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Tag: NGO

  • Empowering Women Entrepreneurs: Business Loan Options for Women

    Empowering Women Entrepreneurs: Business Loan Options for Women

    Women Entrepreneurs have made a vital impact on the economy and innovation, as women entrepreneurs continue to grow increasingly in the business world. Among the challenges they are most faced with is that of access to capital. Notably, financial institutions and schemes by the government of India have shown support to empower women by offering loan options to women businessmen. This paper focuses on different types of business loans for women entrepreneurs with their features, benefits, and eligibility criteria.

    Understanding Business Loans for Women

    Specific women’s business loans are specialised financial aids provided to female entrepreneurs who wish to start or scale their business ventures. Women’s business loans can be availed for the purchase of equipment, recruitment of staff or managing operational costs. The increasing emergence of women business loans testify towards the fact that women have become a crucial part of the economy.

    Types of Business Loans Available

    Below are some of the types of business loans available for women entrepreneurs:

    Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana: This scheme offers three types of loans namely Shishu, Kishor, and Tarun, catering to different stages of business development. Women can borrow up to Rs 10 lakh under this scheme with minimal eligibility requirements and competitive interest rates.  
    Stand-Up India Scheme: Aimed at promoting entrepreneurship among women and SC/ST communities, this scheme provides loans between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 crore for starting new businesses.  
    Union Nari Shakti Scheme: This scheme provides term loans for women entrepreneurs to buy or renovate business premises.

    Features and Benefits

    Business loans for women come with several advantages:

    ●    Affordable Interest Rates: Most lenders offer concessional interest rates specifically to women entrepreneurs, thereby making borrowing more affordable.  
    ●    Collateral-Free Options: Several schemes do not require collateral thereby reducing risk for the borrowers.  
    ●    Quick Processing: Most lenders promise fast processing wherein the applicant woman could get funds quickly, sometimes within 48 hours.  
    ●    Flexibility in Repayment Terms: Borrowers often have the option to choose repayment terms that suit their cash flow needs.

    Eligibility Criteria

    Even though every lender can have its own set of eligibility criteria, some of the general ones include:

    ●    The business should be operating for a minimum period, which is usually six months.  
    ●    The applicant’s credit score must be good (usually 750 or above).  
    ●    The business must show a minimum level of turnover (for example, ₹90,000 in the past three months).  
    ●    Some businesses will not be eligible, such as NGOs or charitable organisations.

    Application Procedure

    When women apply for business loan, they generally need to follow the following steps:

    ●    Research: Compare different loan options based on interest rates, repayment terms, and other eligibility criteria.  
    ●    Prepare Documentation: Gather necessary documents such as proof of identity, business registration details, financial statements, and tax returns.  
    ●    Apply: Apply online or visit the lender’s branch to submit your application along with the required documents.  
    ●    Await Approval: Once the application has been submitted, the lenders will check on the same before advancing the loan after seeking the necessary details.

    Problems that the Female Entrepreneur Faces

    Even though these financial options exist, most women entrepreneurs encounter problems like:

    ●    Lack of Knowledge: Many women do not know how many loan options are available.  
    ●    Social Related Issues: Norms of society sometimes discourage females from venturing into entrepreneurship.  
    ●    Lack of Credit History: Many women do not have any credit history, meaning not easy to obtain loans.

    Conclusion

    Accessible business loans empowering women entrepreneurs play an imperative role in fostering economic growth and innovation. With hundreds of government schemes and monetary institutions offering customised loan products, women now have better chances than ever to make their entrepreneurial dreams a reality. Most importantly, by understanding the choices available, women can overcome challenges significantly in the economy while finding success in personal business ventures.  
     

  • Media Maniac’s launched charity drive for underprivileged kids

    Media Maniac’s launched charity drive for underprivileged kids

    Mumbai: Volunteering your time to assist a cause you care about is something you will never regret. It will improve your life, acquaint you with your neighbourhood, and link you to people and ideas that will favourably affect your viewpoint for the rest of your life. Helping your community allows you to grow as a person and better understand how you fit into the world around you.

    Media Maniacs Group organised a new year charity drive to help underprivileged kids with food, clothes, and stationary in association with the Dulari Devi Foundation. The drive aimed to aid the well-being of the children and provide essential support to those in need. The drive provided the children with food, clothing, and an opportunity to enjoy fun activities. The Media Maniacs group doubled the amount of total donation generated for the charity drive.

    Dulari Devi Foundation strives to become the vital link and reach out to those who need help and uplift them as a whole. The foundation aims to uplift education and contribute towards women welfare. The foundation believes the change in society begins with individual effort, and if your cause is good people will automatically connect. The foundation has been actively working for the upliftment of women and children for many years.  They believe every child has the right to education and every woman has the right to her individuality. Their purpose encompasses the development of the lifestyle of women and children of all sections and tirelessly strive to achieve that.

