Health
- Mobile Clinic: To deal with the issue pertaining to the poor doctor-patient ratio and alarming situation in some villages not having proper registered health clinic in 5-7 kms radius, Poonawalla Fincorp had organized a weekly mobile clinic for the poor masses and conducted around 579 health camps serving around 44000 patients across the country. These mobile clinics comprised of a qualified doctor and lab technician team to conduct basic health tests like blood pressure, BMI & blood sugar. During the Covid19 pandemic, masks and sanitizers were also distributed to all the visiting patients through the medical camps.
- Provided emergency services to needy families during the Covid19 pandemic.
- Contribution of INR 5Cr to PM CARES Fund during COVID-19.
- Donation to Grant Medical Foundation flagship multi-disciplinary hospital, Ruby Hall Clinic based in Pune for procurement of medical equipment’s, i.e., (i) six ventilators and (ii) one laser system CO2 Acupulse Bost, through our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program relating to healthcare initiative for the underprivileged patients.
Education
- In the financial year 2021, projects were undertaken to build infrastructure till setting up of digital labs to ensure modern facilities with hygiene factors in government/ trust schools in rural areas that cater to underprivileged children.
- Provided mid-day meals to nearly 6500 school kids at different government schools located in Kolkata, Nellore, Aurangabad, Jaipur, Jamshedpur, Faridabad, and Delhi jointly with ISKCON Food Relief Foundation as our implementation partner for this initiative. Poonawalla Fincorp had joined hands with NGOs to provide dry rations, stationery items, and hygiene kits to marginalised kids across the country when schools were closed during the Covid19 pandemic. In FY 21, happiness kit (including dry rations, nutrition supplements, stationery, exercise books, masks & sanitisers) were distributed to 7500 students. Since 2015, 15.20 lakh mid-day meal were served touching the lives of over 33000 kids.
- Rolled out a scholarship scheme “Padhega India Tabhi Toh Aagey Badhega India” providing financial support to bright students from under-privileged families to continue to live their dream by pursuing under-graduate studies at prestigious institutes. Around 647 students enrolled in this scholarship scheme from various streams like Engineering, Medical, Humanities, Science, Commerce and Law at some of India’s best-known institutions since 2015. Most of our first batch (2015) students have completed their courses and received job offers from various Indian and overseas companies.
- Constructed toilets and changing rooms for girls at govt. school in West Bengal.
- Provided Infrastructure support to Govt. high school for boys located in Naihati, West Bengal.
- Adopted of 15 Ekal school of FTS, Contribution towards the reconstruction of an old age home in Kolkata affected by cyclone Amphan etc.
Transforming Government schools:
- Through this project Poonawalla Fincorp undertakes redevelopment program of four Government schools located in Taluka Ausa, District Latur, Maharashtra. This project will include setting up well-furnished computer labs with server room, internet facility, establishing libraries, setting up well-equipped science & technology lab, developing sports center equipped with indoor/ outdoor sports equipment, developing smart classrooms where children can sit and learn together with the help of modern technology, setting up well-equipped vital life skills training center, setting up an open gymnasium with all necessary facilities, developing/redeveloping toilets for boys and girls in schools, installing drinking water filters, providing materials for daily hygiene, painting school walls with different educational concepts, setting up a music center equipped with instruments, setting up an art gallery with drawing sheets, developing a beautiful garden of indigenous trees and flowers, installing rooftop solar system, etc.
Promotion of road safety
- Deploying traffic wardens for maintaining Pune city traffic is a proactive approach taken by Poonawalla Fincorp to contribute to societal welfare. We collaborate with local authorities and deploy trained traffic wardens at critical junctions or busy areas in Pune to manage traffic flow, ensure pedestrian safety and ease congestion. Through this initiative we not only aim to enhance road safety but also align with our commitment to support the community we operate in, showcasing a responsible and civic minded approach beyond our business interest.
Highway Heroes
- One person dies every 3.5 minutes in road accidents on highways in India. The drivers’ fault accounts for 78.5% (3,81,648 accidents) of the accidents and more than 30% of the total road accident deaths are associated with trucks annually. Of the 1.5 Lac people who die due to accidents annually, most are the main bread- earners for their families (source: Report by Ministry of Road Transport & Highways).
- To improve safety standards and awareness, Poonawalla Fincorp conducted training cum health and safety programmes for the truck drivers with the help of Petroleum Conservation & Research Association, Govt of India. Till March-2021, we have conducted camps at more than 190 locations and have trained around 1.85 lakh drivers. This project was featured in the Limca Book of Records for educating the maximum number of drivers on Road Safety.
Opportunities and Challenges for Tribal Women Entrepreneurs in MSME
- The MSME enterprises in India require low capital cost but still serve as an engine for generating employment to promote economic growth, particularly in tribal states. The entrepreneurial success stories from the tribal dominated regions of India can help in promotion of entrepreneurship in other tribal dominated states. The available opportunities and challenges faced by these women would help in improving the MSME sector in India by encouraging women participation.
- Through this project Poonawalla Fincorp aims to understand the opportunities and challenges of tribal women entrepreneurs of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh for preparing recommendations to improve the MSME sector in India through seminars and roundtables to provide a platform to women entrepreneurs of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand to share the opportunities and challenges in the MSME sector.
- The outcomes will highlight the opportunities and challenges for women in MSME sector and the report would provide ways to increase the participation of women entrepreneurs in India’s MSME sector.
Assessment of Financial Literacy Centres
- Financial Literacy Centres (FLCs) are an important tool to push the agenda of financial inclusion forward by providing information and literacy on various financial services and products. With the fast growth of digital payment infrastructure in India, it is required to assess the performance of the FLCs.
- Through this project Poonawalla Fincorp aims to survey the FLCs of Sikkim and Haryana to understand the current status of the FLC, review and monitor mechanism of the FLC activities to understand the reasons behind poor state of financial literacy in Sikkim and Haryana.
- Based on the survey, the strengths, and weaknesses of the FLCs would be highlighted and recommendations will be made to improve the overall effectiveness of the FLCs of Sikkim and Haryana through improved digital financial literacy.
Awareness campaign and promotion of social and behavioural change on Lead Poisoning
- Lead poisoning has become a major global concern. Children and pregnant women are more susceptible to the harmful effects of lead exposure. Common sources of lead exposure in India include paints, spices, recycled lead batteries, toys etc. A UNICEF study has found that nearly 275 million Indian children could have Blood Lead Levels (BLLs) beyond the permissible limit of 5 μg/dL. Lead exposure can affect the development of a child’s brain, resulting in a low intelligence quotient. It can also result in neurological and behavioural changes cardiovascular, renal diseases in adults, cause anaemia, hypertension, renal impairment, seizures, immunotoxicity and reproductive organ toxicity.
- According to Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation data, average Blood Lead Levels in Bihar are 10.42 μg/dL (over twice the WHO threshold for lead contamination i.e., 5) and over 8.15 μg/dL in Jharkhand, and hence, a need to launch a large-scale awareness campaign in Bihar and Jharkhand to fight the challenge of Lead toxicity.
- Through this project Poonawalla Fincorp aims to increase knowledge among target populations of Bihar and Jharkhand about the sources, health effects and effective strategies for reducing lead exposure and to promote social and behavioural change on the issue of lead toxicity in Bihar and Jharkhand by working in close association with local organizations of these states working in health sector.
- This awareness campaign would help in increased awareness and behavioural change to reduce Lead toxicity in the State of Bihar and Jharkhand.
