The linkages between economic growth and social development have assumed critical importance as the Indian economy opens up to international markets. The role of grassroots institutions and non-governmental organisations has become ever more important for ensuring the delivery of social justice. Providing a platform to high-calibre, small to mid-sized NGOs, thereby bolstering their efforts at the grassroots level, is EdelGive Foundation, the philanthropic initiative of the Edelweiss Group. EdelGive works towards strengthening and developing the development sector ecosystem by engaging/working with organisations that focus on providing quality education, promoting social and economic empowerment of women, and building resilient livelihoods for communities. The interventions these NGOs develop are targeted, community-driven, high impact and sustainable given their unique work at the grassroots level.

At the helm of affairs is Naghma Mulla, the CEO of EdelGive. A Chartered Accountant by qualification, Naghma is a social warrior at heart. Spurred on by the unfairness of structural systems that enable inequity, she has been leading EdelGive towards building a strong and resilient development sector ecosystem in India. The ability of thinking from a lens of problem solving and systems change, and witnessing the lasting impact that comes from bringing stakeholders together, have been the motivating factors behind her successful stint with EdelGive.

In an in-depth conversation with the Women Entrepreneur team, Naghma narrates to us her journey towards creating social impact.

Take us through your journey as a leader in the social/philanthropic sector, given that this sector is still at a very nascent stage in India.

I began my journey working closely with small to medium-sized NGOs situated across the length and breadth of India. My understanding and learnings, about and for social causes, have developed from the grassroots, where I continue to work towards affecting change today.

I joined EdelGive and began the process of understanding the social sector from grassroots up. Over the course of my nine years with EdelGive I have been involved in working with grassroots organisations, understanding their needs, and what they require to grow and be more effective. The more I learnt, the more I understood how inseparable social norms are from the opportunities afforded to people that exist within that very same society. This has helped us convey grassroots requirements to our funding partners, i.e. domestic and international philanthropies, HNIs etc., and helped ensure an efficient/effective system, where timely and adequate support is provided to the right communities and demographics.

Tell us about the various programmes and initiatives that you have spearheaded at edelgive foundation?

I believe in emphasizing collectivization of efforts and collaborative action i.e., the building and strengthening of philanthropic ecosystems instead of reliance on fragmented functioning in silos, or focusing on individual trajectories.

In this regard, EdelGive has built three successful collaboratives - the Collaborators for Transforming Education (in partnership with the Government of Maharashtra, India), the Coalition for Women's Empowerment (in partnership with Ford Foundation and Chintu Gudiya Foundation), and our latest venture, the GROW Fund, supported by partners like BMGF, Rohini Nilekani and Amit Chandra, to name a few. Further, being a member of the Core Committee of the India Climate Collaborative (ICC) ­ a collaboration of India's leading philanthropies committed to addressing the climate crisis in India; providing strategic guidance to the operationalisation of the Migrants Resilience Collaborative; playing an advisory role in the growth of One Future Collective, a feminist youth-led not-for-profit organisation, and also of Social Lens, a leading volunteering organisation, have been enriching experiences for me, and key focus areas of EdelGive's work during the past few years.

Take us through Edelgive's journey towards supporting institutions and organisations that work for societal growth? What have been some of the most significant milestones that you and the foundation have achieved over the years?

Since 2008, EdelGive Foundation has supported institutions and organisations that promote societal growth and innovation, by bringing the skills, resources, and talents of the for-profit world to the not-for-profit world. We function as a philanthropic asset management plat-form that links together various entities in the philanthropic ecosystem ­ connecting corporates, foundations and HNIs, to fund and build the capabilities of credible grassroots organisations all over the country. Over the years, we have worked towards charting a course for strategic philanthropy by partnering with some of the largest funder organisations across the world, through innovative partnership models such as collaborations and co-funding structures.

“Since its inception, edelgive foundation has supported over 150 ngos, being instrumental to their growth and continued effectiveness and wellbeing”

I joined EdelGive to witness the potential maturing of this model, from its core mission to its ultimate purpose of creating impact at scale. Subsequently, we saw merit in providing some amount of structure to our grants through a clear selection of portfolios and programmes, and the induction of a robust monitoring and evaluation system. The year 2016 was significant to us as we explored a more collaborative approach to philanthropy, understanding the need to come together to support societal change. As a result, we have been able to create partnerships towards much larger goals.

During my time with EdelGive, we have pledged nearly Rs.4 billion as commitments towards causes such as livelihoods, gender inclusivity, women's issues and education. Since its inception, EdelGive Foundation has supported over 150 NGOs, being instrumental to their growth and continued effectiveness and wellbeing.

As we move into a new decade of our operations, our focus will be on becoming a platform for philanthropy in India where we continue to find solutions (both financial and operational) for our NGO partners and their pro-grammes. We also envisage a larger role for ourselves as advisors, to help organisations efficiently structure their approach to philanthropy. Through our latest initiative ­ the GROW Fund ­ we are looking to fund 100 grassroots NGOs from across the country, together with a collective of stellar funding partners.

Given that our younger generation is very socially aware, what advice would you give to women who aspire to become leaders in social/philanthropic sector?

The social sector is a wonderfully complex, supremely satisfying and intellectually stimulating space to be in, especially at a time when the world has exploded into chaos. Given the backdrop of social inequity and more recently the pandemic, the need to think and solve for problems by putting our best minds together, is urgent. There are many opportunities that are deeply satisfying, and one can carve a very interesting place for oneself. It will require a mind that is pliant to adaptation, courage, and a deep intent to do good. Those who come into the social sector thinking it's easy to do, are highly mis-taken. One of my key-learning in this sector has been that presumptions are detrimental to good solutions. Keeping an open mind is very important.  Listening to alternative voices, even more so.

Naghma Mulla, CEO, Edelgive

Naghma is the CEO of EdelGive Foundation. She is also a member of the Board of Directors at the organization. Over the last nine years, she has enabled growth and scale for the organizations that EdelGive Foundation supports and has fostered strategic partnerships within the philanthropic network.