INTROduction

WE CREATED A

this IMPACT REPORT IS ABOUT:

• How, amidst a backdrop of 41,00,00,000 global volunteer dropouts and 80% of organizations halting volunteering activities, we thrived, engaging 9,449 dedicated volunteers to impact 2,565 individuals.
  
• How together, we empowered these students to become the first generation to break the cycle of poverty through high-quality education and mentorship, shaping a brighter future for themselves.
  
• Stories of resilience because the power of community has been our driving force, uniting us in the face of adversity and propelling our mission forward.
  

This Impact Report showcases our journey in forming communities of change, where every individual played a powerful role.

Summary of 2022-2023

our Values

#BigAudacious

Impact

'for impact'

U&I is a

movement focused

on empowering, enabling & engaging changemakers across India to catalyse social transformation.

Full-time Staff

9449

Volunteers

Cities across

India

Teach overview

U&I Teach

Building role models for the future of

india's disadvantaged children.

Teach overview

Teach overview

u&i TEACH

Enabling children from under-served communities across India to dream bigger, through a holistic approach to after-school education.

2896

2295 Students

Volunteers

117

Cities across India

72000+

Hours of Learning

22%

28%

Av. Life Skills Growth

Care overview

U&I Care

building compassionate communities dedicated to serving Individuals with Special Needs.

Care overview

u&i CARE

Through U&I care, our teams work with disadvantaged men, women and children who have lesser access to a better living by transforming their lives through care and reduced dependency.

To Impact

180 Special Needs

Men and Women

31 Abandoned

Toddlers and Kids

59 Special Needs

Destitute Boys

It took

19 Full-time Staff

Who provided special needs classes, physiotherapy,

pre-school classes, activities of daily living and

vocational classes.

Care overview

Across

8000+ Hours

4

At

State-run Institutions

in Bangalore

Empower overview

U&I Empower

empowering a million corporate professionals to take social action.

u&i Empower

U&I Empower is a volunteering ecosystem that aims to empower corporate volunteers to take social action. Through online and in-person projects, Empower bridges the gap between corporate volunteers and causes across India.

2022-2023 Overview:

4276

CSR Partners

358

80

Social-impact Projects

Ignite overview

U&I Ignite

building awareness, action

and ownership among school students.

u&i ignite

U&I Ignite is a volunteering program that aims to spark social action among school students. Through experiential activities and nudges, students are encouraged to develop lasting habits and identify solutions to societal challenges.

In 2021-22, we enabled social action in

10

Schools

Across

10677+

1059

Beneficiaries impacted through crowdfunding

CSR Partnerships

incredible partners

We could not have achieved any of the things mentioned in this report without the support of our incredible partners.

u&i Teach

U&I teach

Teach overview

MISSION

Equip young people to invest in the lives of at-risk and disadvantaged children through impactful, high-quality education and mentorship.

WHY

Almost 50% of students drop out before they enter high school. Many of these children are daily wage earners, and the cycle of poverty continues. Ever since the pandemic, these figures have doubled.

WHO

We recruit, motivate, train, and walk alongside thousands of volunteers so they display incredible passion, energy, and commitment to the cause of giving the next generation a leg up to bring radical change in the lives of under-served children across the nation.

HOW

Through U&I Teach, our committed tutors invest in the lives of under-served children through after-school education held both online and offline.

building a robust learning module post-pandemic

1. volunteer recruitment and 1:2 teacher-student ratio

2. revamping our curricullum

We recognized the importance of prioritizing fundamental English skills over an extensive yet traditional curriculum. This insight inspired us to launch the ARIVU program, drawing from the TARL teaching method, which creatively instilled essential English skills like letters, words, sentences, and stories. This shift from our previous eight-level literacy curriculum produced outstanding results, encouraging us to revamp our approach. With a one-on-one volunteer-to-teacher ratio, we streamlined our curriculum, resulting in a customized U&I Teach English foundational literacy program with teacher guides and engaging workbooks.

3. prioritising counselling to our teaching approach

U&I Teach IMpact

ASSESSMENTS

Academic Growth

56%

Student-teacher ratio

Pre-Assessment

63%

Impact Assessment

Av. Student Attendance

Counselling workshops on

stress management, bullying, respecting others.

