20 | Acquisition International, Non-Profit Organisation Awards 2025 Neurodevelopmental Rehabilitation Organisation of the Year 2025 – India The Society for Action in Community Health, or SACH, is a national non-profit committed to improving the health, dignity, and livelihoods of those trapped in India’s most marginalised communities. Guided by the belief that community health is not simply the absence of disease, but also the presence of social, physical, emotional, and economic wellbeing, SACH’s focus is on driving sustainable community transformation by focusing on health, education, livelihood, and inclusion. We spoke with the NPO’s own K. P. Rajendran for more about how it achieves this aim. Contact: K. P. Rajendran Company: Society for Action in Community Health Web Address: https://www.sachindia.org/ Working towards its vision of an India made up of self-reliant communities, SACH has come a long way since opening its doors in 1988, but its focus on uplifting society’s most marginalised through access and empowerment has remained. The organisation was set up by a group of medical professionals, and its initial aim was to improve urban access to India’s public health services. This focus has pivoted over the years, with SACH growing into one of India’s premier models for sustainable intervention in the health sector. As for how SACH achieves these self-reliance targets, the organisation reaches out to those members of society that are excluded or socially/economically disadvantaged, fostering equity, dignity, and opportunity through an approach that seamlessly blends grassroots engagement with evidencebased planning. For example, Sansvitha, the integrated, replicable, and multi-disciplinary model that stems from this approach, sees the delivery of optimal care to those facing neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Sansvitha was first introduced as part of SACH’s services two years ago and represents just one of the ways the team here are delivering programmes that are both scalable and locally relevant to the people and communities of India. Other examples of their fantastic work include community-based health and nutrition programmes, skill development and general livelihood promotion, holistic care and education for children with NDDs, women’s empowerment initiatives, rural infrastructure development, and more. The success of all these initiatives, as well as everything else SACH does, can be attributed to its team, which K. P. Rajendran described as the “cornerstone of all our success stories”. He continued: “It is their commitment, creativity, and compassion that forms our foundation and drives us to deliver impact across the most challenging and diverse environments.” This becomes especially important when considering how deeply specialised programmes like Sansvitha are, as well as the dedication and expertise they necessitate. Whilst a technical skillset is essential given the nature of this work, SACH believes in the power of empathy and innovation over all, and it is these qualities it seeks out across those it employs. The organisation’s culture of learning and collaboration reflects this further, and sees a motivated, charged environment nurtured by emphasising open dialogue, investing in team growth, and celebrating wins together. The internal and external trust that follows paves the way for lasting change. However, drive alone is not enough for SACH to reach the ambitious targets it has set, and the NPO relies on funding from the likes of donors and government agencies. As is the case with many non-profits, securing this funding is often a challenge, especially flexible and longterm funding. These are not the only difficulties the team face, as they also have to navigate complex frameworks that see traditional methods combined with modern systems and manage a largely remote workforce. Explaining how SACH responds, K. P. told us: “We try to overcome some of these through our constant efforts of diversifying our funding base, initiating partnerships with government and private sector agencies, and building local leadership.” He continued: “Our ability to adapt quickly while remaining focused on our mission has helped us overcome these challenges and remain rooted in our community priorities.” Continuing to foster this deep connection with India’s local communities is SACH’s main priority for the rest of 2025, a year also set to see initiatives such as the expanding of Sansvitha to more districts, the publishing of global case studies and integrative care protocols within the field of NDDs, the scaling of livelihood programmes for women and children, and more collaborations with the state. Finally, looking ahead to the longer term, K. P. explained: “Beyond 2025, we envision Sansvitha as a replicable, community-rooted model for integrated care that can be adopted across India and globally. We aim to continue promoting inclusive health systems that leave no one behind.” It is the encompassing approach displayed by this grassroots nonprofit in India – especially when it comes to holistic care for neurodevelopmental disorders – that has led to The Society for Action in Community Health winning this award.
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