The American India Foundation (AIF) is a non-profit American organization with the objective to aid the economic and social development of India. It was founded in 2001. It is known to be one of the foremost non-partisan American organizations concerned with development efforts in India.
The Foundation offers the prestigious Service Corps Fellowship, renamed as the William J. Clinton Fellowship for Service to India. This is a volunteer service program which lasts 10 months. Young and skilled Americans are sent as volunteers to assist and work with development organizations across various parts of India.
ORIGIN:
The American India Foundation was established in 2001 by Bill Clinton, the then US President. The initiative owes itself to a suggestion from the Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee by a bunch of Indian-Americans responding to the Gujarat earthquake disaster.
AIF has offices in the American states of New York and California, and twelve chapters across the US. The headquarters for its Indian operations are located in New Delhi.
WHAT IS AMERICAN INDIA FOUNDATION CLINTON FELLOWSHIP:
The William J. Clinton Fellowship for Service in India is an immersive, 10-month volunteer programme matching young professionals with development organizations. Fellows work on scalable and property development comes within the fields of education, livelihoods, and public health.
The AIF Clinton Fellowship helps to form a succeeding generation of leaders committed to positive amendment whereas additionally strengthening civil society in each the U.S. and India.
Through collaboration and capacity-building, Fellows, AIF and civil society leaders type dynamic partnerships to capacity-build, exchange data and skills, and share a mutual passion for advancing social and economic development. Fellows serve on associate degree annual basis from September first to Gregorian calendar month ordinal with development organizations across India.
ITS WORK:
CATALYZING SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CHANGE IN INDIA is the objective of the American India Foundation.
The American India Foundation is committed towards assisting development efforts in India and building a lasting bridge between the U.S. and India. It plans to do this through high-impact interventions in key areas such as education, livelihoods, public health, and leadership development. Operating closely with native communities, AIF partners with government and NGOs to find innovative solutions which leave a lasting impact.
EDUCATION :
- HELPING CHILDREN SHAPE THEIR OWN FUTURE: Through its education programs, AIF aims to help children from neglected and marginalized regions gain access to high-quality training and educational opportunities.
- LEARNING AND MIGRATION PROGRAM: This program seeks to help those children who are unable to study when their parents migrate to different places in search of jobs. It seeks to tackle India’s great dropout crisis. The motto of the program is “Leaving no children behind”.
- DIGITAL EQUALIZER: This program aims to bridge the digital divide in India’s educational sector. 60% of India’s public schools lack proper technology to impart children with crucial knowledge and technical skills they need in today’s world.
LIVELIHOODS :
- CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL: The foundation works in collaboration with the public and private sector to create sustainable livelihood opportunities for all individuals and communities. The goal is to ensure equal access to opportunities for all.
- MARKET ALIGNED SKILLS TRAINING: More and more young people enter the workforce every year in this country. This program seeks to equip the youth with the necessary skills for employement.
- ABILITY BASED LIVELIHOOD EMPOWERMENT: Nearly 27 million people in India live with a disability. This initiative helps people with disabilities find employment and lead dignified lives.
- RICKSHAW SANGH: This helps rickshaw drivers obtain asset ownership of rickshaws, seeks to dignify their occupation and provide them with sustainable livelihoods.
PUBLIC HEALTH :
- MATERNAL & NEWBORN SURVIVAL INITIATIVE
MANSI strives to bring “Change for individuals, families, and communities”.
UNICEF reports that almost a quarter of maternal deaths worldwide occur in India. Babies whose mothers die at childbirth have a minimal chance of survival. In India, women, especially those who belong to rural spaces, do not have proper access to childcare, good hospitals, or appropriate knowledge.
The Maternal and Newborn Survival Initiative (MANSI) aims to reduce maternal and child mortality in India’s rural and marginalized regions. With a public-private partnership, MANSI not only helps improve the local health system but also empowers communities with necessary resources and knowledge.
MANSI has done major work in the Indian state of Jharkhand, where mortality rates are very high. This is due to its dense forests and hilly terrain, which prevents villages from being able to access proper healthcare facilities. Seraikela-Kharsawan district is one of the poorest districts of Jharkhand, where villagers have to travel up to ten miles if they are in need of medical assistance. The result is a widespread practice of home deliveries which does not give the child and mother the care they need.
“I will save each and every child of my village so that there is not a single helpless mother in the village like me who can do nothing but wait and watch her child collapse in front of her. It will be my tribute to my first child.”Champa Manjhi, Community Health Worker, Jankipur, Jharkhand
The program assigns trained community health workers (Sahiya) to villages to provide home-based care. It promotes positive health behaviors among individuals and communities by educating and spreading awareness among them. The system ensures timely referrals and emergency care during pregnancy. it improves access to public and private healthcare services. AIF has played an essential role in developing a sustainable system at all levels for the community and local Health Ministry, leaving a long lasting impact.
SUMMING UP:
The American India Foundation is an organization which aims at sustainable development. It has maintained good relations between the two countries, America and India, doing its best to assist and foster positive change. Through the American India Foundation Clinton Fellowship, many young people have joined hands to help our developing nation on its path to progress. If you are a young individual who wishes to make a positive impact on millions of people, join this ray of hope today!