22%

87%

Average Foundational Literacy

Av. Teacher Attendance

Stories of

change communities

TESTIMONIALS

TESTIMONIALS

A young girl's dream of becoming a fashion designer is now coming true through the guidance of her mentors.

Meet Shakthi from Vadodara. Her family lacked digital literacy, but through the support of the city leaders, they now embrace

technology, unlocking new opportunities.

Praveen, a first-generation learner, brought tears to his father's eyes with the opportunity to study. When his learning center closed, dedicated volunteers didn't give up; they opened a new one in a nearby temple.

TESTIMONIALS

Volunteers in Thanjavur not only empowered kids with knowledge but also renovated the center's bathrooms for a hygienic and comfortable environment.

Adi's transformation from a disinterested student to a motivated learner was sparked by Sulochana's intervention, making learning more engaging for him.

Pooja, a determined 16-year-old student and a mother from Bhopal, aspires to build a future for herself. Changemakers in Bhopal are here to make a real difference in the lives of young girls like Pooja.

TESTIMONIALS

Impact story on counselling sessions

In Mumbai, we involved counsellors in three centers across the city, including one in Dadar. Here, we aimed to understand what troubled the kids deeply. What we found was surprising: these young minds were haunted by exam fears. The pressure was suffocating them. So, we rolled up our sleeves and got creative.

We hosted a three-hour workshop designed to arm these kids with the tools to ace exams. It wasn't just about studying; it was about building resilience and confidence.

The impact was incredible. The kids, once crippled by fear, now stood tall and brave. They learned exams weren't monsters but opportunities.

Collaborating with our allies, we've transformed lives and opened the path to a hopeful future. We conducted 813 counseling sessions and 15 workshops. Through counselling, we've given our students the strength to conquer their fears, chase their dreams, and build promising futures. This is a story of change, hope, and the power of teamwork.

Training

5

Trainings

2000+

100000

Areas Covered

• Programme Overview
  
• Ideal behaviours of a role model
  
• Creating fun & safe classrooms
  

Volunteer leadership

Training

3

Training Events

450+

32000

Areas Covered

• U&I story + Vision for the program
  
• SOP Overview + Seasons
  
• Programme Basics: English (or) Tuitions (or) LIFT
  
• Holistic Development Overview
  
• Child Protection Policy: 5 levels
  
• Culture - Flippen Tools city-planning
  

The Impact:

• Leadership Enhancement: Empowered leaders to elevate their performance for the academic year ahead, equipping them with essential tools and implementation strategies over two intense days of training.

• Vision Casting: Conducted induction sessions to inspire and align chapter leaders with the vision for the upcoming academic year, guiding them on how to turn their visions into reality within their respective cities.

• Comprehensive Orientation: Provided a comprehensive orientation on city vision, leadership principles, curriculum delivery, recruitment strategies, and community building, ensuring leaders are well-prepared for their roles.

• Problem-Solving Mastery: Facilitated a first-ever National Leader's Hackathon, enabling leaders to tackle grassroots challenges at their centers and submit innovative solutions, enhancing their competence and effectiveness in their roles.

Testimonials From

leaders

LEADx was nothing short of extraordinary, a shining example of excellence; each of the three days was a blockbuster in its own right - from the engaging breakout sessions to the vibrant before and after parties. The abundance of humour made these three days the most memorable of my life, with each day scoring a perfect 12 on the enjoyment scale. - Dr Karmjeet Singh. Leader - Kolkata Team

The modules were a personal revelation for me, offering a wealth of techniques and insights. Reflecting on my own education, I couldn't help but wish for these classes during my school days. Introducing concepts like SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) to children early on is truly invaluable.

Moreover, witnessing my student's transformation was heartwarming. She's typically an introvert with a small circle of friends, but as we progressed, she began to trust and open up to me. This was especially meaningful because it coincided with her growing seriousness about her upcoming board exams. I could clearly see the impact of the classes, with her acknowledging their value approximately 7 out of 10 times.

PROJECT Lift

The mission of Lift is to provide young adults with holistic learning and prepare them for the transition to the world with life skills.

119

157

Students

13

Active Learning Centers

7

Cities

100

Career Aptitude Tests

250

Hours of Classes

Through the LIFT program, we actively involve students in community centers and shelter homes when they reach the age of 15. In addition to their regular school tutoring, we embark on preparing them for life beyond the home. This includes guidance for higher education, such as college, or pursuing a career aligned with their aspirations.

