From our MD & CEO's Desk

“In the long run, I believe economic growth and increasing per-capita income, is the only sustainable way for people to become prosperous and afford all needs like education, healthcare, sanitation and shelter. But a child who is short of money for education today, or needs a health support today cannot be told - you wait for the economy to grow. So intervention is necessary for now.”

V. Vaidyanathan,
Former Chairman, Capital First Ltd
MD CEO, IDFC FIRST Bank

Our Key Focus Areas

Education
Entrepreneurship & Livelihood
Women Empowerment
Sanitation

16222 Lives Impacted

IDFC FIRST Bank Flagship MBA scholarship

Program Details

Voice Of Impact

Aspiring Life: Supporting Youth with Autism

Program Details

"Aleena, a student at Bubbles Centre for Autism was diagnosed with Down’s syndrome and joined Bubbles in June 2014 when she was 5 years old for a full day school program. When she joined Bubbles she was only exposed to her mother tongue – Malayalam, and she used to stutter while speaking in English. Aleena comes from a poor financial background (BPL). Her father (gardener) is suffering from a chronic illness is hospitalized and continues to be bed-ridden. Her mother runs a roadside food stall items such as dry snacks and cigarettes .After enrolling in the Bubbles scholarship program, she was trained in improving her speech, communication, work skills and behavior improved remarkably. Earlier, her mother was ignorant of Aleena’s growing capabilities in school and she was more keen to have Aleena help her rather than send her to school. However, after she saw Aleena’s performance on stage, she understood that Aleena can achieve much more if she is nurtured in the right direction."

Aleena

Voice Of Impact

BALM Fellowship Program

Program Details

"I am sincerely grateful for receiving this financial aid due to which I can focus on my studies. Initially I had dropped the idea of applying to this college as I knew I would not be able to meet the expense from my family income. The scholarship helped her to pay for her house rent, electricity bill, travelling expense for fieldwork and food. Thanks to IDFC FIRST Bank for giving me this aid."

Liandimvung,
Second Year student in M.A. Applied Psychology

"I belong to schedule cast community. My father left my mother and me in my childhood and since then my mother is the sole breadwinner of the family, With her limited salary she supported me in my further studies and this scholarship support helped me to reduce financial burden of my mother . It was quite difficult and challenging to complete my studies without this financial support."

Rashmi Aakode ,
M.A. Applied clinical psychology

Voice Of Impact

Ashoka University Scholarship

Program Details

"We are grateful to IDFC FIRST Bank for their valuable support to our scholars. Your commitment is exceptionally valuable in not only enabling the Ashoka journey for these students, but more importantly enriching their lives and those of stakeholders in their ecosystem, towards fueling a larger and deeper transformation in society. By giving equal opportunity to all, you are helping bridge the divide between the underprivileged and the privileged. Believing in the Ashoka dream and passionately collaborating with us on this journey, makes this a special partnership. We are beholden to IDFC FIRST Bank and humbled by your belief and confidence in our mission to build a stronger, socially conscious and responsible nation."

- Gitanjali Gandhiok
Assistant Vice President - Development | Ashoka University

Voice Of Impact

7386 Lives Impacted

Shwetdhara Program

Program Details

"The Shwetdhara project, a women centric initiative has given us an opportunity to make significant contribution towards promoting livestock based livelihood model on business mode. We in CARD feel privileged to be part of an initiative which is bound to significantly improve the livelihoods of thousands of rural households, besides increasing the overall productivity of the selected villages through milk revolution. But moreover the programme shall empower the Malwa rural women who were destined to the chulha-choka. We are really grateful to IDFC FIRST Bank for the initiative."

-Dr Vivek Sharma,
Chief Functionary,Centre for Advanced Research & Development (CARD)

Voice Of Impact

Lighthouse Program

Program Details

"When I first came to the Lighthouse I preferred to be alone. But slowly through one on one conversation with the counsellors, I started opening up and became friends with others from my batch. Exposure sessions and interviews conducted by experts helped me to loosen up my rigid ideas about job. As soon as I completed the foundation course, I was selected with Carnival Cinemas as a Customer Care Executive. I joined the night shift and used to complete my class in day time. Meanwhile, I also started looking for a job in the civil engineering industry. Soon, with the help of Lighthouse I appeared for the interview at Sthapatya Developers and got selected. Now I work as a city surveyor with Akola Municipal Corporation and earn more than 10,000 rupees per month. Inspired by my journey my younger brother has also joined the Lighthouse and is currently a part of the foundation course"

- Sham Pawar,
Student of Aundh Lighthouse

Voice Of Impact

Women Entrepreneurship Program

Program Details

"This training has helped me a lot. I got to understand about the market and its trends. Now I feel much more confident to step out and set up a stall to sell our products on my own. Now my family supports me in participating in events and in going to markets for purchasing raw materials. I feel much more confident as I am able to do things on my own and don’t have to depend on anyone. Earlier I was not doing anything and I was just sitting at home but now I also have a goal to expand my business and wish to contribute to my family income."

