As a social entrepreneur, I have witnessed the power of lived experiences more than once; how they transform lives, transcend barriers and triumph over challenges.
I remember how, more than a decade ago, I watched with deep concern as my eldest daughter, Ananya, battled mental health issues. As a mother and caregiver, the lack of well-informed and reliable support systems was isolating. It was a taboo topic, more so back then and there were no avenues for open dialogue. That silence and the absence of structured care left a lasting impression.
It became clear that while conversations were the first step, they alone were not enough. What was needed were pathways that could support individuals consistently and with dignity. This journey laid the foundation for Mpower, which aims to end the silence surrounding mental wellness and offer accessible, affordable interventions.
In fact, every cause Aditya Birla Education Trust (ABET) has championed, we have constantly strived to enhance awareness through a structured, systematic approach and translate it into sustained action through WHO SDG goals. Be it mental health, menstrual health or education, the focus is on: how conversations are sustained, how mindsets shift and how systems are built to support that change over the long term.
This approach has unfolded gradually. In mental health, opening dialogue led to increased help-seeking, but it also highlighted the void in seamless care and trained support. Over time, this translated into deeper engagement with institutions such as the Central Industrial Security Force, where sustained interventions over three years contributed to a significant reduction in suicide rates. The progress has been encouraging, but it has also reinforced how essential it is to stay engaged well beyond initial outcomes.
I have witnessed in many ways, how ABET has pre-empted the shift in Indian philanthropy to stewardship philanthropy. Through Mpower alone, over seven million individuals have been reached and more than six lakh teachers have been trained. While not undermining the importance of monetary resources in the success of public welfare initiatives, today’s social entrepreneurship is increasingly centred on shaping long-term, sustainable and scalable impact. This is done through coalitions and collaborations, a coming together of change-makers, supporters and all stakeholders to work systemically to create institutions that work long-term to enable societal programmes and development.
At ABET, it has always been our intent not just to initiate conversations but to keep them going till they enter collective consciousness.
When Ujaas was launched, it was with a clear vision that the solution to rural India’s period poverty is not unidimensional, confined to just ensuring the accessibility of affordable menstrual hygiene products. It has led to years of concerted efforts across multiple fronts: from breaking myths and involving men in period conversations to addressing gender inequality and environmental harm through sustainable, eco-friendly livelihood initiatives. The shifts we now see in menstrual health literacy and cross-gender attitudes are the result of sustained, patient work and has impacted 6 lakh beneficiaries.
Transformational change takes time and we still have a long way to go. As the new year begins, the intent is to continue building on these learnings and take steady steps towards systemic change.