"Self
esteem"
We
always read : "Instead of Giving a fish to a
man to eat, teach a man how to fish".
While the first may be lifetime giving,
the second is different in many ways.
Read
more about the concept of NGO Shopping Mall and how
it can help NGOs, Marketing departments of corporates1)
It helps communities to earn their living, rather
than depend on others.
2)
In case the NGO funding is reduced like in covid case,
then the community support reduces.
3)
It gives you the opportunity to exit to serve other
communities.
4) It helps corporate marketing teams to reach to
communities like slums or villages or group of hostels
for disabled or senior citizens because all know NGO
is almost related to these people.
Of course, all know costly brands are not right
Infact,
corporates can have separate low cost products for
communities (not bad quality but far less investment
in advertising or packing)
It
helps corporates, NGOs, consumers.
And
NGOs which can share services can find corporates
a good market. Its not "saling services"
but "offering services at low cost"
NGOs
may not give you quality products. But they help communities
by selling the products they make. Its inward help
not outward help. Its emotional as well as practical
decision and we will not say buy all the products
all the time for NGOs because quality of products
made by communities can be higher (like crafts by
tribes) or lower than what corporate machines and
employees make (like makeup)
Of
course, NGOs can sell products made by corporates
to their communities as selling agents. Typically
in areas where its not economical for corporates to
reach out like villages, slums or with groups like
disabled or orphans or senior citizens
Our
first social enterprise on NGOs in India was in 1999
with shareholding from Bobby Sista & Mahindra
Group.
After
studying Corporates & NGOs across the world and
going through the Corona related sustainability &
responsibility issues related to NGOs, we thought
NGOs must think beyond helping communities. They must
earn and be sustainable. Not earn and be rich but
earn and be sustainable to help communities without
at least a year of "No funding availability".
Its
time NGOs market the products communities make or
services they offer to corporates & people at
large. This gives income to disabled, orphans, widows
and of course great local artists and tribals, self
help groups .. earn income. On the other side, NGOs
can market products made by corporates to communities
as Mini Shopping Mall and earn income which is good
for their sustainability. |
