Hand in Hand International

Hand in Hand International is a registered non-profit organisation based in London, UK.[1][2] It is part of the Hand in Hand network, whose shared vision is to fight poverty through job and business creation. Hand in Hand was founded by Percy Barnevik[3][4] and Dr Kalpana Sankar.[5][6]

Hand in Hand International
Founded1980
TypeNon-governmental organization
FocusJob and business creation, reducing poverty, economic and social empowerment, women
Location
Area served
India, Afghanistan, Kenya, Rwanda, Cambodia and Myanmar
Key people
Co-founders: Percy Barnevik and Dr Kalapana Sankar
Websitewww.hihinternational.org

Hand in Hand’s mission is to work for the economic and social empowerment of the poorest and most marginalized people by helping women beat the odds and succeed as entrepreneurs.[7][8] Since 2003, the Hand in Hand network has helped start and sustain 3 million businesses and generated 4.5 million jobs. [2][9][10] Hand in Hand works in the same field as BRAC, Opportunity International, CARE, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Aga Khan Foundation.

History

The story of Hand in Hand begin in the late 1980s with two Swedish teachers - Olle and Gunnel Blomqvist - visiting the district of Kancheepuram. Children traditionally constituted a cheap source of labour for the weaving industry in Kancheepuram, and parents who did not have permanent jobs would send their children to master weavers. Bringing such children out of labour was Hand in Hand's initial focus.

At the end of 1990 the Blomqvists came in contact with Percy Barnevik, who became a sponsor to the organization. Barnevik was interested in the teachers' work in India.

Hand in Hand India was founded in 2003 by Barnevik[11][12] and Dr Kalpana Sankar[13][14] in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.[15] The Hand in Hand network has operated programs in 10 countries across Asia (Afghanistan, India, Cambodia and Myanmar) and East Africa (Kenya and Rwanda).

Hand in Hand receives funding from a number of different sources including individuals, corporations, bi-lateral and multi-lateral institutions and trusts and foundations. Recent supporters include the FMO, Sida, Johnson & Johnson Corporate Citizenship Trust, Nationale Postcode Loterij and Voxtra (philanthropic foundation based in Oslo, Norway). Hand in Hand Afghanistan also received a US $1.16 million (€840 K) grant from the European Union.[16]

In 2007, Hand in Hand Afghanistan was set up with Seema Ghani as chair.[17] On 19 February 2014, Ghani gave an interview with the BBC about the economic challenges facing Afghanistan and how job creation will help solve many of the challenges.[18] She also gave an interview to Forbes magazine regarding the positive effect of micro-businesses on Afghanistan.[19]

Since 2011, Hand in Hand has organised an annual Social Enterprise Program (SEP).[20] The course showcases the role of social entrepreneurs in reducing poverty.

As of 2021, Hand in Hand International's board of trustees included Bruce Grant (Chair), Dr John Barrett, Dr Madhvi Chanrai, Carsten Jorgensen, Lars G Josefsson, Paola Uggla and Stephanie Whittier.[21]

In 2013, Hand in Hand launched the Enterprise Incubation Fund (EIF), through which philanthropists can provide loans to micro-entrepreneurs in Kenya.[22]

Hand in Hand network

The organizations within the Hand in Hand group actively support each other, although they are independent and each organization has its own governance and management structure as well as strategic plan. Each organization is represented by its CEO on the Hand in Hand Global Council. The Global Council coordinates policy and activities across the Hand in Hand network.

Today, the Hand in Hand network extends to:

The network has support and fundraising offices in London, Stockholm and New York.[32]

Job creation model

The Hand in Hand network uses a comprehensive business creation model, initially developed by Hand in Hand India,[33] to fight poverty.[34][35] There are four interlinked elements that deliver the Hand in Hand approach:

  • Social mobilization: Hand in Hand helps organize people, mostly women, into Self-Help Groups (SHGs), who meet weekly with their trainers to discuss social issues and activities. Together, they begin to save money, learn financial discipline and build up group savings funds for which they are jointly responsible.[36]
  • Business training: Once a group has demonstrated stability and financial responsibility, Hand in Hand provides business training in how to start, grow and sustain a small enterprise and become an entrepreneur.[37]
  • Credit access: Most groups hold joint savings in local savings accounts and learn how to manage these. Should financial resources be required beyond group members’ own savings, members are trained in credit management and offered small loans, either directly or through partners active in their area.
  • Market linkage support: Hand in Hand provides support in improving productivity and competitiveness, including advice on better packaging, pricing and branding; cheaper sourcing of supplies; quality control; reliable delivery; and more effective identification of and negotiation with buyers.

Awards

Hand in Hand International's work has won numerous awards, including:

  • National Fundraising Award[38]
  • Bond Outstanding Individual Award, Seema Ghani[39]
  • Charity Awards, International Aid and Development Category, honorable mention[40]

Hand in Hand International has also been recognized for its range of employee benefits, including work-from-home Fridays, extended parental leave and more.