As we envision expanding the LIFT program, our ultimate goal is to

offer financial support to these young adults, enabling them to

afford education and pursue their dreams until they

attain financial independence.

U&I lift Impact model

Cycle of the project

Enters Elevate (LIFT's Stage-2 pilot project) that currently mentors 18+ aged youths

Program ends around when the youth gets into a middle-class income

Job - Prepare them

and help them find one

Lift Impact testimonials

u&i care

u&i care

MISSION

To invest in the special needs of at-risk men, women and children who have less access to a better living in our community, and to transform their lives by giving them the care they need, along with reduced dependency.

WHY

Our world prefers to push abandoned and special-needs individuals into the background because they look too different, they behave too different, they are too loud or too quiet, because they are simply not like “us.”

WHO

Abandoned special-needs and at-risk men, women and children who live in state-run institutions.

HOW

U&I has employed educators, caregivers, cleaners, nurses, physiotherapists for the differently-abled and at-risk individuals, to ensure that the residents in the four government-run homes have access to proper hygiene and nutrition along with educational and vocational training, in partnership with the government.

care services in state-run homes

79 differently abled men

31 abandoned

children ages 0-6 

Provide

vocational training,

special education,

hygiene, healthcare

& social interaction.

Preschool assistance

to bring a structured

routine throughout

the day. Care for babies and toddlers.

59 destitute,

special needs boys ages 8-21

101 special needs,

abandoned women

Improve social & vocational skills,

and provide life-skills training for them.

Provide special needs classes, healthcare, hygiene and physiotherapy.

home for

special needs

women

RESIDENTS: 101 WOMEN

ATTENDING CLASSES: 54 WOMEN

U&I STAFF: 6

No of Hours engaged -

Health and hygiene - 96 hours

Domain based activities - 144 hours

Vocational activities - 192 hours

No of Sessions conducted -

Health and hygiene - 96 sessions

Domain based activities - 144 sessions

Vocational activities - 192 sessions

the Impact

COGNITIVE SKILLS

PHYSICAL SKILLS

Activities involving the skills of attention, retention, and recollection, as well as activities that also allow residents to develop reasoning abilities.

Activities that involve fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, picking and holding, gross motor skills such as walking, body balance, and jumping or hopping.

social and Emotional SKILLS

SPEECH AND LANGUAGE SKILLS

Actvites that help to regulate and understand one's own emotions and feelings, and emotions of others.

Action Songs and Sharing Sessions to improve speech, which in turn helps residents' share their feeling and concerns.

Activities of daily life

Brushing, Toilet training, and Menstrual Hygiene.

home for

special needs men

RESIDENTS: 79 MEN

ATTENDING CLASSES: 56 MEN

U&I STAFF: 4

the Impact

COGNITIVE SKILLS

social and Emotional SKILLS

Involves the development of mental skills and the acquisition of knowledge. The categories under this domain are: Knowledge: the ability to recall data and/or information.

Engagements focused on improving residents' Interactions, and ability to express & identify emotions- for instance, sadness, happiness, tantrums, affection.

Activities of daily life

SPEECH AND LANGUAGE SKILLS

Includes activities to polish Grammar, Vocabulory, Pronunciation, Idenfying different Sounds etc.

Brushing, Bathing & Grooming, Basic Hygiene and

Cleanliness.

physical skills

Recreational Activities

Activities centeres on residents' Gross motor skills (major movements involving large muscles), and Fine motor skills (involving small muscles, particularly of the fingers and hands).

Movies, Music and Dance

Home for

abandoned children

RESIDENTS: 31 CHILDREN

ATTENDING CLASSES: 15 CHILDREN

• Infants and toddlers: 12
• Children (3-6 years): 11
• Kids with special needs: 8

U&I STAFF: 4

THE IMPACT

social and Emotional SKILLS

Interactions, Expressing & identifying emotions – sadness, happiness, tantrums, affection. Games and role plays are used for this skill.

physical skills

Gross motor skills (major movements involving large muscles), and fine motor skills (involving small muscles, particularly of the fingers and hands). Activities such as writing, beading, colouring, art and crafts - paitning, folding papers, crushed paper etc, running, jumping, roll over, action songs and play time are done.

