Leadership Message
Dear ICA Family,
Wishing all members of the Indians for Collective Action (ICA) community-our donors, partners, supported organizations in the U.S. and India, and our volunteers-a very happy and hopeful New Year.
My travels across India in October and November 2025 offered a close and moving look at the contrasting realities in which Indian NGOs operate. While urban and rural NGOs share the same mission-to improve lives and create opportunity-their environments, challenges, and approaches differ greatly. Yet it is precisely these differences that make collaboration essential.
Urban NGOs often work where infrastructure, digital access, government offices, and donors are more accessible. Their strengths lie in advocacy, fundraising, policy engagement, research, and innovation. They are well positioned to amplify voices, influence systems, and mobilize resources quickly.
Rural NGOs, by contrast, operate at the deepest grassroots level. Embedded in villages, they work directly with families on education, healthcare, livelihoods, women's empowerment, and social justice. Their work is slow, relational, and trust-based—often in places where state support is limited or inconsistent. What I saw repeatedly was extraordinary dedication under very difficult conditions.
A defining challenge for rural NGOs is navigating deeply rooted caste hierarchies and socio-economic divisions. Upper- and lower-caste dynamics continue to shape access to land, jobs, education, and dignity. NGOs working with marginalized communities often face resistance-from local power structures, dominant castes, and sometimes from within communities themselves, where fear and internalized inequality persist. This makes organizing and empowerment far more complex than service delivery alone.
These social barriers create real risks: programs may be blocked, staff threatened or isolated, and beneficiaries pressured not to participate. Rural NGOs must therefore act not only as service providers but also as mediators, advocates, and protectors of vulnerable groups.
This is where partnership with urban NGOs becomes vital. Urban organizations can offer funding, visibility, legal support, technology, training, and access to policymakers, while rural NGOs provide lived experience, cultural understanding, and trust that cannot be replicated from afar.
Bridging this gap requires intentional collaboration-shared planning, two-way learning, long-term funding, and mutual respect. Urban NGOs must listen to grassroots partners, and rural NGOs must be supported in building organizational strength and leadership from within marginalized communities.
What I witnessed made one thing clear: lasting change will not come from cities alone or villages alone. It will come when rural and urban NGOs work hand in hand-combining compassion with capacity, and grassroots wisdom with systemic reach.
With nearly 80 partner NGOs across rural and urban India, ICA is uniquely positioned to bridge these divides. Our network spans the full ecosystem of change-from village organizations confronting caste and poverty to urban NGOs with access to funding, media, legal systems, and policy platforms. The opportunity before us is not to work harder in isolation, but to work smarter together.
Strengthening collaboration must be a strategic priority. Rural NGOs need better pathways to urban resources, advocacy, and technology. Urban NGOs need deeper, ongoing connection to rural realities and leadership. When collaboration is intentional-through shared programs, joint learning, coordinated campaigns, and pooled resources-our collective impact multiplies.
ICA can serve as the bridge that connects these organizations into a unified learning and action community. Together, we can break down caste barriers, reduce inequality, and scale what works. The future of meaningful change in India lies not in choosing between rural or urban solutions, but in weaving them together.
This is both the challenge we must meet and the opportunity we must seize as ICA continues to grow. We are deeply grateful for your continued support, encouragement, and inspiration. Together, we can keep building a stronger and more inclusive nonprofit ecosystem in India.
President
Indians for Collective Action (ICA)
ICA Supported NGO Spotlight
Ek Tara: Empowering Girls Through Education
Based in the heart of the Topsia and Tiljala slums in Kolkata, Ek Tara is a high-impact non-profit dedicated to transforming the lives of marginalized girls and women through a holistic, child-centric approach. Since its inception in 2011, Ek Tara has evolved from a small community initiative into a robust educational powerhouse, providing high-quality English-medium education, nutrition, and healthcare to over 1,500 children.
Supported by Indians for Collective Action (ICA), Ek Tara's mission centers on breaking the cycle of poverty by ensuring every child-particularly the first-generation learner-receives the tools to realize their full potential. Their state-of-the-art Learning Centre features digital classrooms, a STEAM laboratory, and the Tomorrowland Foundation Music and Arts School, fostering creativity alongside core academics.
Beyond the classroom, Ek Tara empowers the community through its social enterprise, Creative Ek Tara, which provides sustainable livelihood opportunities for local women. By maintaining a 95% transition rate from pre-primary to high school, Ek Tara is not just educating individuals; it is shifting community mindsets and building a future where every girl has the agency to lead an empowered life.
To learn more or support their mission, visit ektara.org.in
From the Youth Leadership Program (YLP)
As we step into 2026 with renewed energy and purpose, the Youth Leadership Program is thrilled to share some exciting milestones and upcoming initiatives with the ICA community.
We are delighted to announce a strategic partnership between Indians for Collective Action (ICA) and India Community Center (ICC) to take our Youth Leadership Program to a broader audience and the next level of impact. This collaboration strengthens our shared commitment to nurturing socially conscious, globally aware youth leaders. We extend our sincere thanks to Manoj Goel, CEO of ICC, along with Shilpi Jain and Sonali Bhandari, for their unwavering support.
Looking ahead, preparations are well underway for the 2026 ICA Youth Leadership Program International Student Trip to Hemalkasa, scheduled from June 28 to July 12, 2026. This immersive experience will offer students a unique opportunity to engage in service learning, cultural exchange, and leadership development in rural India.
To ensure families are well informed, we have already conducted multiple information sessions for students and parents, covering trip logistics, learning objectives, safety considerations, and interactive Q&A discussions. The response and enthusiasm from the community have been truly encouraging.
Interest has been very strong, and spots for the trip are filling fast-families are encouraged to register soon to secure participation.
For more details about the trip, please click below.
More Details & Application Information
Or write to us at: icaaylp.indiatrip@gmail.comIn another meaningful development, the Hemalkasa School has successfully set up a smart classroom, equipped with a smart board, camera, speakers, and related technology-with support from ICA. This initiative enables ICA student leaders to provide online tutoring and mentorship, extending the impact of YLP beyond physical travel and creating sustained, year-round engagement.
We are excited about what lies ahead and deeply grateful to our partners, volunteers, parents, and student leaders who continue to make YLP a powerful platform for leadership, service, and global citizenship.
Here's to an inspiring and impactful 2026!
We encourage families to explore the program early and consider this rare opportunity for students to broaden their worldview while making a meaningful impact.
Manju Mishra
ICA Youth Leadership Program Team
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