Dear Colleagues,
Welcome to #15YearsOfImpact, a compendium of some of our favourite impact stories, as narrated by independent evaluators, our partners and others who have worked with us shoulder to shoulder.
The idea of Swasti was incubated 16 years ago by Catalyst Management Services Private Limited, with a mission to improve the health and well-being of vulnerable and marginalised communities; through action research and implementation, technical support, knowledge management and policy advocacy.
The lived realities and life stories of every individual and community we work with and for, have inspired us to push for perspective change, paradigm shift and for impact at scale; often exploring out-of-the-box solutions for complex public health challenges. Inviting innovations from different sectors have allowed us to bring it to those who need it the most. ‘We Care. Innovate. Transform.’ This is our mantra and we use it to push our boundaries to affect communities positively, despite the insurmountable challenges that they face.
Over the years, we have nudged ministries and governments across the world to lean towards policies that work for the poorest and most marginalised, translating some of these policies into solutions at scale. Our investment in building community institutions have resulted in substantial dividends, which have evolved into selfreliant, resilient organisations. We have walked with women in factories through simple, uncomplicated lifeskills modules that have seen them transform into change agents and formidable leaders in their communities. We have experienced the determination of a 13-member organisation of women in sex work, which has now expanded to a community of 15,000 members.
In this publication, we illustrate glimpses of impact over the 15 years since our inception. Our body of work is presented on our website: www.swastihc.org
As we celebrate our 15th anniversary, we are incredibly grateful to our committed team, alumni, volunteers, interns, fellows, advisors, board members, collaborators, consultants and partners. Today’s world continues to be filled with people without access to food, water and safety. The environment has become more transient and dangerous and newer health challenges emerge. We arise from this with stronger resolve and a renewed sense of purpose.
I want to acknowledge our sibling organisations within the Catalyst Group — Vrutti, Fuzhio, Catalyst Foundation and mothership Catalyst Management Services — for being with us every step of the way.
To our founder, Shiv Kumar, who continues to inspire and guide the teams and who gracefully stepped aside for new leadership. In his words, “Impact means people realising their full potential and thriving” and that’s what Swasti’s mission is all about . To our partner community organisations, you inspire us. To our technical partners, we are grateful for your trust and for helping us to be a stronger version of ourselves.
Here’s to our joint vision: A world of healthy people.
Dr. Angela Chaudhuri