ADL (ACTIVITIES ON DAILY LIVING)

Brushing, Bathing, Eating habits & Grooming, lice care and toilet training.

physiotherapy

COGNITIVE SKILLS

Helps to restore movements and improve function for the children with special needs and infancy.

Activities such as matching, memory box, flash cards, sorting, identification are to observe the skills such as attention, memeory, understanding and knowledge

digital class

Operating laptops and tablets by using learning apps to color, trace, activity based learning etc., and also playing games

SPEECH AND LANGUAGE SKILLS

Grammar, Vocabulary, Pronunciation sounds etc., Songs, story telling, flash card games are few activities done.

infants

Engagement with age appropriate activtiies and toys

Home for

Special Needs boys

RESIDENTS: 55 BOYS

ATTENDING CLASSES: 55 BOYS

U&I STAFF: 5

THE IMPACT

PHYSICAL

ADL (ACTIVITIES ON DAILY LIVING)

Daily morning physical exercise, Gross and fine motor development activities (Movements involve small and large muscles).

Oral and practical brushing, oral and practical bathing, Eating habits, and grooming.

SPEEch AND LANGUAGE

Expressing and Identifying the emotions (Sadness, Happiness, Anger, and Fear).

Speaking with small sentences improves understanding and expressing thoughts, ideas, and feelings.

COGNITIVE

physiotherapy

Involves mental and concentration development, increases memory and recall, and acquires knowledge.

Helps to restore movements and function when children are affected by injury, illness, and disability.

Vocational

Basic tailoring, Mat making, Soap making, Candle making, Cement

Craft making, Stitching, and buttoning.

empower

U&I EMPOWER

MISSION

U&I EMPOWER is a volunteering ecosystem that aims to empower corporate volunteers to take social action. Through virtual and in-person initiatives, EMPOWER bridges the gap between corporate volunteers and NGOs across the world. With a vision and mission to engage a Million volunteers, U&I EMPOWER aims to enable communities of changemakers to catalyse social transformation worldwide.

WHY

In 2020, India stood at 57th of 110+ countries in the CAF World Giving Index (a rounded measure of giving behaviour in a country). Our civic participation has been very low in terms of volunteering hours. One reason is while we have thousands of NGOs, the sector is not organised and lacks the technical expertise to involve the youth in the country who want to make a difference.

WHO

U&I Empower establishes a wide array of volunteering opportunities for working professionals through social service. Through our volunteering engagements, we work with like-minded individuals who want to give back to society on the ground level.

HOW

By making volunteering simple and meaningful, Empower has leveraged technology and resources to serve a community of change-makers through online and in-person initiatives. We organise short and medium-term engagements ranging from a period of 1 hour to 3 months. We curate activities in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, which are simple and impactful.

4276 working professionals joined forces with us to make an impact

across 78+ social action projects in 2022-23

Other

Causes

Events

Engaged

1584

1020

1530

Volunteers

Volunteers

Volunteers

Education

35 Events | Engaged 1584 volunteers

Cognitive and life-skills training was provided for the children by CSR teams in order to improve their learning ability. This included reading, public speaking and lateral thinking. Student toolboxes with infographics, geoboards, and MEL cards were other training methods used to foster new ideas.

Engagements

• Infrastructure & Development
  
• School Painting
  
• Playground Construction
  
• Student Engagements :
  
• Public Speaking
  
• Lateral Thinking
  
• Sports Day
  
• Career Day
  
• Student Toolbox
  
• Infographics
  
• Career Guru
  
• Geoboard
  
• Scrabble Board
  

ENVIRONMENT

26 Events | Engaged 1530 volunteers

We partnered with teams to promote social change through DIY workshops and volunteering. Teams used recyclable materials to create useful items like bags, pens, and bird feeders. These were donated to shelters and marginalized homes. Teams also did volunteering service like plogging and school painting, fostering teamwork and benefiting society.

Engagements

• Tree Plantations
  
• Clean up Drives (lake, beach, trek cleanathon)
  
• Plogging
  
• DIY Series: (uplcycling and recycling)
  
• Newspaper Bags
  
• Pens
  
• Shopping bags
  
• Bird Feeder
  
• Pen stand
  
• Pouches
  
• Plastic bottle trashcans
  

OTHER Causes

17 Events | Engaged 1020 volunteers

We collaborated with teams to support causes such as:

• Animal Shelter Visits: Our teams visited animal shelters, providing care and assistance to animals in need.
• Care Home Visits: Teams also spent time at care homes, offering companionship and support to residents.
• Mission Fitness: We encouraged fitness and well-being through team participation in fitness activities and events. over a course of few weeks.
• Cultural Workshops: Collaborating with international partners, we hosted cultural workshops celebrating festivals like Diwali and Holi, fostering cross-cultural understanding and appreciation.
  