- Meera,
co-owner of Sahas Mahila Udyog

Voice Of Impact

Livelihood program for women with disabilities

Program Details

"Only daughter to her mother who is a domestic help in Virar , Ilavani Rayon’s father died when she was young. She has a bother does not support her family. With the support of stipend given by IDFC First Bank she helps her mother and supports her family and is very happy and confident now."

- Ilavani Rayon,
Trainee Om Creations Trust

Voice Of Impact

SAMPARC - Vocational Training Program

Program Details

"I am thankful to IDFC First Bank for supporting SAMPARC to develop Vocational Training Centre for underprivileged youth and for supporting SAMPARC Heritage Walk which helped us spread awareness for care and protection of monuments around Bhaje, Lonavala, Pune in an innovative way keeping SAMPARC children as the focus of development."

- Mr. Amitkumar Banerjee,
Founder Director/ Secretary, SAMPARC

Voice Of Impact

Digital Empowerment Program

Program Details

"Partnering with IDFC FIRST Bank is a refreshing change because IDFC FIRST Bank genuinely looks at non-profits as their 'partners'. Their emphasis is not on numbers, but on building an authentic platform for social change. Their horizon is therefore a long-term one, spanning years - and this makes all the difference in terms of enabling fundamental shifts to happen. IDFC FIRST Bank has supported the Digital Literacy mission immensely by taking on five Digital Literacy centres. Over 3000 citizens from low-income communities enrolled in these centrescan now access the digital world, leading to savings in time and money, access to government resources, participation in social media and above all, a sense of equal citizenship. Thank you IDFC FIRST Bank!"

- Ms. Ruchi Mathur,
CEO- PuneCityConnect

Voice Of Impact

7466 Lives Impacted

Project Saksham

Program Details

Kartika who has difficulty hearing in both her ears, started training at IDFC First Bank supported Project Saksham . She was always very keen in getting to know how clothes were made. Due to her hearing impairment she was delivered instructions in written form and here is what she has to say about Our Impact - "I never thought I would be able to work in an environment like this, but now I no longer look at my inability to hear as something that will stop me. Thank you IDFC FIRST Bank for supporting me to become self-reliant."

- Kratika,
Trainee at Saksham

Voice Of Impact

Beauty Entrepreneurship Program

Program Details

"My family conditions were such that I could not afford higher education and was married off at a very early age. My husband was not employed and I had two children to take care of and this only worsened as the responsibilities grew. After years of struggling, I sought a job in a beauty parlour hoping to make ends meet. I was the sole breadwinner of the family and gradually started providing for my in-laws too. With two years of experience to my credit, I realised that the only path to financial stability was through starting my own parlour. Considering the risk, I set up my own parlour. Operating out of a single room, the equipment was basic and I worked long hours as I could not afford appointing an assistant. I would even offer door-to-door services just to make enough to match the expenditure incurred. The business was not always stable and I would often lose clients because I could not offer more advanced or high-end services.

In early in 2018, Pratham's coordinator met me and briefed me about the Entrepreneurship program supported by IDFC FIRST Bank. Recognising this as an opportunity for growth, I immediately availed a grant of 30,000 INR and went through Pratham’s beauty and enterprise management training which was immensely helpful. The money allowed me to purchase advanced equipment, mirrors and shelves and a large set of cosmetics and consumables. With my revamped setup and improved skill set, I feel a new kind of confidence. This program has helped me get closer to my dreams, helped me stand on my own feet. Every woman should get this opportunity to make something of their lives and become independent.

Thank you IDFC FIRST Bank for helping me regain my confidence."

- Maya Jadhav,
Women entrepreneur and owner of Sangita Beauty Parlour

Voice Of Impact

Social Entrepreneurship Program

Program Details

"At Tactopus we have spent the past two years working closely with a wide community of teachers and parents of children with vision loss and learning disabilities. The funding support from IDFC FIRST Bank, has helped us refine the prototypes and produce the first batch of books for launch. With continued support, we're now able to focus on creating more of the content that the community has expressed need for. The faith and confidence of IDFC First Bank team has helped us turn a promising idea into the fully functional product that many blind and sighted children actively use today."

- Chandni Rajendran,
Co-Founder, Tactopus Learning Solution Private Limited

Voice Of Impact

19500 Lives Impacted

Swachh Worli Koliwada

Program Details

"Project Swachh Worli Koliwada will prove to be very beneficial for the residents of Worli Koliwada. Nowadays, because of plastic there is a lot of dirt, not to mention the impact it has on marine life and our fishing trade. A reason why this project by the G5A Foundation for Contemporary Culture and IDFC FIRST Bank is timely, important and has our full support. Awareness will play a huge role to make this project a success and we are wholly committed to doing our bit."

- Harishchandra Nakhwa,
President - Nakhwa Machhimar Cooperative Society

Voice Of Impact