Results

Globally, Hand in Hand has generated 3 million million businesses and 4.5 million jobs. An independent report published in 2012 confirmed that 97.4% of the jobs are sustainable.[28][41] Another report published in 2019 found that 80% of businesses were still operational a year after Hand in Hand programs concluded.[42]

To date, Hand in Hand Afghanistan has enabled 45,000 people to join groups as a first step to working their way out of poverty, and generated more than 42,000 jobs in rural, remote parts of the country.[19][28][43] Hand in Hand Eastern Africa has generated 400,000 jobs, and Hand in Hand India has generated 3.7 million jobs.[44] In most countries in which the network operates, Hand in Hand has achieved sizable reach with its Self-Help Groups in comparison to other established NGOs.[45]

References
  1. "Who we are". Hand in Hand International website. Retrieved 2013-07-30.
  2. "Hand in Hand India Progress". Hand in Hand International. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  3. "Percy N. Barnevik". Partnership For Change website. Retrieved 2013-07-30.
  4. "Maximum Impact". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2013-10-07.
  5. "Founders". Hand in Hand International website. Retrieved 2013-07-30.
  6. "Corporate Titan Percy Barnevik's $50 Million Bet On Poverty Reduction". Forbes.
  7. "Hand in Hand- Profile of CMF's Partner Organisation". Development Outlook. Retrieved 2013-10-07.
  8. Ngari, Pauline (2014-04-07). "Rebuilding Post-Genocide Rwanda 20 Years on - One Job at a Time". Huffington Post UK. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  9. "Results" (PDF). Hand in Hand International website. Retrieved 2013-07-30.
  10. "A New Global Partnership: Eradicate Poverty and Transform Economies Through Sustainable Development" (PDF). UN. Retrieved 2013-10-07.
  11. "Interview Percy Barnevik". Guardian website. Retrieved 2013-07-30.
  12. "Percy Barnevik Video". Partnering for Global Impact. Retrieved 2013-10-07.
  13. "The Tough World of Charity Work". HEC Alumni. Retrieved 2013-08-07.
  14. "Dr Kalpana Sankar, une femme d'exception". Le Monde. Retrieved 2013-10-07.
  15. "Hand In Hand creates 1.3 million jobs". One World South Asia website. Retrieved 2013-07-30.
  16. "Hand In Hand Afghanistan expanding with grant from EU". Retrieved 2015-02-17.
  17. "Hand in Hand Afghanistan". Hand in Hand Afghanistan website. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  18. "BBC interview with Seema Ghani". BBC. Retrieved 2014-02-19.
  19. "What Micro-businesses Can Do For Afghanistan". Retrieved 2015-02-16.
  20. "The Hand in Hand Social Entrepreneurships Programme". Endeva website. Retrieved 2013-07-30.
  21. "Board of Trustees". Hand in Hand International website. Retrieved 2013-07-30.
  22. "Social impact fund launched to directly benefit 100,000 Kenyan women micro-entrepreneurs". Angel News. Retrieved 2013-07-30.
  23. "Hand in Hand India website". Hand in Hand India website. Retrieved 2015-02-17.
  24. "Overview of Hand in Hand India". Global Giving. Retrieved 2013-10-07.
  25. "Hand in Hand Eastern Africa". Hand in Hand Eastern Africa. Retrieved 2015-02-17.
  26. "Hand in Hand Afghanistan". Hand in Hand International. Retrieved 2015-02-17.
  27. Young, Holly. "View from the top". The Guardian. Retrieved 2013-07-30.
  28. "Harnessing the Potential Economic Power of Women to Transform Afghanistan". Retrieved 2015-02-16.
  29. "Hand in Hand International". Non-Governmental Organisation. Hand in Hand International. Retrieved 2014-01-16.
  30. "Hand in Hand - Bekämpar fattigdom med entreprenörskap". Hand in Hand (in Swedish). Retrieved 2021-02-03.
  31. "Home". Hand In Hand. Retrieved 2021-02-03.
  32. "Hand in Hand Sweden". Hand in Hand Sweden website. Retrieved 2013-07-30.
  33. "Interview with Percy Barnevik" (PDF). European Venture Philanthropy Association. Retrieved 2013-10-07.
  34. Whitaker, Rosa. "Job creation to solve poverty". The World We Want Foundation website.
  35. Colvin, Geoff. "A CEO masters micro-credit". Fortune Magazine.
  36. "Savings Groups: What Are They?". SEEP Network. Retrieved 2013-10-07.
  37. "Tackling poverty by combining saving, training, and microcredit". 100 Million Ideas website. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  38. "Hand in Hand wins National Fundraising Award | Hand in Hand International". Hand in Hand International | Fight Poverty With Jobs. 2016-12-21. Retrieved 2021-02-03.
  39. Stackhouse, Laura (2016-12-07). "Seema Ghani, Hand in Hand". Bond. Retrieved 2021-02-03.
  40. "Hand in Hand shortlisted for Charity Awards | Hand in Hand International". Hand in Hand International | Fight Poverty With Jobs. 2017-05-19. Retrieved 2021-02-03.
  41. "Hand in Hand Group" (PDF). Retrieved 2015-02-16.
  42. "How long do members' jobs last in Kenya? | Hand in Hand International". Hand in Hand International | Fight Poverty With Jobs. 2019-07-05. Retrieved 2021-02-03.
  43. "Afghanistan – solving the unemployment crisis". Thomson Reuters Foundation. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  44. "Hand in Hand International". Retrieved 2015-02-16.
  45. "About the Savings-Led Financial Working Group". SEEP Network website. Retrieved 2013-07-30.
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