Category: Blog

Flexible Funding Is Our Future, And Our Friend

Discover how our Futures For Youth programme is getting support where it’s needed faster

The phrase, ‘flexible funding’ certainly makes sirens sound in the charity sector. Essentially meaning a donation is made without a requirement to spend it on a specific project area, it can seem that these funds are a get out of jail free card for charities who want or need to spend money on areas that don’t directly impact activities and change lives. Although there isn’t quite enough space to write a book about it here, there are many reasons why flexible funding shouldn’t be judged by its cover.

Charities, and the sectors surrounding them, have histories with colonialist ways of fundraising. Deciding what programme participants need based on what our societies have told us to believe instead of asking them, or letting those we work with be seen as dependent or without freedom are both habits fixed funds can encourage – removing opportunities for future-focussed change. Choice ensures these opportunities stay open. With more flexibility than ever before, Futures for Youth leaves space for choice and allows us to support work how and where it should be, as quickly as possible.

Flexible fundraising allows us to

  • immediately, and authentically, integrate into the communities we work in.
  • involve the next generation – the right way.
  • making sure we know how, when and where to spend money on overheads.

So, we know that flexible funding means donations can be spent where they can have the greatest impact, but what does this mean in practice?

    1. Flexible fundraising lows us to immediately, and authentically, integrate into the communities we work in.

Our main priority will always be providing the best programming possible, but through a modern and decolonising lens, this looks different. It looks like investing money into safeguarding, consulting local experts, and creating safe spaces alongside community members with their input. In the coinciding ages of the pandemic and climate crisis, bespoke programming is key. We need funding that can be moved easily enough to create such environments, not funding constrained by conditions created in an entirely different, often biased context, which doesn’t meet the needs of local people.

    1. It means we can involve the next generation – the right way.

Each new generation has a new set of social issues to contend with, so we shouldn’t be using techniques from the last one to deal with them. Whether this be equipping youth with toolkits to combat evolving problems like online misogyny or using our platform to get their ideas to legislators, for equality to be achieved, we need to not only work with younger generations, but also work with them on their terms. Restricted funding cannot give this group a space where these conditions are listened to and acted on.

    1. Making sure we know how, when and where to spend money on overheads.

When done correctly, overheads can be the key to a door otherwise locked – take fundraising and marketing for instance. Often thought of as expenses which sacrifice revenue in favour of vanity, taking the time to better understand and cater to audiences means we can evolve and expand. The intersectional and anti-racist values we promote are unfortunately still outside of societal norms, but with smart investment in fundraising and marketing, little by little, this will change.

This is neither a book nor a cover, but we thought a summary would still be appropriate.… Flexible funding is our future, and our friend.

Whose story is it anyway? Our new commitment to encourage self-expression among young people

The stories we tell define how other people see us and give them an insight into how we perceive the world. What if this power was taken from us precisely because these perceptions do not reflect what others are used to?

The global charity sector has a history of doing exactly this, us included. By filtering what programme participants have said and choosing to share only what we thought audiences would want to hear, we undermined their autonomy and contributed to colonialist and otherwise unhelpful ways of thinking. Now, to encourage a move away from these practices, Futures for Youth is making a commitment to participative, first-person storytelling, straight from the mouths of the young people participating in our projects.

    As a method of communicating which prioritises the exchanging of rich human knowledge and experience over bland and generic information, participative storytelling communicates what personally matters to project participants – in their own unique way.

For our programme participants who are confident and wish to convey their truth independently, there will be minimal restrictions regarding setting, style, or method, with advice or support available if they need it. That said, the purpose of participative storytelling is to welcome and facilitate everybody who wants to join, so our teams will also support anybody who wants more support throughout the process. From discussing what their participation will mean in context to what it will look like in practice, it will be unique from the get-go. After all, who can tell your story better than you?

If you are a long-time friend of Plan’s, you may be wondering where this commitment is coming from, and what it means for you. The launch of Futures for Youth aside, we’ve noticed the media disempowers young people more and more with each passing day. From labelling them as work-shy and over-sensitive, to expecting they single-handedly solve the world’s problems by virtue of their age, everything is contradictory, and few things are fair. Try as we might to create campaigns which counter this messaging, none of them could ever have as much authenticity as those created through participative storytelling.

Participative storytelling quite literally allows young people to take back the narrative. By trusting programme participants to live, learn, and to discuss their realities in a way which feels natural to them, they won’t be scared anymore. When their friend, who may not have heard of Plan International before, sees this courage, they’ll feel it too. When a group forms, this feeling will be too large to ignore – and those who didn’t believe in them at first will have to learn too.

This is the power of participative storytelling, and this is the power you’re helping to drive forward by supporting Futures for Youth. After all, nobody can resist a good story and we think it’s time that all stories had their time to shine, no matter who is telling them or where they are being told from.

Feminism in this day and age? Not nearly as shocking as sexism

It’s been over half a decade since the #MeToo movement began making waves and three years since flexible working simplified keeping a career postpartum. So why are we still campaigning for gender equality?

Simply put, in spite of appearances, there has been little change.

