This spring, India was hit by the highly infectious Delta variant of COVID-19 with devastating impact. Social entrepreneurs have stepped up as last-mile responders to the crisis with remarkable success. Their experiences are as inspiring as they are insightful.
This month, the World Economic Forum’s COVID Response Alliance for Social Entrepreneurs (CRASE) announces its list of 50 social entrepreneurs and 12 multi-stakeholder initiatives that have played a leading role in reaching communities in the last mile.
With the country’s hospitals and other resources stretched under the pressure of rising infections, social entrepreneurs have stepped up as last mile responders to the crisis - with remarkable success.
Their experiences and perspectives are as inspiring as they are insightful, offering vital lessons for future large-scale response efforts, and for other regions where new outbreaks are feared.
For these social entrepreneurs to scale their impact and reach, it is critical and urgent to receive greater support and to be further integrated into mainstream response efforts.
There are encouraging signs of this integration happening, as manifested by the call by Prime Minister Modi for grassroots initiatives to come forward (Hindustan Times, July 11th 2021).
This month, the World Economic Forum’s COVID Response Alliance for Social Entrepreneurs (CRASE) announces its list of 50 social entrepreneurs and 12 multi-stakeholder initiatives that have played a leading role in reaching communities in the last mile.
With the country’s hospitals and other resources stretched under the pressure of rising infections, social entrepreneurs have stepped up as last mile responders to the crisis - with remarkable success.
Their experiences and perspectives are as inspiring as they are insightful, offering vital lessons for future large-scale response efforts, and for other regions where new outbreaks are feared.
For these social entrepreneurs to scale their impact and reach, it is critical and urgent to receive greater support and to be further integrated into mainstream response efforts.
There are encouraging signs of this integration happening, as manifested by the call by Prime Minister Modi for grassroots initiatives to come forward (Hindustan Times, July 11th 2021).
This India Last Mile Responder Initiative was published to keep the spotlight on those who are at risk of being left behind in the recovery and to facilitate greater connections with and support for social entrepreneurs as agents for a just recovery.
Each of WEF's India’s Top 50 Last-Mile COVID-19 Responders were nominated through the COVID Response Alliance, and work in at least one of four critical areas in fighting the virus and ensuring an inclusive recovery:
Each of WEF's India’s Top 50 Last-Mile COVID-19 Responders were nominated through the COVID Response Alliance, and work in at least one of four critical areas in fighting the virus and ensuring an inclusive recovery:
- Prevention and Protection
- COVID-19 Treatment and Relief
- Inclusive Vaccine Access
- Securing Livelihoods
If you are interested in making a ‘matching’ contribution, have customized requests or any queries, please write to us at philanthropy@dasra.org
For questions related to the COVID Response Alliance for Social Entrepreneurs, please visit their website or contact Katerina Hoskova at Katerina.Hoskova@weforum.org
To connect with the regional hosts for the Initiative, please visit Catalyst2030 NASE or contact Lynne Smitz at Smitz@gmail.com or Urvashi Devidayal at Aavishkaar Group/Sankalp Forum at Urvashi.Devidayal@intellecap.net
For questions related to the COVID Response Alliance for Social Entrepreneurs, please visit their website or contact Katerina Hoskova at Katerina.Hoskova@weforum.org
To connect with the regional hosts for the Initiative, please visit Catalyst2030 NASE or contact Lynne Smitz at Smitz@gmail.com or Urvashi Devidayal at Aavishkaar Group/Sankalp Forum at Urvashi.Devidayal@intellecap.net