    Founder Dulari Devi Foundation – political analyst, national media panellist & motivational speaker Preeti Pandey said, “We are delighted with the generosity of Media Maniacs Group in supporting such a noble cause. The drive has helped us to support our children better and fulfil vital requirements. We believe with determination and hard work nothing is impossible,” said  

    Media Maniacs co-founder Surabhi Trivedi said, “This drive aimed to bring joy in the lives of orphaned children during festive season. Our effort was to provide care and bring a sense of togetherness in these children’s lives. While we may not be able to provide financial assistance, we can make a significant impact in their lives by organizing a charity drive. It’s our duty to help those in need, and this event is an excellent way to do so.”

  • realme celebrates Diwali with SOS Children’s Village of India

    realme celebrates Diwali with SOS Children’s Village of India

    Mumbai: Diwali is quickly approaching, and to commemorate the occasion, realme has announced its support for SOS Children’s Village of India.

    As part of the initiative, realme is making technology accessible for the children of SOS Children’s Village of India this Diwali under the NGO’s Basket of Care Solutions programme, with more than 45,000 children involved. The initiative reflects realme’s commitment to providing youth with high-quality technology experiences.

    The brand will aid the NGO’s efforts towards shelter and education of children in need and provide realme Techlife Air Purifiers, realme Pad Mini and realme Buds Wireless for a better and more immersive learning experience along with quality indoor air.

    Speaking of this noble cause, realme presiden, realme India vice president and realme International Business Group president Madhav Sheth said, “realme has always believed in contributing to society and I am elated that we could celebrate Diwali in a meaningful way and further our efforts towards the greater good of society. Our endeavour is to improve lives, and we believe that technology can play a meaningful role in enabling this. We are excited about partnering with SOS Children’s Village of India and providing them with the tools necessary to empower their lives—be it by providing them with better air quality or digitally enhancing their learning experiences.”

  • Concern India aims to curb vaccine hesitancy with a new social campaign

    Concern India aims to curb vaccine hesitancy with a new social campaign

    Mumbai: Even as India rushes to reach its goal of vaccinating 100 per cent of the eligible population, many are still hesitant to take the jab against Covid-19. Keeping this in mind, Concern India Foundation, a non-profit organisation has launched a social campaign in areas of Bangalore with high vaccine hesitancy. With the help of community leaders, the foundation has created a unique audio appeal called the Divine Voice.  

    “The temples and mosques in India have speakers. These speakers usually broadcast prayers and holy messages. Concern India weaved vaccination messages into these prayers. These messages were then broadcast live through these speakers by the community leaders themselves,” said the statement.

    “Though vaccines were available, there was a poor turnout in the vaccination camps. Our discussion with Ogilvy led to launching the campaign,” commented Concern India deputy director Pampa Chowdhury. “Initially we were apprehensive whether it would work. But with immense cooperation from all the stakeholders, the campaign worked. People showed up in numbers, creating a model that can be used as an awareness tool.” 

    According to Chowdhury, “Earlier only about 30 or so people would turn up for vaccination. But after the campaign, more than 200 people were vaccinated per day, and more were in waiting.” 

    Encouraged by the positive response to the campaign, Concern India Foundation is looking to expand its Bangalore model to more areas. “We will continue with the vaccination drives using this model…religious influences can be a catalyst of social change,” Chowdhury further said.

    Attachments area

  • B4U Network Employee’s pack & share 30000meals with under privileged children

    B4U Network Employee’s pack & share 30000meals with under privileged children

    MUMBAI: On the occasion of completing over 18 years,B4U Network pledged 30,000 meals throughits partner NGO Rise Against Hunger India (RAHI)where they joined forces in the fight against hunger on 14th December, 2018. Over 150 employees of B4U gathered together to pack 30,000 nutritious meals in 5000 meal packets for the impoverished & undernourished children.

    B4U’s flagship music channel B4U Music pegged the theme for this year’s event “Music is food for the soul”hence the thought of nourishing 30000 underprivileged children by pledging nutritious meals as the networks Corporate Social Responsibility initiative. These food packs would be further distributed to 3 NGO’s; AIDS Combat International, Rotary Club Worlifor a school they have adopted in Karjat,Friendship Centre India – Home for Orphan and single parent children.

    The CSR activity resulted in a team bonding atmosphere and camaraderie among the team. Here the entire set-up resembled Henry Ford’s Assembly line functioning where the participants were divided into 10 teams which had a similar set-up of Dal, Rice, Dry vegetables and vitamin sachet in a single pack. Besides the 10 teams which were into packing the khichadi meals there were teams which delivered food to the tables as re-fills, a team which took the packed boxes to the truck and the team which helped in giving instructions.

