Home > Inspirational Women > Inspirational Woman: Kavita Shah | CEO of Concern India Foundation

Inspirational Woman: Kavita Shah | CEO of Concern India Foundation

KAVITA photoTell us about yourself, your background and what you do currently

Growing up in Chandigarh, I completed my schooling from Carmel Convent and went on to do my BCom from the Government College and Post Graduate degree in Banking and Commerce from Punjab University. After working for several years in marketing and finance and starting my own enterprise, I moved from Delhi to Mumbai with my husband. Soon after, I decided I wanted to work for a non-profit organisation, which brought me to Concern India Foundation.

Today, I have worked with Concern for the past 20 years, growing it to now support 270 grassroots NGOs across seven Indian cities in the areas of education, health and community development.

we have reached out to 100,000 women through our supported programmes and equipped them to live more self-reliant, dignified lives.

About our work:

Concern India Foundation strongly believes that the disadvantaged need opportunities, not charity. We aspire to bring about a positive transformation in the lives of the most vulnerable section of our society.

With this purpose we provide both financial and non-financial support to grassroots NGOs that show a high level of commitment to their work, but lack the time and expertise to raise financial and other assistance. We work to bridge the gap between NGOs, corporates and individuals who wish to support developmental work in the country, thus enabling the NGOs to concentrate on their core activities.

With 23 years of experience in the field, we provide a reliable means for donors to contribute funds where they know they will be utilised toward the sustainable social and economic development of the disadvantaged.

Personally, my greatest achievement has been raising my children to be good human beings and socially responsible citizens, as well as being able to balance my work and family life effectively all these years.

Tell us about any current projects or initiatives

One of our key areas of work is the empowerment of women from economically and socially weak backgrounds. We support programmes that work towards changing the mindset of communities to accept women as equal. The programmes we support rehabilitate women facing domestic violence, dowry harassment, and mental and physical abuse and offer educational support and vocational training so as to equip them with the skills to live economically independent lives.

Through our support, we endeavour to bring about a positive change in the lives of the most vulnerable. In the past year alone, we have reached out to 100,000 women through our supported programmes and equipped them to live more self-reliant, dignified lives.

What has been your biggest challenge in achieving your success?

Hiring the kind of talent that share our thought process, mindset and goals has always been a challenge for us. It is important to me that everyone is on the same wavelength and is working toward the same goal.

What has been your greatest achievement personally?

Personally, my greatest achievement has been raising my children to be good human beings and socially responsible citizens, as well as being able to balance my work and family life effectively all these years.

If you weren’t doing what you do now, what would you be doing?

If I weren’t with Concern India Foundation, I would probably be running my business of leather fabrication that I had begun when I lived in Delhi.

Who has been your biggest inspiration?

I believe in the Buddhist teachings and the philosophy of Nichiren Daishonin has always inspired me.

What does the future hold for you?

Our focus now and always is the holistic social development of the communities we support, which is why our support is extended to the three all-encompassing areas of education, health and community development.

We would like to continue to work with programmes to identify their challenges and strengthen their internal systems so that they work in a more efficient and accountable manner with the goal that they will be self-sustaining in the long run.

Concern India Foundation strongly believes that the disadvantaged need opportunities, not charity. We aspire to bring about a positive transformation in the lives of the most vulnerable section of our society.

How to contact Concern India Foundation: 
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