Social Impact -SDG champions
We are working with 1000+ students and volunteers on projects in which they create a change, or look for sustainable solutions in the community. The projects are based on social issues where the solutions are co-created/implemented with students. They also use a shared value approach while simultaneously addressing the socio-economic challenge, aligned with UN SDG’s
Orion works on interventions and projects in 5 E’s
- Ecology (environment, climate, recycling and upcycling)
- Economy (slum schools and skills building projects)
- Epidemiology (malnutrition, holistic healing and lifestyle projects)
- Equality (diversity, discrimination and inclusiveness projects)
- Empathy (old age, animal care sensitization and Musicerapy)
The aim of these projects is to create a sustainable improvement in community and equip Youth with the tools to bring about a change, through active engagement in initiatives of their choice.
You can get involved in the following ongoing projects or create your own
Freedom from Malnutrition
The World Bank estimates that India is one of the highest ranking countries in the world for the number of children suffering from malnutrition. The prevalence of underweight children in India is among the highest in the world. In India 44% of children under the age of 5 are underweight. 72% of infants and 52% of married women have anaemia. 20% of children under five years of age suffer from wasting due to acute undernutrition. More than one third of the world’s children who are wasted live in India. Our project aims to campaign for Nutrition in daily lives. We have been continously doing successful Dus ka Dum campaigns in many slums like Tuglaqabad, INA slums & Rangpuri- which include Ten rupees+ Ten minute recipes. The campaign aims to inculcate healthy eating in underprivileged pockets and in turn less drop outs from school (as malnutrition is affecting their focus and intelligence)
Inclusiveness project- Proudly Human
Only two percent of transgender people in India live with their parents, according to a 2018 study, backed by the National Human Rights Commission of India. Trans people are often discriminated against within the LGBTQ+ community and being the most visible, often face increased risks of marginalisation and even violence. According to the National Human Rights Commission, 92% of trans people are unable to participate in any economic activity. A survey last year revealed that 40 per cent of transgender people faced some sort of sexual abuse in India before turning 18 and 80% Proudly Human is our initiative to mainstream Transgenders in India. We are working with various levels of employment and social inclusion of Trans in the community and several projects for Financial and social inclusion of Trans.
Music therapy
Musicerapy is one of the expressive therapies, consisting of a process in which music and all its facets—physical, emotional, mental, social, aesthetic, and spiritual—helps people improve their physical and mental health, release stress and feel good. Our Voluntary band- Musicerapy goes to various places like old age homes, shelter homes, cancer kids and slum schools to perform and capture everyone's hearts through Music. The project uses research of music on mental issues like depression, anxiety, autism as well as on Alzheimer, cancer etc.
Reuse, Recycle, Upcycle
Air pollution, water pollution, garbage and pollution of the natural environment are all challenges for India. Environmental issues and Water are one of the primary causes of disease, health issues and long term livelihood impact for India. 70% of India’s water is contaminated, impacting three in four Indians. Just a third of India’s wastewater is currently treated before being dumped into freshwater bodies, and eventually leaching into groundwater. India scored 5.75 out of 100 in air quality the state of environment report, and Indian cities are consistently rated as the worst in global rankings. All these issues are in a closed loop system — groundwater, agriculture, monsoon, pollution, emissions, trash, energy, climate change, Zero waste, Recycling — these are all linked. Through this intervention, we create various strategies of tackling environment issues in neighbourhood, schools, communities and cities.
Beyond Single Use Plastic
80 percent of total plastic produced in India is discarded. It mostly ends up choking landfills, drains and rivers and flows into the sea where it is ingested by marine animals. Plastics can be recycled. and the materials recovered can be given a second-life. However, this method is not fully utilized, due to difficulties with the collection and sorting of plastic waste. We have very poor waste management facilities which often result in plastics (and other waste) being recklessly disposed into rivers and waterbodies. Even though recycling is the most effective way to deal with plastic waste, its effectiveness is highly depended on public awareness, economic viability, and the implementation of public infrastructures to make recycling more efficient (recycling bins, specialized waste collecting trucks).The country which generates 15,342 tonnes of plastic waste every day (TERI, 2018) needs a sustainable solution. Through this project, the students are devising solutions not just about carry bags but about packaging of food, PET bottles, bags, banners, buntings, flex, flags, plates , waste management or conversion of single use plastic and understanding whether other alternatives are as environment friendly.
Digital Literacy & Dignified Living for Elderly
The number of Indians over the age of 60 has hit an all-time high, accounting for 9 % of the country’s 131 crore population. We have been doing some research in various Old age homes, Day care centers and Senior Citizen clubs. The elderly face a number of problems due to the absence of an assured and sufficient income to support themselves for their healthcare, lack of Technology and other social securities. In a country like India, safety is of utmost importance. For us, the generation that has grown up with a smartphone in our hands, the process of finding our way around is as simple as opening a map or calling some friends. But what if we did not have these amenities or know how to make use of them? Through this project our volunteer group spend time with elderly, teach them the new age technologies and help them with Income/savings scheme etc.
