Collective Impact initiatives operate through five key pillars with equity practices embedded throughout.
01.
A common understanding of the problem and a shared vision for change.
02.
Track progress to enable continuous learning and accountability.
03.
Align and integrate diverse activities from all partners through a joint plan of action to maximise overall impact.
04.
Transparent communication focused on building trust and strengthening relationships.
05.
A dedicated team to align and coordinate the work of partners and ensure cohesive progress.
As defined by the Collective Impact Forum, collective impact brings people together in a structured way to achieve social change. The framework is rooted in collaboration, acknowledging that no organisation can solve complex and multi-layered societal issues single-handedly.
The methodology encourages cross-sector partnerships and long-term commitment from system actors, pooling their strengths, experiences and resources towards a common agenda. While organisations focus on their individual areas, their efforts are all aligned to achieve the collective’s overarching objective.
Collective Impact initiatives operate through five key pillars with equity practices embedded throughout.
Saamuhika Shakti, initiated and funded by the H&M Foundation, is a highly structured collaborative project focused on addressing the challenges faced by informal waste pickers and their families in Bengaluru.
The initiative is dedicated to bridging the systemic gaps that keep waste pickers in poverty and fostering an environment where they and their families can harness their potential to shape their own futures. Through the ‘Collective Impact’ methodology, Saamuhika Shakti brings together diverse actors who are experts in their field to drive transformative and equitable social change.
This unique and first-of-its-kind initiative in India takes a holistic approach to supporting waste pickers, which includes not only economic opportunities, but also systemic and social issues faced by the community. These issues range from access to education, clean water and sanitation, livelihood enhancement, health, social security entitlements, domestic violence, societal perceptions of waste pickers and exploring sustainable solutions like circular models for textile waste management, with gender equity and equitable access to all outcomes of Saamuhika Shakti forming the bedrock of the initiative.
As a pioneer of the Collective Impact methodology in India, Saamuhika Shakti is uniquely positioned to show how collaborative efforts can drive meaningful change. This initiative, in solidarity with waste pickers, aims to enable the informal waste pickers to gain agency to improve their and their families’ lives.