These initiatives strengthened team bonds while making a positive impact on society.

stories

of impact

Building a playground for these students from low-income schools was truly rewarding. After building the playground, the kids welcomed us and thanked us for building the playscape and gifting it to them. This moment makes me smile every time I think about it.

- Sai Rahul from Thomson Reuters

The 10-day fitness challenge cum sponsoring students' education was a brilliant idea! U&I always comes up with something more exciting and better. The linking of health and doing good just sets the right ignition. I especially loved how this event promoted teamwork and kept us motivated to strive more throughout the 10 days!

- Kundan Kishor from Thomson Reuters

Testimonials

U&i Ignite

u&i ignite

10

Schools

2277

10677+

11

Sewa Days

3

Playgrounds Built

1059

school model

PROJECTS:

Our projects are mid-term engagements ranging from 5 days to 3 weeks. These action-packed sessions challenge students to address real-life issues through on-ground volunteering. Students take ownership of solving socio-economic and human rights problems in partner schools' areas. For instance, our 'Play for Change' project, in collaboration with an NGO, involves students in building playgrounds in underprivileged schools through activities like excavation, painting, and drilling."

CROWDFUNDING:

Procuring resources is crucial for social action. The Ignite program enhances students' pitching, networking, and resource procurement skills through crowdfunding drives. All proceeds support education in U&I's Teach program.

The progress of each student under all our models is tracked through a customised online portal, and various levels of certification are provided based on performance.

U&I Ignite stories

"Thank you for curating meaningful (Socially Useful Productive Work) SUPW programmes for the students of Std 11 and 12 of (our school). The building of the play equipment and the crowdfunding were unique ideas, and the students enjoyed the interaction with both U&I as well as Anthill teams".

- Priti (Co-ordinator, Mallya Aditi International School)

"Overall, I have been very happy with the sessions and also the interactions with the students. They (students) seem to really give a thought when we encourage them to reflect, for example, when we made them close their eyes and think for a bit about the challenge that a differently abled person would go through".

-Pawan (Trained Sewa Mentor)

GREAT PLACE TO WORK

WE build A

We got certified by Great Place to Work® Institute (India) as:

• India's best NGOs to work for - Top 10
  
• India's great mid-size workplaces - Rank 57
• India’s great mid-size workplace for women
  

Great Place to Work® Certification is recognized the world over by employees and employers alike and is considered the Gold Standard in identifying and recognizing Great Workplace Cultures.

GREAT PLACE TO WORK

GREAT PLACE TO WORK

Working at U&I has been a very wholesome and enriching experience! The amount of flexibility and balance I am able to exercise on a daily basis has proven to be very helpful, especially in terms of working in a hybrid environment. Collaboration between and within teams has definitely been one of the most exciting aspects, as it brings in different perspectives and opportunities to learn so much more.

- Allen Stanley, People Manager

My experience at U&I has been a remarkable four-year journey that I'm incredibly proud of. Through strategic leadership, I've had the privilege of driving our mission to provide education to disadvantaged students to new heights. My management skills have allowed for seamless volunteer collaboration and the formation of strong community bonds. This experience has shown me that with dedication and sticking to our cause, we can make a real difference.

- Simran, Cluster Manager, U&I Teach

I've always been passionate about education and social responsibility, so when I joined U&I, I found myself in an environment that aligned perfectly with my values. What I love the most about working here is the incredible support and camaraderie within the team. It's not just a workplace; it's a place where I've been able to learn, grow, and draw inspiration from my colleagues. One of the aspects that keeps me excited about my role is the opportunity to work on a variety of projects. This diversity keeps things fresh and challenges me to think creatively. U&I has provided me with a platform to contribute to meaningful projects while also expanding my knowledge and skills. I'm proud to be a part of a team that not only values its employees but also works towards making a positive impact on the society as a whole.

- Prathyush Mandar, Corporate Relations Manager