Where we work

Access to Affordable Healthcare

Sustainable Waste Management

Hand in Hand India started in 2004 in Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu. Our founding base and the heart of our work. Today, we operating in 20 states and 2 union territories, we implement integrated, scalable programmes in job creation, education, health, environment, and skill development.

Hand in Hand India, the founding organisation, is our headquarters and, where the majority of our work continues to take place. We have grown significantly since our inception over two decades ago in the Kancheepuram district of Tamil Nadu. Today, we operate across 20 of the 28 states and 2 of the 8 union territories in the country. Guided by our vision to alleviate poverty through access to education, affordable healthcare, skill development, entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, and a clean environment, we work hand in hand with poor women, children, and communities, empowering them with dignity, hope, and choice for sustainable development.

Brazil

Through the REDES (Reduction of Poverty through Regional Integration of Local Business capacities) project, we introduced the SHG model to six northeastern states in partnership with World Vision and ANDE. Funded by the Inter-American Development Bank, the project reached 50,000 people, enhancing financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and social cohesion.

Hand in Hand India had the opportunity of replicating its job creation model in Brazil, South America, in 2010. The REDES (Reduction of Poverty through Regional Integration of Local Business capacities) project, funded by the Multilateral Investment Fund of the Inter-American Development Bank, was implemented in six northeastern states of Brazil to adapt and deploy the Self-Help Group (SHG) methodology through community collectives known as Gol.D. Visão Mundial (World Vision, ANDE) in partnership with Hand in Hand undertook the initiative aimed to empower local communities, especially women, by fostering social cohesion, improving financial literacy, promoting entrepreneurship, and enabling access to credit and services. The project reached around 50,000 people, and its success has strengthened South-South cooperation for poverty alleviation. The initiative continues under the World Vision, ANDE banner.

Cambodia

Education

Starting in 2012, we launched a livelihoods project to introduce SHGs, micro-enterprises, and financial literacy across rural provinces. Now operating as Hand in Hand Cambodia, the initiative has created thousands of jobs and supported rural communities through credit, training, and alternative livelihoods.

In 2012, Hand in Hand Consulting Services Pvt. Ltd. launched a pilot Livelihoods Project in Cambodia, in partnership with the Cambodian Rural Development Team and the Asian Institute of Technology, to adapt the successful Job Creation model - focused on forming self-help groups (SHGs) and supporting micro-enterprises - to the South-East Asian context. Implemented in Kratie and Strung Treng provinces, the two-year pilot aimed to create 5,000 jobs through 155 SHGs, addressing challenges such as rural poverty, low savings, and limited formal employment. The project achieved its goals, supporting 1,138 enterprises and creating nearly 5,690 jobs by October 2014, while empowering women through financial training and access to microcredit. It also introduced alternative livelihoods like poultry farming and rice value chains in response to overfishing and limited agricultural income.
Hand in Hand Cambodia was thus established to take these efforts forward. With strong community interest in enterprise development, Hand in Hand Cambodia and the newly established micro-credit entity - Mekong Rural Credit Operator, aimed to expand this model across the country, integrating health, education, and environmental initiatives. Hand in Hand Cambodia’s initiatives have been supported by corporates and foundations based out of Asia and Europe.

Sri Lanka

Access to Affordable Healthcare

Hand in Hand Sri Lanka began in 2011 to uplift communities in post-war Sri Lanka. In regions like Nuwara Eliya, we have helped break the cycle of poverty for tea estate workers through economic empowerment, community development, and access to education and healthcare.

Nuwara Eliya is one of the poorest regions in Sri Lanka. Women working in tea plantations were trapped in a cycle of poverty, low wages, poor health, malnutrition, and substandard living conditions, with little opportunity for education or alternative employment. After an initial scoping study by Hand in Hand Consulting Services Pvt. Ltd., it was evident that our model of empowerment and education can help address poverty in the region. Hand in Hand Lanka was established in 2011 to support communities in post-war Sri Lanka with community development and poverty alleviation projects. Partnering with Sevalanka and Berendina, initial operations were launched in the districts of Vavuniya and Mannar. The organisation is currently looking for local partners to expand its outreach in the arenas of women empowerment and natural resources management.

South Africa

Our first international project, launched based on an idea given by the late Nelson Mandela and with the support of the South African Government. Since 2008, we’ve empowered Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) through capacity building and an Enterprise Incubation Fund, fostering job creation and women-led cooperative businesses.

Hand in Hand India initiated its project in South Africa based on an idea given by Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa, and an invitation from the South African Government. It was our first project outside India. Hand in Hand Southern Africa, established in 2008 and headquartered in Johannesburg, launched a microcredit programme aimed at supporting emerging Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) through an Enterprise Incubation Fund (EIF). This initiative was designed to provide financial support to beneficiaries who have completed capacity-building and training programmes, enabling them to grow income-generating projects into profitable enterprises. The EIF also served as a stepping stone for members to eventually access larger loans. Several learnings thereby culminated in formalising the cooperative model in South Africa as the best method for job creation and poverty alleviation. With the encouragement of joint venture businesses, a significant change was brought about amongst women in South Africa.

hand-in-hand-india-global-presence-afganistan-4

Afghanistan

In partnership with the Afghan Government and the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, we piloted a microfinance programme focused on women-led Self-Help Groups. With over 22,000 members, the project laid the groundwork for the $800M Afghanistan Rural Enterprise Development Program (AREDP).

In 2008, Hand in Hand India began work in Afghanistan at the invitation of President Hamid Karzai and with support from the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, launching a pilot microfinance project. Amidst poverty, conflict, and severe gender inequality, the initiative focused on job creation through community-based Savings Credit Groups (SCGs), modeled on India’s Self-Help Groups. Operating in the challenging northern provinces of Balkh and Badakshan, the project mobilised over 22,000 members - 47% women, across 459 SCGs, with support from local religious leaders and ethnic communities. This project became the fore runner to the Afghanistan Rural Enterprise Development Program (AREDP) funded by World Bank with a grant of USD 800 million in 2009. An independent evaluation titled ‘Indian Initiatives for Afghan Women – An Evaluation Study’ by Dr. Mondira Dutta, supported by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, praised the programme’s inclusive, culturally sensitive approach and its strong community ownership, while also identifying areas for improved government linkages and capacity building.

Myanmar

Launched in 2013, our pilot in Bogalay Township focused on empowering women through SHGs and a revolving fund model. With over 2,600 jobs created, the programme validated our approach and aligned with the World Bank’s national financial inclusion strategies.

Myanmar became the second country in Southeast Asia where the Job Creation model was implemented. In 2013, Hand in Hand Consulting Services Pvt. Ltd. launched a pilot project in Bogalay Township which helped build the wealth-creating capacity of local women. A revolving fund model was introduced to support small businesses in sectors like fisheries, trading, and agriculture, enabling women to save independently of banks and borrow at lower interest rates. The pilot proved successful, with 58 Self-Help Groups (SHGs) formed by October 2014, supporting 522 enterprises and creating approximately 2,610 jobs. Financial and business training was provided to 925 SHG members, and 77 women were assisted with small loans of $150. The project demonstrated strong acceptance of the SHG model in Myanmar, aligning with World Bank recommendations for integrating SHG formation into national financial inclusion strategies.

Switzerland

Education

Sustainable Waste Management

Established in 2013, Hand in Hand Switzerland is our knowledge and fundraising hub, advancing the 3E approach: Education, Empowerment, and Environment. From its Geneva base, it promotes global partnerships, thought leadership, and fundraising to support our programmes across countries.