Hand in Hand India

What Hand in Hand India does

Hand in Hand India is a not-for-profit organization founded in 2002 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, that operates an integrated community development model targeting multidimensional poverty. Its core program architecture comprises eight pillars: Women Empowerment and Job Creation (anchored by 602,913 Self Help Groups), Child Labour Elimination and Education, Access to Affordable Healthcare, Skill Development and Technology Centres, Natural Resource Management, Sustainable Waste Management, the Village Uplift Programme (flagship integrated model), and Innovation & Collaboration. The organization delivers impact through trained field staff, 50,000+ community volunteers, and a proprietary Management Information System (MIS) for program monitoring and impact validation, with externally validated Social Return on Investment ratios ranging from INR 15 to INR 41.29 per INR 1 spent across verticals.

The revenue model is grant- and donation-based, combining individual donations (with 80G tax benefits for Indian donors and FCRA registration for international contributions), institutional grants from bilateral and multilateral agencies (World Bank, ADB, IFAD, UNICEF), government partnerships (NABARD, NCDC, SIDBI, NSDC, state governments), and corporate CSR funding (Wipro Cares, HSBC, Gurukrupa Foundation, Give2Asia, Grieg Foundation). The organization reports 90% of donations directed to programs with overheads capped at 8–10%. Operations span 15+ Indian states and affiliated international organizations in South Africa, Brazil, Afghanistan, Cambodia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Switzerland, with cumulative metrics of 10 million+ jobs created, 548 villages uplifted, 373,231 children enrolled in government schools, and 57,356 hectares of land under environmental management.

The go-to-market motion is community-led: the organization mobilizes local Self Help Groups, village communities, and grassroots partners for program delivery, while channel-partner relationships with governments, multilaterals, and corporate CSR programs drive funding and scale. The Village Uplift Programme operates as the integrated flagship, layering all pillars at village level to build self-resilient communities rather than delivering standalone interventions.

Name

Hand in Hand India

Legal name

Hand in Hand India

Website

https://hihindia.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Hand in Hand India is a Chennai-based non-profit founded in 2002 that delivers integrated community development across eight program pillars — women's SHGs, child labour elimination, healthcare, skill development, and environmental programs — serving rural and underserved populations in 15+ Indian states and 7 countries, funded by institutional grants, government partnerships, and individual donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-profit Community Development

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Refuse Systems (4953)

akta.pro primary industry

Rural Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment (BPAGABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

SME & Entrepreneurship Development (Trade-Linked) (BPADAMAE), Education, Skills & Workforce Development Aid Programs (BPADABAE), Infrastructure, Housing & Community Development (BPAGABAL)

Keywords

• Community development services
• Women empowerment programs
• Child labour elimination
• Skill development training
• Sustainable waste management

Headquarters

HQ city

Little Kancheepuram

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations: Individual donations from domestic and international donors. The organization provides 80G tax benefits for Indian donors and accepts contributions through secure payment gateways. 90% of donations go directly to poverty alleviation programs.
2. Institutional Funding: Grants and funding from bilateral and multilateral institutions including World Bank, Asian Development Bank, International Fund for Agricultural Development, UNICEF, and government agencies like NABARD and NCDC.
3. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Partnerships: Funding and support from corporate partners through CSR initiatives for specific programs and projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hand in Hand India implements an integrated community development model comprising eight program pillars: Women Empowerment through self-help groups and micro-enterprise formation, Child Labour Elimination, Healthcare, Skill Development, Natural Resource Management, Sustainable Waste Management, Village Uplift, and Innovation & Collaboration. The organization delivers these programs directly to marginalized communities across more than 15 Indian states and seven other countries, mobilizing a large workforce of staff, field workers, and community volunteers.

