Impact Lens - Impactlens

YEFI Launched: Democratising Grassroots Entrepreneurship in India

TERRE DES HOMMES (TDH) Germany Marks 50 Years of Child Rights Work in India with Youth-Led Celebrations in Pune

By Impactlens Correspondent Terre Des Hommes Germany marked 50 years of impactful work in India with a two-day celebration held on 3rd and 4th January 2026 at the J P Naik Education & Development Centre, Pune, Maharashtra. The event was organised in partnership with Centre for Youth Development and Activities

YEFI Launched: Democratising Grassroots Entrepreneurship in India

Pune, November 22, 2025 On the occasion of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), celebrated across more than 200 countries, India marked a transformative moment with the launch of the YouthAid Entrepreneurs’ Federation of India (YEFI)—a pioneering national platform dedicated exclusively to empowering grassroots entrepreneurs. The launch event, hosted in Pune, showcased

A Young Innovator in the Making

By Najiya Shaikh, Program Officer Supported by EMpower Sanskruti Kamble, a grade 9 student, is pursuing her education at Agarwal School, Bhosari, Pune. She has always been curious to learn and explore new things. Science has been her favorite subject, she often wondered how the fan worked, why rainbows appeared

Empowering Young Mothers Through Nutrition and Care

By Anamika Dey, Project Coordinator, Supported By Kcorp Charitable Foundation Maternal health and nutrition play a critical role in determining the well-being of both mother and child. In rural and tribal communities, early marriage, low literacy levels and lack of health awareness often contribute to malnutrition and poor maternal outcomes.

Promoting hygiene among young learners through creative soap-making

By Sushil Zadode, Project Coordinator, Nagpur Supported by Persistent Foundation Handwashing with soap is one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect individuals, particularly the younger ones, from diseases such as diarrhea, cough, cold and skin infections. It removes dirt, bacteria, and viruses that water alone cannot. Regular

Rainwater Harvesting: Securing Water and Learning in Schools

By Vikas Mhaske, Program Manager, CYDA Across India, many schools face water shortages. This lack of water harms children’s health and affects their learning and growth. Studies and global monitoring reports indicate that inadequate water and sanitation in schools lead to lower attendance and poorer academic performance (World Health Organisation,

Stories are windows to the soul. They offer a glimpse into other lives, spark our imaginations, and foster empathy. Whether it’s a thrilling adventure, a poignant drama, or a heartwarming tale, stories have the power to transport us, teach us, and inspire us. So, make time for reading and discover the magic that unfolds within each page.

Recent Stories

One Year of ImpactLens: Small Beginning… Big Impact

By Mathew Mattam, Editorial Head & Publisher On 1st January 2025, ImpactLens was born out of a simple yet powerful belief: that stories from the grassroots matter, and that when they are told with honesty and dignity, they have the power to inspire change far beyond their immediate context. One

My Identity My Pride

Srijan Mallik (name changed), Kolkata, WB I live in a joint family. My father works as a temporary sweeper in a government hospital, and my mother is a homemaker. Since early childhood when I was barely five. I loved playing with dolls, wearing sarees and frocks, and was naturally drawn

Woman Farmer’s Shift from Traditional Crops to Sustainable Income

Chhaya Sopan Karande is a 48-year-old farmer from Diksal village in Sangola block of Solapur district. She comes from a simple family and is known for her hard work and openness to new ideas. She owns 3.5 acres of land, where she has been growing traditional crops like sorghum, maize,

From Struggle to Strength

A. Divya, Pudukkottai, Tamil Nadu My family has been facing hardships since my childhood. My father, who suffered from mental illness after a head injury, went missing when I was just six years old. My mother became the sole breadwinner, but she also faced severe social stigma and harassment, leading

Malpur Village Builds Its Own Learning Space

By Chetana Patil, Program Executive, Nandurbar Education is not limited to reading books or passing examinations. It is the foundation on which confidence, dignity, and opportunities are built. Even today, when transformation and development are widely discussed, many children continue to be deprived of education and the chance to lead

Water Security Strengthening Farming and Livelihoods in Rural Maharashtra

By Suryakant Chavan, Watershed Expert, Sangola Diksal village in the Sangola block of Solapur district is located in one of the most drought-prone regions of Maharashtra. The area receives low and highly unpredictable rainfall, making agriculture extremely uncertain. Most farmers depend entirely on the monsoon for cultivation and grow crops

CYDA Celebrates 27 Years of Youth-Centred and Inclusive Development

By Impactlens correspondent Centre for Youth Development and Activities (CYDA) celebrated its 27th anniversary on 16 January 2025 at YMCA, Ganesh Peth, Pune. The event brought together youth, community beneficiaries, board members, CSR partners, well-wishers, and staff. The celebration reflected CYDA’s long journey of working with marginalised communities and reaffirmed

Gender, Power, and Everyday Inequality

On the occasion of the 195th birth anniversary of Savitribai Phule, ImpactLens correspondent Soumyashree Mohanty journeys through rural Maharashtra to examine how gender, power, and inequality continue to shape everyday lives. Moving beyond statistics and theory, her narrative captures voices from the ground-of women negotiating tradition and resistance-revealing how Phule’s

Inclusive Hackathon: A Platform for Equality and Dignity

Marginalised communities, especially women and LGBTQIA+ individuals often have very few spaces where they can come together without fear, judgement, or social labels. Limited interaction and deep-rooted stereotypes continue to create distance and misunderstanding. Creating shared platforms where people can meet as equals is important because inclusion grows through lived

Strengthening Education Through Experiential Learning for Teachers

The nature of education is gradually shifting from rote-based instruction to learning that is meaningful, practical, and rooted in real-life experiences. Today, it is no longer enough for students to memorise concepts; they need to understand, visualise, and apply them. This shift in the education pattern is especially important for