Vodafone, NASSCOM announce winners for Mobile For Good Awards 2016

NEW DELHI: Vodafone Foundation along with principal partner NASSCOM Foundation have announced the winners for 6th edition of its flagship initiative ‘Mobile for Good Awards’ at a grand event in Delhi. Committed to mobilising social change by leveraging the power and potential of the mobile technology, the Mobile for Good Awards acknowledge and support ideas and concepts from NGO/NFPs that effectively and efficiently empower communities and change lives in their own unique way.

This year, 11 winning innovations were recognised across two categories – ‘Leading Change Maker – NPO’ and ‘Leading Change Maker – For Profit’. Innovative mobile driven solutions in four critical areas of Health, Education, Agriculture & Environment and Women Empowerment & Inclusive Development were selected from both the categories. A special award was also given to the best Government led innovative mobile solution.

The five winning NPOs, were also awarded INR 1.5 million each and will be mentored by the best in the industry to expand and upscale their capacity, improve project monitoring and enhance impact evaluation of their projects. All winning projects will also be featured in, first of its kind – ‘Social App Hub’ by Vodafone.

Reflecting on this year’s winning innovations, P Balaji, Director- Regulatory & External Affairs, Vodafone India, said, “Telecom transforms lives with connectivity. At Vodafone, we are committed to bringing internet, broadband and connectivity to citizens across the country and support the larger vision of Digital India. Ideas that are translating this vision into reality must be supported and scaled-up. The near ubiquitous reach of the mobile phone offers a unique opportunity to connect, engage, develop content and deliver solutions that drive positive social and economic change, even in regions and among communities otherwise difficult to reach. The ‘Mobile for Good’ awards programme is our endeavor to do so.  Over the last 6 years, we have acknowledged 36 innovations, that use mobile technology to address some of India’s critical social and developmental challenges both in rural and urban areas. We are excited with the opportunities ahead and will continue to reward and mentor new ideas, innovations and applications that empower communities and have the potential to transform society at large.”

Nasscom Foundation is Principal Partner for the Vodafone Foundation Mobile for Good Awards The partnership in its second year, was able to garner great of amount of national awareness leading to a record - 306 nominations received to date, bettering last year numbers by approximately 25 percent.

Shrikant Sinha, CEO, NASSCOM Foundation, said, “NASSCOM Foundation, in its quest to create a truly inclusive India, has been at the forefront of promoting the use of technology for social good. In Vodafone Foundation, we found an apt partner to strengthen the ecosystem for social innovation through the mobile phones. This collaboration, for the Mobile for Good awards 2016, is an extension of the vision of the two organisations, to transform lives through affordable and easily accessible mobile-based solutions and drive inclusive growth.”

Out of the 306 applications received, the eligible applications were evaluated carefully at the first Screening Committee meet consisting of senior representatives from Vodafone Foundation, NASSCOM Foundation, Grant Thornton, NextGen and other experts in the field.

The 23 selected Finalists, with 15 applications from the NPO category (including government) and 8 applications from the For Profit category, were then asked to make presentations of their projects in front of a Grand Jury Panel, consisting of eminent members from leading organisations across India such as Bhagyashree Dengle (Executive Director - Plan India), Patu Keshwani (Chairman & MD – Lemontree Hotels), Rajiv Makhni (Managing Editor – Technology, NDTV) Rahul Chandra (MD – Helion Ventures) and Tom Thomas (CEO - Praxis) who finally narrowed it down to 11 Winners listed below:

Through these awards, structured mentorship and critical funding, both organisations hope to see an unparalleled transformation in the challenges afflicting the country today and are confident of making a transformative impact through the Mobile for Good program in the coming years.