Product overview

Hand in Hand India is a non-profit organization operating an integrated community development model with eight core programme pillars. The Village Uplift Programme serves as the flagship integrated initiative, combining Women Empowerment and Job Creation (SHGs, microenterprises), Child Labour Elimination and Education (RSTCs, transit schools), Affordable Healthcare (medical camps, tele-medicine, nutrition programmes), Skill Development and Technology Centres, Natural Resource Management (watershed programmes), Sustainable Waste Management (Green Friends programme), and Innovation & Collaboration. These programmes work synergistically across 15+ Indian states and 7 countries, with a focus on poverty alleviation through job creation, women's economic empowerment, child welfare, and environmental sustainability. The organization does not operate a technology product platform but delivers social impact through grassroots community interventions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Women Empowerment Program

Quantifiable outcome

• SHG SROI: INR 41.29 per INR 1 spent (validated by IIT Madras)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hand In Hand SwedencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated international organization sharing the same mission, part of global network replicating poverty alleviation model.
• HIH South AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHand in Hand Southern Africa - founded based on an idea from Nelson Mandela and invitation from South African government. Replicates poverty-alleviation model.
• HIH BrazilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReplicates poverty-alleviation model through inclusive models tailored to Brazilian communities.
• HIH CambodiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAddresses extreme poverty with focus on education, women's empowerment, and climate-resilient livelihoods.
• HIH MyanmarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports women-led enterprises, financial inclusion, and skills development through self-help groups.
• HIH Sri LankacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFocuses on inclusive development for war-affected and marginalised communities.
• HIH SwitzerlandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerServes as global knowledge and goodwill platform for the organization.
• HIH AfghanistancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFocused on women's economic empowerment in rural provinces.
• National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment agency partnership for skill development and vocational training programs.
• State GovernmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with various state governments to implement projects and ensure government schemes reach target communities.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BRAC: One of the world's largest development NGOs, headquartered in Bangladesh. BRAC operates integrated community programmes spanning microfinance, education, health, and livelihoods across multiple countries — directly comparable to Hand in Hand India's integrated Village Uplift model and international replication strategy.
• Grameen (Grameen Bank / Grameen Foundation): Global pioneer of microfinance and SHG-based poverty alleviation, with programmes in multiple countries. Comparable to Hand in Hand India's SHG-led financial inclusion model and international replication footprint.
• Concern Worldwide: Ireland-based international humanitarian and development NGO operating across multiple countries with integrated livelihoods, health, and education programmes. Comparable on cross-country replication and integrated anti-poverty programming.

Direct peers

• Pratham Education Foundation: One of India's largest education NGOs, focused on literacy, learning outcomes, and child welfare. Direct peer on the child education and learning outcomes side of Hand in Hand India's portfolio.
• Development Alternatives: Indian social enterprise working on environment, sustainable livelihoods, and natural resource management. Closely comparable to Hand in Hand India's environment pillar and watershed/land restoration programmes.
• PRADAN (Professional Assistance for Development Action): Indian NGO promoting sustainable livelihoods among rural poor through SHG federations, agriculture, and natural resource management. Closely comparable to Hand in Hand India's rural livelihoods, women empowerment, and watershed management programmes across Indian states.
• SEWA (Self Employed Women's Association): India's largest women's Self Help Group federation, focused on economic empowerment, financial inclusion, and livelihoods for informal women workers. SEWA is the most direct functional peer to Hand in Hand India's SHG-driven women empowerment and job creation pillar.
• Akshaya Patra Foundation: India's largest mid-day meal programme, serving millions of school children daily. Comparable as a large-scale Indian non-profit combining nutrition, education, and child welfare — overlapping with Hand in Hand India's child nutrition and education programmes.
• Naandi Foundation: Large Indian non-profit working on education, livelihoods, and water security through community-driven models. Comparable in scale, funding base, and integrated community development approach to Hand in Hand India's multi-pillar programming.

Regional players

• Selco Foundation: Indian non-profit focused on sustainable energy access and livelihoods for underserved communities. Comparable in delivery model (community-led, technology-enabled) and end-beneficiary segments, though narrower in scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/handinhandindia

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hand in Hand India