Philanthropy and corporate innovations can be a good mix: Rohini Nilekani

Dubai: Philanthropists and organizations need to work across multiple sectors to create an impact, says Rohini Nilekani, founder of Arghyam, which supports development of sustainable water and sanitation solutions across India.

“It is patently obvious to all of us that you cannot solve issues in silos,” said Nilekani. “If you’re interested in having impact at the scale of the problem, then you have to work with the state, markets, and society,” she added.

The pandemic revealed truths that could have major effects on the practice of philanthropy. Namely, it confirmed that private philanthropists have the unique ability to take risks and innovate during global crises; that civil society is the true first responder; and that digital technology has transformational part to play in overcoming current and future challenges.

Cause and effect

Badr Jafar, founding patron of the Centre for Strategic Philanthropy at Cambridge University, expressed similar sentiments, noting that the possible silver lining of the pandemic was the strategic partnerships formed, with over $20 billion in funding deployed from corporations, foundations, public charities, and individuals, all working together to address the pandemic. With a rise in philanthropic commitments from fast-growing emerging markets, there is a profound need to “push the momentum forward towards maximum and sustainable impact”.

Nandan Nilekani, co-founder of Indian tech giant Infosys, had this to share: “Some of the philosophies that underpin our work give people the opportunity to contribute to the local economy. Whether that be through access to education or to clean water, our main goal is to give as many people as possible access to a secure financial future.”

This is particularly important in the wake of the pandemic, which has undone many of the gains made over past years. Nandan highlighted technology’s ability to enable scale and speed, and to create a common platform to combat the diverse challenges our world faces.

While there are dangers from over-reliance on technology, Rohini said, “Good technologies will amplify good intent, and we have to use them.”

In 2015, Nandan and Rohini Nilekani co-founded the EkStep Foundation to address the lack of access to learning opportunities in India through an open digital infrastructure. With approximately 20 million children entering and exiting the education system in India each year, according to EkStep, the large scale of reach enabled by technology is vital to achieving impact.