Our phased response to the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–21)
PwCIF focused on providing emergency support. We distributed sanitisers, masks, gloves and soaps to the vulnerable, and to public health institutions. In addition to hygiene kits, we also distributed groceries to children’s homes, old age homes and slums in urban areas.
Our response was marked by a payroll giving initiative launched by the firm to raise funds to provide migrant workers and daily-wage earners nutritional support and address urgent PPE needs of frontline workers in April 2020.
Between April to August 2020, targeted and continued support was provided in the form of PPE kits and dry ration distribution across regional offices. We focused on supporting public health institutions and migrant workers. We intensified our efforts to support families grappling with the pandemic and the aftermath of Cyclone Amphan (Eastern coast).
Commencing September 2020, focused on livelihoods and rehabilitation. Our interventions as part of this phase were anchored in the rehabilitation of our beneficiary groups. We focused on digital learning by providing tablets to enable children from underprivileged backgrounds access education. We also organised livelihood support programmes imparting vocational training or financial/technical support to women and youth.
During the period from April 2020 to March 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on communities across India. As the virus spread, vulnerable populations faced unprecedented challenges, grappling with health crises, economic hardships and food shortages.
During this challenging time PwCIF distributed hand sanitisers, personal protective equipment (PPE) and hazmat suits to frontline workers, including health professionals and law enforcement personnel. The foundation further donated safety kits and medical equipment, fortifying the defences of those at the forefront of the battle against the pandemic.
Acknowledging the diverse needs of the communities, PwCIF also addressed the nutritional requirements of the LGBTQ+ community, providing nutrition supplies for one month to 200 transgender individuals. Moreover, the foundation partnered with 26 NGOs to amplify its reach, collaborating to extend aid to the farthest corners of the affected regions.
In the face of adversity, PwCIF reaffirmed its commitment to reach out and build resilient communities.
Our beneficiaries
PwCIF reached out to the daily-wage earners, migrants, nomadic tribals, single-women headed households, garbage collectors and vulnerable families, including those without ration cards, and provided them with ration support. Our beneficiaries included salt pan workers, commercial sex workers, transgenders and mothers of children with special needs. We also supported the PPE requirements of police personnel, health workers, NGO staff/volunteers and ambulance staff. We also supported the installation of touch-free hand washing units in primary healthcare centres to enable access to safe handwashing.
6,296 families
received dry ration kits
2,961
PPE kits
1,937 litres of
hand sanitisers
434 meals served to
the migrant workers
110,000+ safety
kits and medical equipment donated
2,961 hazmat suits
for frontline workers
295 families from
nomadic tribes received ration support
26 NGOs
partnered with
200
transgenders received nutrition supply for one month
40,081 units of
masks for frontline workers, police and NGO staff
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
- Toilet facilities for inclusive growth of children with disabilities, Chennai, FY22-23
PwCIF supported NGO partner Amar Seva Sangam in building toilet facilities in the orchard developed for inclusive growth of children with disabilities. Inclusive toilets which were built, cater to the needs of the special children within the orchard.
- Augmenting WASH facilities for students, Rajasthan, FY19-20
- A school sanitation and hygiene project, Bengaluru, FY20-21
- Development of school WASH infrastructure, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, FY20-21
- Construction of gender-segregated WASH facilities, Jharkhand and Jodhpur FY19-20
PwCIF’s initiatives for providing access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities
The United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 has set a target to eliminate open defecation and ensure that everyone has access to sustainable sanitation facilities by 2030. The goal focuses on paying special attention to the sanitary needs of women and girls, and those in vulnerable conditions.
There is acute inequality in access to safe and sustainable sanitation facilities in India. Over 90% of the country’s urban residents have access to sanitation facilities compared to 39% of the rural residents. Additionally, 44% of the population continues to defecate in the open.
PwCIF has been collaborating with several NGOs to expand access to safe WASH facilities as they are a critical focus area impacting the well-being of vulnerable and at-risk communities. We contribute by upgrading WASH facilities, conducting awareness trainings, providing sanitary napkins and helping rebuild toilets for communities affected by natural disasters. Our efforts have benefited school children, adolescent girls and both urban and rural communities across India. The infrastructural support we provide includes gender-segregated toilets with running water and handwashing facilities.
How PwCIF is supporting WASH programmes across different states
Social Entrepreneurship
PwC India introduced the School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) model in India with the aim of building the related ecosystem in India by providing support to budding social entrepreneurs in India. School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) India was formally launched in February 2016 to offer its flagship programme, a nine-month Social Start-Up Fellowship which helps passionate individuals from across the country to build entrepreneurial mindset & hone their social purpose to solve some of the most complex social problems in the country.
PwC India has been an integral part of SSE India's journey and supports the latter through funding and logistics support. The collaboration also actively engages PwC People in a number of ways to provide volunteering opportunities. These opportunities include review of applications and selection of the final cohort, conducting sessions for the Fellows as action learning facilitators, subject experts and witnesses narrating their own journey, and providing one-on-one mentorship support to the Fellows.
Since inception, over 80 fellows have benefited from the SSE ecosystem to provide solutions to pressing challenges. They have helped generate livelihoods, empower women and vulnerable sections including tribal communities and have contributed to supporting civic systems across Indian states.
