Support System
KALPANA SANKAR [ 48]
Chief Operating Officer and Managing trustee, Hand in Hand, Tamil Nadu Sankar joined Hand in Hand in 2004 after working in several government organisations. Begun with the aim of eliminating child labour in India, this NGO has come up with an integrated strategy to address the challenges of poverty and underdevelopment. It aims at making disadvantaged groups selfreliant by alleviating poverty through a sustained model.
NGO’S should help freshers learn the importance of working in tandem with government organisations”
FIRST MOVE Under Sankar’s leadership, the organisation went through a revamp with her bringing together a variety of individuals all of whom were committed towards working for the underprivileged.
STEPPING STONE The mission is now active in 17 districts in Tamil Nadu, six districts in Madhya Pradesh, three districts in Karnataka, three districts in Maharashtra, two in Orissa and in the Union Territory of Pondicherry.
CAPACITY BUILDING The organisations’ focus is to provide work skills to individuals or help them set up a business which can earn a sustained livelihood. They recent project, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan has saved 400 children from bonded labour. These children were later sent to school and given a chance to lead a normal life.
SUSTAINABLE MISSION Hand in Hand is also working on a special project in Tamil Nadu that will impact 19 districts. Their mission involves collecting waste from two lakh households which will later be converted into bio- gas for electricity.
PILLARS OF STRENGTH “The government has always supported our initiatives,” Sankar said, “We have always believed in working in tandem with the government.” Therefore, fund allocation and resources is an issue that is settled through facilitated ground work.
VISION 2013 Their mission is to create employment for 1.3 million by the year 2013. More information available at
Career wise “In the social sector, a candidates’ intelligence and willingness to work for the underprivileged is given more importance than academic qualifications,” Sankar says.
Next move Hand in Hand has a series of projects in Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. The organisation now aims to actively work in Southeast Asian countries and gradually expand their reach across the globe.