Goa, India: Over 800 employees of Avanse Financial Services, a leading education-focused non-banking financial company (NBFC) in India, united during the company’s Annual Business Meet 2025 to assemble 90 bicycles for underprivileged students in Goa.
This unique initiative demonstrates Avanse’s commitment to integrating its social mission with internal engagement. What began as a large-scale team-building exercise was transformed into a meaningful effort to help students from underserved communities get better access to education. By combining collective employee participation with a tangible social outcome, Avanse reinforced its core belief that education is not just to be financed, but actively enabled.
In collaboration with the Goa Livelihoods Forum (GLF), a non-profit think tank focused on holistic development in the region, Avanse employees physically built bicycles that are now being distributed to students from government-aided schools. These students, aged between 12 and 14 years and studying in classes 6 and 7, often walk long distances to attend school, facing fatigue and daily challenges that affect their academic performance and overall well-being.
Rather than outsourcing the process or merely donating, Avanse employees opted to build each bicycle themselves. This initiative became a powerful symbol of what teamwork can accomplish. Titles faded, departments blurred, and what remained was a single united force committed to doing good together.
Amit Gainda, Managing Director & CEO of Avanse Financial Services, said, “We didn’t just build bicycles, we built hope, we built connections. When you have more than 800 people working together, the energy is something else. We could have donated ready-made bicycles, but we chose to build them ourselves because every child deserves that kind of care. During this year’s ABM, we came together as a family and seized the opportunity to make a difference for several underserved children. These bicycles are not just tools of mobility; they represent freedom, access, and progress.”
A senior representative from Goa Livelihoods Forum (GLF), the NGO partner, said, “This cycle distribution program is a game-changer for economically poor students. By collaborating with Avanse, we are able to provide bicycles to students who previously had to walk long distances to school, ensuring their safety and saving them valuable time. We expect this initiative to not only improve their academic performance but also enhance their overall well-being. With bicycles, these students can now commute safely, attend school regularly, and focus on their studies without the burden of long walks.”
The NGO will continue to monitor the progress of these students by engaging with schools, teachers, local Self-Help Groups (SHGs), and parents. Through regular interactions and feedback loops, they aim to assess not just academic progress but also improvements in attendance, engagement, and overall well-being.
This initiative reflects Avanse’s ongoing efforts to not only finance education but also strengthen the ecosystem around it, particularly in communities where consistent access to learning opportunities can still be limited.