Dr. Neelam Gupta, the woman behind AROH Foundation, Delhi based NGO, is a personification of versatility. She is a gold medalist from Delhi University, holds a Ph.D in Agricultural Sciences with more than 20 years of experience in extensive social work. After a successful tenure as an entrepreneur, she founded AROH Foundation where she wishes to create a positive change in the society.
Tell us about AROH Foundation and the work that it does?
Set up and registered in 2001, AROH Foundation works towards empowering poor and marginalised communities through well-designed programmes in the area of education, skill development, sustainable livelihood, health and sanitation. Currently, the NGO is spread across more than 18 states of India to address several pressing problems and challenges faced by poor, vulnerable and marginalized sections of the society and providing innovative and sustainable solutions for past 20 years.
AROH has its impact in the remotest locations of India, ranging from tough terrains of Meghalaya, to Naxal impacted red corridors in Chhattisgarh to aspirational districts of Sitamarhi, Bihar and has led to the socio – economic alleviation of around 5 lakh people by far.
Various projects by AROH like Jal Shakti, Swachh Vidyalaya Abhiyaan, Samagra Grameen Vikas Karyakram, Project addressing all 17 SDGs projects, Padho aur Badho has been appreciated and awarded by many national and international platforms including the United Nations Global Compact of India.
Even during the critical juncture of COVID – 19 crisis, AROH took a ‘whole-of-India’ approach and channelized all its resources and expertise at the ground, especially in rural setups, to prepare and enable communities in fighting the pandemic while providing safety kits, ration kits, livelihood and extensive awareness campaign.
AROH hails for its unique approach of working closely with local administration and community engagements and implementing vast projects with transparency, technology and ensured sustainability.
What made you switch from business to become a social entrepreneur?
I always wanted to become a social entrepreneur only. It was my dream to serve back to my people. And just to pursue this dream of mine, I had to be financially independent and sufficient with a corpus for initial investments. This need was the reason that for a decade I had to work in my printing venture to be financially secured before taking the leap of being a non-profit entrepreneur.
What inspired you to create an organization like AROH?
AROH, an acronym for A Ray of Hope, is my heart child. The seeds for AROH were sown in my heart right from my childhood. When I was just around 13-14 years old en-route to my school on one of the December chilly mornings, I spotted a girl, almost my age, who was shivering profusely as she had no warm clothes. I gave her my pullover to comfort her. I spotted her again at the same place the next day sans the pullover. I asked her about it. She sadly responded that her father took it away and sold it.
I realised that it is not sufficient to merely give food, or in this case, provide a sweater, but to help that person learn how to be independent and earn so that they will not go hungry or suffer during the wintry season. The saying – if you give a hungry man a fish, you feed him for a day but if you teach him how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime, is what we should keep in mind all the time if we want to raise independent, self-sufficient, confident and responsible human beings. This is the sustainable route we need to take to empower an individual or community.
Now coming back to how this Foundation came into being: I registered AROH Foundation in 2001 as a Society under Societies Registration Act XXI, 1860. I set up this NGO because I wanted to serve and give back to society and create an equitable society with equal opportunities for everyone to grow and prosper.
How does AROH sustain itself?
AROH is a grant based organisation which totally depends on Funds from CSR Funders, be it corporate, government ministries or PSUs or sometimes individuals too.
What are the schools that are currently tied up with AROH Foundation?
AROH Foundation, under project RISE has covered around 30 government schools catering to 1000 slum children enrolled in primary classes of government schools of Sangam Vihar (South Delhi slums) and Mundka – Ghevra-Rani Khera (North West slums) to support them with improvising their learning outcomes while also taking care of their holistic growth.
Also in the rural setups, we have adopted and upgraded more than 500 government schools with latest infra, basic facilities of Water, Sanitation, SMART classes, labs and libraries, playgrounds, upskilled staffs and much more.
How many children have benefitted from the RISE Program and how have you made a difference?
The flagship remedial Education program of AROH has benefited more than 10,000 children under project PAB (Padho Aur Badho), more than 2000 children under project RISE (Remedial Innovation in School Education) mainstreaming them into formal Education and helped to improve their learning outcomes and helped with holistic development. The projects aimed an all-round development of underprivileged children, ensuring their rights to education, development and participation. The mere numbers of children mainstreamed, which in itself is a significant achievement worthy of emulation and praise.
Even during these unprecedented times of COVID, RISE was successful to adopt the online education mode swiftly with the advent of COVID. RISE initiated the donation campaign of pre-used electronics like laptops, smart phones, tabs and Desktops. Team RISE also initiated Ration Kit Distribution, Medical Kit Distribution, Donation of Sanitizers stand in school and mass level online and offline awareness program during COVID. Workshops of Mental Health, Physical Health, Legal support, Domestic Violence, Child’s Health, Safety and Security of women etc. were regularly conducted through Facebook online Samvaad. RISE also attended the call of holistic development of a child through various initiatives which included Health check up by government doctors, Nutritional supplements through food and medicines, Yoga Trainings, Art & Dance workshops.
At present, RISE is a well-known name and face in the communities not just as a remedial education support team, but for all grim in the society. Team RISE has earned respect, credibility and trust of people and children in the passing year.
What made you think of citizenship and women’s rights besides child rights?
Besides child rights, women around the world regularly suffer violations of their human rights throughout their lives, and realizing women’s human rights has not always been a priority. I feel that Indian women should stand to gain the most from shaping their country into a place that releases their enormous potential. Many are living on the fringes of society, in the grey economies, in community associations, in peer lending groups. They are not integrated into the economy or institutions of governance. It is high time they do. Because, the futures of children are dependent on their mothers as they take the charge to help their children grow.
Through AROH, we empower women about their due rights and dignity. We inform them about various laws supporting their welfare. Simultaneously, we make them aware of their peer group, the community at large, and nation eventually, through all means possible. Being a women, I allow women to speak about various pressing challenges at every national and international platform.
Women can and must connect themselves to their vibrant communities. They can give birth to an India that becomes the finest expression of how to develop a country. India was the cradle of civilisation. Tomorrow, it can be a leader in a globalised world. It is this HOPE that I want to give to my future women leaders their rights and this is what keeps me motivated too.
What plans do you have for the future?
The future of AROH Foundation is no more just what I dream and plan, but it now carries dreams of all the employees and beneficiaries. The need for diversification of serving other varied causes and extending the patronage to the deprived as much as possible is our future ideal. The future plan also comprises issues that need immediate thought and action for the wholesome development of the marginalised sections of the society.
Dr. Neelam Gupta, Founder President & CEO, AROH Foundation was interviewed by Prittle Prattle News.
