Who we are
Social Shapes Foundation is a non-profit entity registered in New Delhi, India as a Section 8 Company since 2019. Our vision is to enable an honest and equal chance for every young individual to succeed and shape their future. Irrespective of where they are born, young people should get a sincere chance to explore their dreams. Our mission is to shape rural communities that nurture youth’s ability to fulfill their aspirations, placing youth at the forefront of change.
Our context
Young people living in rural villages have remarkable potential to become catalysts for transformation within their communities. But, they encounter numerous obstacles that hinder their development and progress. They grapple with educational challenges, often facing difficulties in the classroom that diminish their chances for academic success. Additionally, as they venture into the contemporary job market of the 21st century, they find it increasingly challenging to secure meaningful employment opportunities that align with their skills and aspirations. These barriers stifle their personal growth and limit their ability to contribute positively to their communities.
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Barriers to Aspirations
Limited jobs and careers witnessed in the proximity
Poor self-awareness about skills and abilities
Low parent aspiration and engagement
Gender and social identity biases
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Barriers to Information
Lack of sources of credible and timely information about available opportunities and training avenues
Poor digital access and literacy
Poor social and financial capital
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Barriers to Capabilities
Lack of counseling or mentoring opportunities, and relatable role models
Deficiency of information and training material in the vernacular
Absent productive support systems for life / foundational skills
Gaps in industry-relevant skill training in the proximity
Bridging the barriers
Help young people tackle their fears and conflicts related to finishing school or college and choosing a career path.
Address their concerns about the future if they decide to leave the formal education system.
Provide better access to information on education, training and employment opportunities, which are often limited and not well promoted.
Raise awareness about various career options, including their essential characteristics, required education and training, necessary skills, potential growth paths, and expected incomes.
Improve their skills to look for suitable career options and job opportunities and build pathways toward achieving them.
Boost digital skills to aid them in completing online applications error-free, navigating admission processes, preparing resumes, and effectively handling interviews throughout their selection journeys.
Foster their skills on community engagement, leadership, and entrepreneurship.
Our approach
We partner with grassroots organisations in our intervention states, following four core principles:
Partnerships
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At Social Shapes Foundation, we believe that making sustainable impact requires working together. We actively collaborate with diverse stakeholders, including educational institutions, local businesses, government agencies, and community organizations. These partnerships amplify our capacity to support rural youth by pooling our resources and expertise.
Partnerships
01
At Social Shapes Foundation, we believe that making sustainable impact requires working together. We actively collaborate with diverse stakeholders, including educational institutions, local businesses, government agencies, and community organizations. These partnerships amplify our capacity to support rural youth by pooling our resources and expertise.
Community Ownership
02
We engage closely with sub-district level local institutions such as Gram Panchayats, Village Development Communities (VDC), and Self-Help Groups (SHG). By fostering strong and trusting relationships with community leaders and entities and focusing on local challenges, we aim to enable sustainable, long-term impact.
Youth-Led Initiatives
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Youth empowerment is at the heart of our mission. We strive to equip local young people with the tools they need to take charge of our programs, ensuring they can manage these efforts in the future alongside village institutions and key stakeholders. We recruit local youth and enhance their capabilities through carefully designed training programs, with the goal of enabling them to lead initiatives within their Gram Panchayats within two years of the program’s launch.
Youth-Led Initiatives
03
Youth empowerment is at the heart of our mission. We strive to equip local young people with the tools they need to take charge of our programs, ensuring they can manage these efforts in the future alongside village institutions and key stakeholders. We recruit local youth and enhance their capabilities through carefully designed training programs, with the goal of enabling them to lead initiatives within their Gram Panchayats within two years of the program’s launch.
Leveraging Technology
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Technology is not just a tool, but a crucial part of our operations at Social Shapes Foundation. We view it as a vital facilitator for standardization and scalability of our village-based interventions. Our systems and processes are built around in-house digital applications, developed in collaboration with top technology providers. Our front-end operations are digitized through a Learning Management System (LMS). We also focus acutely on orienting our youth members to digital technologies through foundational computer education.
Where we work
We work with remote rural communities in India that are home to vulnerable and marginalized groups.
Our team
Our team combines seasoned as well as passionate and young professionals, bringing together diverse experiences and expertise.
Management & Governance
Zeeshan is the co-founder and Managing Director of Social Shapes Foundation.
Siddharth is a Chartered Accountant and a law graduate with over 12 years of experience in the tax and regulatory domain.
Prachi is the co-founder of Social Shapes Foundation. She is passionate about working with youth and the subject of Capacity to Aspire.
Parul Agarwal leads the measurement function at the Centre for Effective Governance of Indian States (CEGIS). She supports the design and implementation of solutions to strengthen data systems in state governments.
Athar has a decade of work experience across domains like customer service automation and office administration.
Program design
Anju is a dedicated development professional with over 9 years of experience driving impactful initiatives in project planning, design, and implementation. Her core expertise lies in Project Management, planning, networking, and advocacy.
Suchaita has a PhD in Sociology from the Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, with a focus on gender studies and disability studies.
As an engineering graduate with a strong academic foundation and a deep passion for social equity, I bring a unique blend of technical expertise and sociological insight to my role as a Senior Program Associate.
Program implementation
Itishree is an inspiring Team Leader based in the picturesque district of Gajapati, Odisha. With her strong academic foundation—she holds a Bachelor's degree in Library Science and a Master's in Social.
Shishira Nayak is a dynamic and dedicated professional with a solid academic background in Zoology, having graduated from Karuna Shanti Residential College, Berhampur, in 2019.
Simasatabdhi Parhi is a passionate advocate for education and community development. She hails from a humble background in rural Odisha.
Ranjit Kumar Barik is a dedicated social worker from the Balangir district of Odisha.
Puja Pandey is a dedicated educator with a BA in Education (Honours) and a PGDCA computer certification.
Chinmayee completed her higher education in the Science Stream in 2021.
Jhili Sabar is a dedicated and determined young professional with a Bachelor’s in Computer Applications from Bharatpati Mahavidyalaya in Samantiapoli, Ganjam, graduating in 2023.
Ranjan graduated in 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Physics Honours from Chikiti Mahavidyalaya in Ganjam, Odisha. His academic journey laid a solid foundation for his curious mind, which he now applies to his professional life.
Our partners
Our partners bring expertise and resources, enabling us to expand our reach and deepen our impact.