    Along with a sense of fulfilment & gratitude for a social cause the employees also felt a sense of ownership, co-operation and camaraderie with their fellow colleagues. The event further extended into a rewards and recognition felicitation followed by a DJ party where the team let their hair down.

  • Excitement Tenfold as Nickelodeon India Brings a Week of fun to celebrate children’s day

    Excitement Tenfold as Nickelodeon India Brings a Week of fun to celebrate children’s day

    MUMBAI: The memories that we make as children always set path for the adult in us.  Nickelodeon, India’s leading kids’ entertainment franchise by Viacom18 is all set to host a week long carnival to celebrate Children’s Day with interactive activities and games. The week long activities will see the channel entertain the little munchkins and remind us, never to forget the child within.

    Nickelodeon will kick start the activities with a makeover of the entire channel with Children’s week bugs, Astons, Bumpers and Idents. The excitement increased with the premier of Gattu Battu’s first TV movie and a majestic short movie based on Lord Shiva. An additional treat will be the daily blocks of Motu and Patlu, giving children a chance to discuss on social media by running a contest of which movie of their most loved character Motu Patlu will be played on children’s day. That is not all, kids will also be treated to a splendid surprise with the new children week special – Slime Jump Game! The game brought upon laughter and moments to always remember as the kids selected their favourite toon to get slimed upon.

    If that is all happening on-air, Nickelodeon isn’t far behind in engaging with kids from schools and NGO’s on this special day. The channel has always encouraged its viewers to have fun while bringing out the child within you. Nicktoons like Shiva, Rudra and Dora engaged with kids of Podar International School and Angel Express, NGO for interactive activities and games.

  • Discovery to premiere ‘Kerala Floods – The Human Story’, a documentary celebrating Kerala’s Spirit of Survival

    Discovery to premiere ‘Kerala Floods – The Human Story’, a documentary celebrating Kerala’s Spirit of Survival

    MUMBAI: The one-hour special documentary Kerala Floods – The Human Story on Discovery Channel is a poignant take on the indomitable spirit of Kerala who instead of losing hope, are steadily working towards rebuilding their beloved state. The documentary is a celebration of the spirit of survival in the face of disaster; viewers will get to witness incredible stories of people coming together to help those in need – from fishermen turned rescue operators to the defence forces who provided aid, from actors who worked alongside NGO workers to get supplies to those in need to young entrepreneurs who devised ways to connect people at a time when the apocalyptic rain fury just refused to die. The documentary also features the story of Sajitha Jabil who was just three days away from her due date, her labour pains had intensified, and water levels were still rising. She was airlifted in one of the most dramatic rescues of Indian Navy’s Operation Madad. By the afternoon, baby Subhan was in her arms unaware of the many storms his mother braved to bring him into this world. This one-hour special documentary will be broadcast on Monday, November 12, 2018 at 9 PM, only on Discovery Channel.

    It all began on Independence Day this year, when Kerala started experiencing an extremely heavy downpour. Little did the inhabitants of the state know that soon they were going to witness the worst deluge Kerala had seen in almost a century. In over eleven straight days of intense rainfall nearly 25 trillion litres of water fell on Kerala—a state with one of the highest density of population, 44 rivers and 61 dams. Water is a lifeline, defining not just Kerala’s geography but its history and economics as well. The watery abundance gives it life and sustenance.  The biggest flood in almost a century devastated most of the state. God’s own country will need to rebuild 218 bridges, nearly 35,000 kilometres of local roads, an estimated 174,000 houses. Agriculture crops in over 46,000 hectares was destroyed. The loss because of the floods has been estimated at INR 40,000 crores.

    Highlighting the importance of this documentary, Zulfia Waris, Vice-President & Head, Premium & Digital Networks, Discovery Communications India, said, “What Kerala witnessed this year is a disaster of unimaginable magnitude. But like any news cycle, there’s always something else that takes precedence and yesterday’s headlines lay forgotten. The idea of presenting the documentary, 'Kerala Floods – The Human Story', is to draw attention to the hundreds of people who are working tirelessly to rebuild Kerala. Through stories about surprising strength of character in times of disaster and hope in the face of abject loss, ‘Kerala Floods’ aims to tell the story of a Kerala that refuses to be defined by devastation. Everyone saw the destruction of Kerala, it is now time they get to see the efforts that are being made to rebuild it, one brick at a time.”

    Kerala Floods, which will be showcased on Discovery Channel on Monday 12th November 2018 at 9:00 pm will take viewers through inspiring stories of people of Kerala who refuse to lose hope and are working tirelessly to piece back everything that was lost.

