that empowered women to improve their standard of living.
The project themed ‘Economic Empowerment of Women in Eastern India through Microenterprises’ provided skills and entrepreneurship training primarily through a mushroom cultivation initiative spearheaded by Parinaama.
In addition, the effort earned the partnership a silver award at India’s CSR Times Awards last year. The win in the ‘Livelihoods’ category recognised the alliance for positively impacting the lives of 10,000 women and their families.
Supporting the Social Enterprises of Modern Changemakers
RYTHM has sponsored several innovative social entrepreneurs carrying out sustainable livelihood projects through the NGO Manava Seva Dharma Samvardhani’s (MSDS) Sadguru Gnanananda Fellowship project.
The fellowship offered youths working with marginalised groups monthly grants for three years to help them scale their projects and provide beneficiaries with sustainable sources of income.
The diverse social entrepreneurship projects have included a reforestation project, an anti-violence programme benefitting children, beauty skills training for women, improved pepper berry yields for tribal farmers, and a forest-based livelihood improvement exercise.
Turning the Lights on in Off-the-grid Villages
To address the lack of energy access and healthcare facilities in the Meghalaya region, RYTHM and Global Himalayan Expedition embarked on an ambitious partnership to bring solar electricity to remote tribal communities and upgrade the healthcare infrastructure in the area.
The project, dubbed ‘Empowering North East India,’ kicked off with the Foundation pledging a one-year commitment to the project to provide energy access to 470 villagers and solar power for a primary healthcare centre catering to 23,000 villagers.
Polishing Raw Talents into Great Athletes
The Usha School of Athletics is an institute that gives girls few other schools in India can – a formal education combined with sports training by the legendary Indian athletics queen, PT Usha.
RYTHM joined hands with the school to support five talented girls from underprivileged families to help develop their potential through a holistic programme that aimed at taking the financial burden away from the athletes so they could concentrate fully on developing their talent.