Online movements denouncing the, often sexual, abuse of women and girls have become driving forces in the fight to be heard but, as our own #CrimeNotAComplement initiative demonstrates, being heard does not necessarily equate to being listened to.

    Being unable to act without suffering is something women around the world are all too familiar with, no matter how they conform to patriarchy.

Statistics released by Charlie Health show the opposite, with the majority of victims having previously met their aggressor, and these aggressors being substantially unlikely to face any legal repercussions. For the less than ten percent of aggressors which do face legal repercussions, the survivors they leave in their wakes report dismissal, purposely avoiding public spaces, and self-blame. As documented as this reality is, glancing at certain headlines would have you easily convinced of the opposite-an alleged ‘woke world gone mad’ where men are terrified to do so much as move.

Take the workplace for example: recent investigations published in the Harvard Business Review detail presumptions of “too much family responsibility and impending menopause” towards any woman of middle-age, whilst Laura Bates ‘Everyday Sexism’ recounts instances of career debutantes being denied career progression by reason of an ability to bare children in years to come. Judged on everything but personal merit, such discrimination seems insurmountable. Without a commitment to community-based change, it may well be.

Community-based change is indispensable in the fight against gender-based discrimination because everybody experiences sexism differently. For a programme participant in the USA, community-based change could resemble initiatives to combat the uptake in online misogyny; for a programme participant located in Guinea, that same change could take the form of supporting continued education.

Although differing in many respects, all local issues present potentially life-altering consequences for those who experience them – reminding us that sexism is not a simple abstract descriptor, but collections of behaviour that undermine the safety and integrity of those they impact.

We’re talking about sexism precisely because many others aren’t – and we want to invite you to join the conversation.

Nurturing a Future – Feminine Leadership

In 2011, when I planned to change sectors and move from being a Senior HR Advisor managinga large team at a thriving and booming IT company, to be the Manager HR at a relatively lesser known non-profit organisation at New Delhi, my well-wishers and peers advised me against the move.

“You will stagnate in a dirty slum or remote village – carrying the quintessential “jhola” and wearing “hawai chappal” said a well- meaning friend trying to dissuade me. Another one deplored the fact that my salary will fall below the “poverty line” and move south in comparison to my juniors, who will soon overtake me in the corporate rat-race and earn big bucks and fancy titles. Despite the advice, I persevered, convinced of my conviction to be part of the social development space and serve the community in my own small way.

What egged me on, were my daily encounters with the street kids on the way to the office – the despair one saw in their eyes…of myriad dreams that remained unfulfilled…the hopelessness of their situations and knowing fully well that I may not be able to change anything while sitting in my plush office in a global corporate.

Fast forward to today – 2022 – As the Director of Human Resource, organizational development and operations for Plan India, I have the opportunity to be a part of the country management team, which sets the course for our deeply impactful programs that work at the grassroots across rural and urban communities, influence and change the lives of millions of young children especially girls in the most marginalized communities across India. The road was not smooth, in fact, it was riddled with potholes and speed breakers – challenges included raising funding, getting the best talent, and acquiring technology among others. The key motivation was the cause our organisation Plan India worked for – vulnerable children and young girls, and that helped me soldier on the chosen path and the fact that I could see my contributions were able to bring cheer and smiles to young lives.

“I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT IF YOU’RE IN A POSITION OF POWER, PRIVILEGE AND INFLUENCE, YOU CAN OPEN DOORS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY LEFT BEHIND, IN FACT YOU HAVE A MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TO DO THAT…”

 

Even in this day and age, the underprivileged still need men in power or more advantaged women, to vouch for their legitimacy to be at the table and not be dismissed or ignored just for being of a particular gender or lower caste, community or just being poor.

The times are changing rapidly and this is one urgent norm that needs to change soon. We need to shift the paradigm and create a more egalitarian society, where one can find a place at the table and rise to leadership rank purely based on merit and performance. To be able to access good education, health care and nutrition, live safely and develop one’s agency to take decisions of life and build a better future.

Plan India (India Chapter) has been championing this cause for past many years now. Our long-running advocacy on “Because I am a Girl” have set the tone and campaign on “Girls Get Equal” have brought many like-minded institutions, embassies, government organizations and corporate citizens together to power the popular Girls Takeovers on the occasion of “International Day of the Girl” celebrated on October 11th each year.

While the takeovers seem to be symbolic, of young girls entering public spaces and taking on positions of power associated with leadership for a day, like for instance – District magistrates, Chief Minister’s office, CEO’s of Corporates or Ambassadors of different countries – they shatter many barriers are social or psycho-social that prevent the girls from visualizing their roles outside those of a home-maker in their family or a mother and a wife. We now regularly hear stories of young women, who have after this experience, gone on to build a stronger future, they convinced their families to let them hold jobs or be entrepreneurs or build community self-help groups of like-minded youth and really thrive. They are the real change makers, who are the beacons and models for others around them, to see the change and be emulated.