Droplets in Jeopardy (Water project)
Population growth, rapid development, widespread pollution and bureaucratic mismanagement are putting tremendous pressure on the country’s depleting water resources. The project looks at whether Day Zero is inevitable and what we can do to create the change. An increasing population and rapid development are fast depleting the water resources it was blessed with: Rivers are dying, cities are overwhelmed by sewage, surface water has become toxic and underground aquifers are running close to non-usable levels. Across India, 600 million people face acute water shortage, with around 200,000 of them dying every year because they lack access to clean water. This project involvs a physical & social media campaign on saving water, grey water management in neighbourhood, schools and homes & a clean water initiatives with Industries and Govt bodies.
Unwasting Project
We all need to support biodiversity and the preservation of natural resources. This projects includes both hands-on conservation work and community outreach. It includes environmental conservation projects like planting trees with local community members to prevent erosion, support community recycling efforts, Support Unwasting of food, gifts, clothes. Encourage repeat of clothes , sustainable living, promote organic gardening, reduce usage of pollutants, and assisted with research projects that aim to protect and preserve the local environment.
Social and Economic Inclusion of Children
The physical environments of Indian slums present many challenges to residents, particularly children. The slums typically lack proper sanitation, safe drinking water, or systematic garbage collection; there is usually a severe shortage of space inside the houses where the children live, and no public spaces dedicated to their use. Inadequate living conditions are the most pervasive violation of children’s rights, and can exacerbate and underpin the failure to realize many other rights. The principles of non-discrimination and best interests call for attention to the environments of poor urban children, taking account of their particular needs and of the fact that their rights are independent of those of adults. Our mentoring program focuses on drop outs and those on the verge of leaving studies from the Govt school through sessions on psychometrics, inspiring theories, creating aspirations, meeting role models, sponsoring vocational education and incentivizing education and therefore social and economic inclusion of kids from the low income groups. We are enabling the kids to better able to enjoy their fundamental Child Rights of education, health, holistic development, global perspectives & find their aspirations.
Diversity and Inclusion
India is a vibrant nation whose strength lies in its commitment to equal rights and to speech, religious and economic freedoms that enrich the lives of all citizens; a secular, pluralistic society committed to inclusive growth. India is a boiling pot of cultures, ethnicities and practices. We are a nation begging for unity, asking to walk hand-in-hand as the nation looks to move forward. There is a malignant display of lack of inclusiveness in Urban India, a living reality of 21st-century globalising India, and not at all a quaint rural relic. As a country, we're secular, diverse and multi-lingual. In a perfect world, we are everything that an idealistic world would look like. And yet, we are still far, far away from what we should've been. There are various discriminations that prevail in India. We need an inclusive culture to help us progress. It's about equity and opportunity – making sure that differences are celebrated . Our first you tube short film- Soch created by students got rave reviews from various pockets. It’s a story on our fogging minds. The second short story The Others is about caste and class, the third film in progress are Influencers thoughts on Inclusion. The Youth are also co authoring books on this subject. Through these stories, campaigns and vision, we are attempting to showcase the strength that we as a nation can be, if we become more Inclusive and accept Diversity.
Upcycling by Nani (Senior Citizens and Underprivileged initiative)
Upcycling by Nani is an initiative that supports design and development of eco friendly products generated through waste and recyclable material. Whether its festivals or regular gifting. Instead of giving brand-new, store-bought gifts, we urge people buying handmade and upcycled crafts. We are attempting to reduce landfill waste and supporting independent artists at the same time. This project is being mentored by our 70 year old Nani and supporting senior girls at the slum who are curating wonderful products through waste and increasing their meagre monthly incomes. We are using everyday items like Wine bottles, Waste cloth, Tetrapack etc in innovative ways to gift beautiful products
Proudly Human- Mainstreaming Specially Abled
Even though disabled people constitute a significant 5 to 6 percentage of the population of India, their needs for meaningful employment remain unmet. Only about 0.1 million have succeeded in getting employment or engaged meaningfully. Through this project , we endeavour for meaningful engagement of PWD’s in corporate sector, demonstrating that people with disabilities can efficiently and productively undertake professional work at the highest level and that accessibility is not only right—but also profitable. We want to flip the script and eliminate the single story of people with disabilities, showing that we are neither inspirational nor charity cases, just powerful and ferocious professionals. Through this project we also challenge stereotypes and prejudices by inclusion of Disabled in Theatre, where disability seemingly comes in only two forms: pity or evil. We are creating Theatre skills of Specially abled and urge various productions to engage with PWD’s for various parts.
Proudly Human- School Diversity
Issues like bullying, Social media trolling, Gender bashing on whatsapp , disrespect of specially abled, underprivileged, LGBTQI and old is increasing in schools in India. The core cause of such behaviour is lack of appreciating diversity and lack of respect of another caste, class, gender, sexuality, age, ableism. It’s a form of aggression between individuals or groups that have different levels of power. Through this project , we aim to sensitize the youth through Initiating discussions, role plays, activities and projects about tolerance, awareness, and the importance and benefits of diversity. When students learn about struggles, perspectives, and experiences, they tend to reflect on and respond to that information. Have I looked down on someone because of their race, gender, or other uncontrollable factors? Do I believe certain racial or gender-based stereotypes that are limiting my influence or making me appear judgmental? When honest, open-ended discussions and activities about diversity occur within the classroom, teachers can also facilitate productive conversation and embrace teachable moments to help promote personal growth in each student. This project encourages students and schools to embrace diversity and hence allows students to be more successful in life, and human beings who are kind to others and respectful of people’s differences.