  • Sony Yay! associates with ‘Animals Matter To Me’ to make this Diwali ‘Pawesome’

    Sony Yay! associates with ‘Animals Matter To Me’ to make this Diwali ‘Pawesome’

    MUMBAI: Animals play an integral role in our lives, always showering us with love no matter what. However, in return we humans rarely reciprocate their love. It is imperative today that children understand that animals too have feelings and need to be loved and cared for, the same way they do to us. This Diwali, in order to light up the lives of our furry friends, Sony Yay! has partnered with Animals Matter To Me – an NGO and rescue foundation in Mumbai, to encourage children in India to love and care for animals.

    With this initiative, Sony YAY! has taken it upon itself to re-ignite the eternal bond of love and friendship that naturally exists between animals and humans. With the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, we rarely find time to play with our furry friends. To make this Diwali a memorable and ‘pawesome’ one Guru and Bhole from Sony Yay! along with children, will visit the Animals Matter To Me center in Mumbai to spread some cheer and share some love and affection to the animals there. Through this the channel and the NGO aim to spread awareness about caring for animals, this Diwali, on their digital platforms. Both will extensively promote different ways to protect animals from cruelty, the effects of our actions on them, the concerns pertaining to their wellness as well as interesting trivia. A special helpline number, exclusively created for Diwali, will also be shared and promoted for people to be able to report any cruelty.

    Through this initiative, Sony Yay! aims at creating new and responsible standards for festive celebrations, while setting an example to all their little fans to celebrate a happy and safe Diwali with everyone.

    SPN kids genre business head Leena Lele Dutta said: “We believe a partnership of this kind is truly unique as it gives us an opportunity to positively influence and impact the lives of our audiences. Being an animal lover, a campaign like this has always been in mind. And now with a platform like Sony Yay!, reaching out to thousands of kids is possible. As a channel, we aim to lead by example and spread awareness to our children that love, happiness and joy should be extended to our four-legged friends as well. There couldn’t have been a more appropriate time than Diwali to kick start this association, as it is during this time of the year that animals suffer the most. We are delighted to have Animals Matter To Me as our partners, as they are truly dedicated to this worthy cause.”

    Animals matter to me founder Ganesh Nayak said: “Animals M​atter T​o M​e, Mumbai is an NGO working for the welfare of strays animals & abandoned pets. All species are accepted for emergencies and care. AMTM caters to all forms of speechless forms be it an animal, bird or a reptile. Let’s light up lives of less-​fortunate stray animals, abandoned pets and​ ​the homeless​ on ​streets with sweets and lights instead of polluting the environment and the lives around us. Let’s go for a cracker-​free Diwali!”

  • Impact Guru offers free limited fundraising for NGOs

    MUMBAI: Crowdfunding platform ImpactGuru.com is celebrating its third anniversary with the Impact Month Challenge for NGOs. This campaign will help the nonprofit community by offering their platform and services without applying their fees, thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor who has agreed to cover the costs.

    Impact Guru has already began enrolling for the challenge and estimates a participation of over 200 NGOs. Among those already registered are Teach For India, CRY, Oxfam, Salaam Balak, Care India, Beti Foundation, Hope Foundation, Global Vision and many others.

    As per this first-of-its-kind challenge, all fees (platform fee, transaction fee + taxes) will be waived for all Indian NGOs that raise a minimum of Rs.50,000 in the given period from 20 unique donors on their platform.

    However, the benefits for NGOs that take up this challenge go far beyond free fundraising. The crowdfunding platform is offering all its value added services like a dedicated relationship manager for every NGO, free webinar sessions to help guide NGOs about effective crowdfunding, guiding them through a quick due diligence process to start receiving international funds, and free use of its mobile-friendly crowdfunding platform.

    Moreover, Impact Guru’s strategic partnership with the non-profit global crowdfunding platform, GlobalGiving, allows NGOs to attract more funds from US/UK donors by offering local tax benefits on their donations.

  • Govt reiterates inability to permit private radio news

    NEW DELHI: Reiterating its long-held stand that it was difficult to monitor news bulletins on FM and community radio channels, the Centre has expressed that permitting privately produced news bulletins could endanger “national security and public order”.

    The Government has already announced that Community Radio Stations and private FM in Phase III can air bulletins of All-India Radio without any payment.

    The government in an affidavit in the Supreme Court said it could not permit news content on FM as it might be misused by anti-national elements in the country and outside to propagate their agenda and radical views, posing a grave danger to the country.

    Answering the Court’s query in this regard, the Government said there was no mechanism in place to monitor content of live broadcast of all radio stations and law and order problems may arise if they transmit sensitive news.

    It also said several community radio stations were run by NGOs and could be used as platforms to manipulate the minds of local people.

    “Broadcasting of news by these stations/channels may pose a possible security risk as there is no mechanism to monitor the contents of news bulletin of every such station. As these stations and channels are run mainly by NGO or other small organisation and private operators, several anti-national or radical elements within the country can misuse it for propagating their own agenda,” it said.

    The government added that some radio stations also air programmes involving chats with NRIs and these may be exploited too.

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