“WHAT ONE NEEDS AS A LEADER IS OPTIMISM AND POWER TO DREAM OF A BETTER TOMORROW… TRUST IN SELF AND IN ONE’S TEAM CAN BRING OUT THEIR VERY BEST”

 

Today Anjali a young changemaker took over my role for a day.  It’s self-actualizing to see things coming full circle for me – contributing to the growth of girls as youth leaders, who are seizing opportunities to shape the conversations, as they should be and bring about a transformative change in the society we live in.

It is well-known that social empowerment is a slow and gradual process of change, but one that is slowly gaining ground and spreading beyond to influence others through the power of social media. Our girls are becoming champions of change – budding leaders who are confident and ready to take on the world.

Building hope and resilience in times of COVID

Bishnupur and its life in COVID-19 

If you google “Bishnupur village” you would find many villages across India with this name, but today I will be taking you on a journey to Bishunpur village in Saran district of Bihar. Plan India has been working with the village community for more than 12 years, and after the COVID pandemic many families in the village are constantly seeking awareness, guidance and support to tide over the challenge. Due to the COVID restrictions in the state, this beautiful village hardly had any person walking its dusty roads when Satyendra and Deepak, Plan India’s frontline workers reach this village to spread awareness on COVID appropriate behaviour and extend food aid for the COVID affected poor and vulnerable families.

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Satyandra, Programme Unit Coordinator

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Deepak, Plan India’s frontline worker

Plan India’s first-hand pandemic experience 

As they reach the distribution site, it was already noon and extensively humid. Covered with face shield, masks and gloves, they somehow manage to wipe the sweat from their forehead. They are taking extra precaution as 55 villagers have been infected with COVID, while some have recovered there are still few active cases. For the past few days, they have been visiting villages and distributing nutritional dry food kit which contains a sizeable quantity of rice, wheat, pulses, cooking oil as well as protein powder among others.

Given the unprecedented surge in COVID cases and its adverse impact on the poorest of the poor families, Plan India, as part of its humanitarian mandate, immediately set up an aid drive wherein 100,000 COVID infected and affected families will be provided food and nutrition baskets. The reach of this project covers Plan India’s programme areas in 30 districts spread across 8 States.

When Plan India met Rachna – a Bishnupur resident mother!

As Satyendra and Deepak patiently wait, 35 year-old Rachna rustles in with her 11 year-old daughter Pooja Kumari. A smile lits on her face when she is handed over the nutritional food basket by the Plan India team, comprising of dry rations for a family of five members to last some 30 days. Pooja who had her ludo board game clutched in her hands drops it and tries to pry into the box.  While gently chiding her, Rachna shares that since schools have been shut down, “it is becoming difficult to keep the children occupied. So much of energy and no outlet to be spent.”

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Rachna and Pooja Kumari

Rachna was diagnosed as COVID positive three weeks back. Few days ago she did an antigen test, and it came out negative. She gives credit to the measures that she and her family undertook– maintaining isolation, taking medicines including homemade ones and praying to their deity.

“It was really tough but I was able to isolate myself from my family members. I suffered mild symptoms of fever and cold,” remembers Rachna. “More than the discomfort from COVID, we were surprised to be see how our neighbours shunned us. Even today when my reports have come out negative, they are avoiding us. Even if they visit us, they avoid drinking or eating our food. There is a new discrimination that we are seeing,” rues Rachna. While the adults were in conversation, Pooja comments “My friends did not want to play with me.” Upon being asked the reasons – she responds solemnly, “Maa had COVID.”

Is COVID-19 stigma and vaccine hesitancy real? 

COVID stigmatisation and vaccine hesitancy is a common prevalence seen across the country. Plan India is tackling this issue through advocacy while also encouraging people to get vaccinated and adopt COVID appropriate behaviour as part of their daily life. “Continuous efforts are required since misinformation from the local news agencies and social media is deeply entrenched,” shared Satyendra.

Hope – the key to survival

When Rachna opens the dry ration kit, the smile is back on her face. She tallies the item as it not only means easy availability of food but also a saving of INR 3000-3500 from her household expenses. A respite as her husband – a daily wage earner, has been unable to get regular work for the past few months.

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Rachna and Pooja Kumari

Satyendra, Plan India team leader responsible for coordinating the humanitarian and development work in the district, goes on to explain that due to COVID there has been a tremendous loss of livelihoods impacting adversely the income of the villagers who are largely daily wage earners. This problem is further compounded as they face competition from the labourers who have returned to their village from cities such as Delhi, Mumbai and Gujarat. With no jobs around and dwindling incomes, most of these families are surviving by borrowing money often from the local money lender at 5% interest rate which is much higher than normal times. However, a sense of optimism and hope still prevails for better times once the COVID situation is normalised.

#HelpIndiaHeal can and is making a difference

Under the #Helpindiaheal project, as on 1st June 2021, Plan India has reached out to 18,695 people with Nutritional Food Kit, facilitated the vaccine registration of 63,440 people onto the Government app and portal, and supported 18,054 people to get their first jab and 4,691 their second. It has also directly sensitised 1,73,863 on COVID appropriate behaviour and vaccination.

Written By

Pinky Pradhan, Director – Communications and Strategic Partnerships