We all are aware of IT startups, healthcare startups, digital marketing startups, but what we hardly hear about social startups. Well, it is not your fault if you are not aware of social startups because this is the domain that seeks a minimum interest.
Before we start our discussion about social startups, Let us Know what a social startup is?
What is Social Startup?
Social Startups refer to the startups that provide support to the society for its upliftment. It can be in the form of a technical or non-tech organisation.
For Eg: All the people who work on the ground without any digital impact, are the non-tech social organisations.
Here you can consider NGOs in India who work in different domains addressing the social issues in India. They can be working in a single area like Environment or say Health or any other as per their interest.
Now, coming to the startups that work for the different social concerns, but they provide an online platform for the users to get a higher benefit.
We can find limited versions of social startups that offer an online platform. However, one such example is SOCIAL PILLARS.
SOCIAL PILLARS has its personalised social media platform that is customised only to address and work for the Social Problems In India.
Why Do We Need Social Startups in India?
India is a developing country ever since its independence in 1947. It is 73 years of independence, yet we could not achieve the tag of a developed nation.
Why?? Well, the reason is existing socio-economic issues in India that always drag us back in achieving our milestone. For becoming a developed nation, we do not need to work on economic problems, but handling Social Problems in India is equally important.
What Are The Existing Social Problems in India?
Some of the existing Social Issues in India are:
- Poverty
- Lack of education
- Women harassment
- Gender inequality
- Population
- Pollution
- Environmental issues
- Child trafficking
- Rapes, and more
Now, when we talk about the government, they put all their efforts to improve the condition. It is the reason that we are developing and not underdeveloped.
However, the government can’t address all Social Problems in India. Here is when Social Startups like NGO in India and other individual initiatives are helpful.
These initiatives can work only when the common man like you and I can offer support to the social startups. Every individual has their duties for the upliftment of the nation. In short, together with the citizens of India, the government and Social Startups can create the difference.
How Are Social Startups Helpful to Resolve Social Problems in India?
India was once fighting with a social issue called ‘Sati System’. With the efforts of social reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy, we could finally succeed to make Sati practice illegal in India.
The government of Lord William Bentick could declare it illegal in 1829 only because of the initiation of protest against it in society. Before this initiation, thousands of women were losing their lives in India.
So, the concept of Social Startups is not something new. It is just gaining highlights with each passing day. If a single person can make a move in society when a team starts working for the betterment of society, the difference can reach visible levels.
Different Ways in Which Social StartUps Are Helpful:
Social Startups have real power to introduce a change in society. It is because the initiators of the social startups are the part of the community who possess an in-depth understanding of the current social issues.
The crisis that a person feels due to finances, only a person suffering poverty can understand. Similarly, someone who is affected by the pollution of the metro cities would know the need of improving the air quality index.
So, in short, India needs more social reformers, more social organisations to introduce the change in prevailing social issues.
Let us consider a few examples for better understanding.
A social startup or an NGO working continuously for the environment has the power to make your surroundings healthy.
Suppose you feel suffocating in the pollution of your city. You take the pledge of planting ten trees in your locality every week.
Looking at you, one of your neighbours feels motivated. Now you both are planting 20 trees collectively in a week. Within two months you can make your area clean, green and reduce pollution to approximately 50%.
You are a social startup because you are addressing the existing problem of the community and working for its betterment.
It is an example of a local startup. Tomorrow when you have more volunteers, you two can be the founder of this pollution control startup and increase your reach.
You can spread your area, your reach and finally the impact. Now, if you introduce your work digitally using technology, you can expand your reach to a national and international level.
A Teacher Who Teaches Underprivileged Is Adding Resources to The Country.
Literacy rate in India back in 2011 was 64.80%. It is not even a decade; several socio-economic reforms increased the literacy rate to 81.3%.
How? Undoubtedly the government is making consistent efforts in the education department, but we cannot forget the support of NGOs in India.
The NGOs and education startups are working day and night to improve the literacy rate. Several teachers give up on their full-time job to support the illiterates in their village.
Some social reformers have added teaching in their part-time and take it along with the full-time job. The contribution of youth is enormous to contribute to learning. When you are busy planning your parties on the weekend, your friends travel to remote areas to teach underprivileged children.
They join several NGOs working in the education sector to contribute their part to make our country developed.
Similarly, different social startups work in various domains to eradicate the prevailing Social Problems in India.
Conclusion:
IT startups and Healthcare startups are massive support for the economic development of the country. Similarly, Social Startups are a need of the hour to improve the social scenario of India.
For introducing the change, we cannot rely on the government, NGOs and other non-profit organisations; we all have to be part of this change.
You need to perform the actions to get the results for your dreams.
You can find a long list of motivational speakers, but for gaining social balance in India, we need more doers.
Do not forget to share your thoughts in the comment box.
