Rekha, a beneficiary from a Woman Literacy Program, was once hesitant to step out alone but now can commute confidently to her hometown, Muzaffarpur. Her journey was not about distance but breaking barriers. Much to our surprise she also crafts Jhoomar and earns 3,000–4,000 rupees a month, proving that empowerment isn’t just taught; it’s lived.
But how do we measure the real impact of such social initiatives? This is where Social Return on Investment (SROI) comes in. SROI is an impact assessment framework that measures the social, environmental, and economic value created by a welfare program. SoulAce, India’s leading CSR consulting and monitoring & evaluation firm, conducted the SROI assessment for this Women Literacy Program (WLC) spearheaded by a utilities company in Delhi.It empowered women, made them aware of financial independence, and reclaimed rights in society.
Unlike traditional financial metrics, SROI emphasizes well-being, reducing inequality, and sustainability. It assigns a monetary value to tangible and intangible outcomes, offering a clear ratio of social impact per unit of investment. For example, an SROI ratio of 5:1 means every ₹1 invested generates ₹5 in social value.
SoulAce offers data-driven insights to measure the real-world impact. It highlights how every rupee invested translated into economic upliftment while reinforcing the projects’ contributions to long-term community sustainability.
We shed light on programs that underscore the importance of SROI as a tool for organizations to assess the full spectrum of benefits for communities.
The WLC was aimed at helping underprivileged women attain functional literacy with the help of a unique speech-based software. They learnt numbers, words, and sentence formation and also turned financially independent as many chose to become instructors after completing the course.
The SROI conducted by SoulAce found that the real impact was beyond literacy, eventually, many graduates of the program turned into community leaders, mentors, and entrepreneurs, proving the power of transformation through education.
“At SoulAce, our CSR impact assessment team has worked with over 150 large private and public sector companies in 200+ districts across the country. Although impact assessment is mandatory for certain classes of companies, we are witnessing a spurt in the number of companies looking to measure the holistic impact of their CSR projects, both in quantitative and qualitative terms.” said, Adarsh Kataruka Managing Director, SoulAce.
A low down on the tangible benefits of the WLC Program
Another testament to the power of empowerment was the story of Yasmin ( beneficiary of WLC) towards financial independence. She successfully started a clothing shop, earning ₹7,000 a month with the support of her WLC teacher and financial literacy training. She can now easily navigate Sadar Market independently, make smart purchasing decisions for her business, and have a stronger voice in family decisions. Her story highlights how knowledge and encouragement can transform lives!
A major section of women have gained access to government schemes like Ladli Yojana, Sukanya Yojana, and Ayushman Bharat, securing financial and healthcare benefits.Due to improved medical awareness, there was a reduction in health-related deaths.
The Key Findings of the WLC program
- 89 percent of women can read letters and numbers and do simple calculations easily.
- 82 percent of women were able to read newspapers after the program.
- 91 percent of women can sign documents.
- 90 percent of women feel that the program helped them in skill development and functional literacy.
The Key Impact of the WLC program
- 75 percent of the beneficiaries were able to travel alone as the program helped them read signboards/posters and bus numbers.
- 50 percent of the beneficiaries opened bank accounts after the program and can do bank transactions and operate ATMs.
- 72 percent of the beneficiaries agreed that they were more involved with children’s education and helped them in studies/ review report cards.
- 78 percent of the beneficiaries agreed that the program helped in the improvement of communication skills.
The Invisible Impact of the WLC Program
The WLC program sparked profound, intangible transformations in the lives of its beneficiaries. Women were less hesitant and gained confidence. They participated actively in community affairs and collaborated with other women and agencies. Self-doubt was taken over by a sense of respect. Women were more aware of their rights and could make informed decisions. Further, their progress inspired their children, breaking the cycle of illiteracy at home and improving their family well-being. There was a significant psychological impact —reduced gender inequality.
Women now had a voice, a sense of independence, and a future they could shape on their own terms apart from learning from these programs.
The Process and Principles of SROI
SROI is based on seven key principles: engaging stakeholders, understanding change, valuing what matters, focusing on what’s material, avoiding over-claiming, ensuring transparency, and verifying results. Nonprofits can assess and communicate the social value they create through them.
The SROI framework adopted for this study followed a structured six-phase approach:
- Establishing scope and identifying stakeholders
- Mapping outcomes
- Evidencing outcomes and assigning values
- Establishing impact
- Calculating SROI
- Reporting
Key Challenges and Barriers to implementing the WLC Program
A major challenge was mobilizing women as many didn’t see immediate benefits and needed counselling. Family resistance was common, with initial doubts about the need for education and jealousy over women earning, mostly from husbands. But support grew once financial benefits became evident.
Issues related to infrastructure like cramped classrooms that made teaching difficult were common. Finding replacement instructors on short notice was another problem. Limited funds and low salaries constrained program expansion. But the program persisted, proving that with determination and community support, barriers to women’s education and empowerment could be overcome.
Women Literacy Program achieves a high SROI of 4.66
The project’s SROI stood at 4.66, meaning every ₹1 invested generated ₹4.66 in social value. With a total input of ₹26.62 crore and a net output of ₹12.41 crore, the project achieved significant impact. This high SROI confirmed that the initiative not only covered costs but also created substantial economic and social benefits.
The success of the Women Literacy Program served as a benchmark for other organizations looking to drive social impact. With quantifiable benefits and a strong return on investment, the initiative stood as a testament to the power of education in transforming lives and fostering inclusive economic growth.
SoulAce leverages SROI to optimize CSR initiatives like the Udaan Scholarship Program and Project Aastha for long-term impact. Here’s a low-down:
Udaan Scholarship Program: Driving High Social Returns on Investment in Education
An MNC has launched the Udaan Scholarship Program to enhance educational access and workforce readiness. The multi-tiered initiative supported over 1,300 students from low-income backgrounds over the next three years. The primary motive was to tackle gender disparity in education and maximize SROI through targeted interventions across three academic stages as 50% of the scholarship was reserved for girls.
A Data-Driven Approach to Educational Upliftment and Maximising SROI
The Udaan Scholarship ensured high-impact outcomes at different educational levels by aligning with the key Sustainable Development Goals or SDG 4 of quality education and SDG 5 of gender equality.
- Reduced Dropout Rates: The initiative prevented early school dropouts, a key barrier for low-income communities by supporting students in completing secondary education.
- Workforce Ready: The program promoted skill-based learning, addressing industry demands and increasing employment prospects by offering scholarships and diploma courses.
- Higher Education Accessibility: It fostered long-term socioeconomic mobility, leading to higher earning potential and financial stability by funding undergraduate education post-12th grade.
The scholarship model was not just a financial aid program but a strategic investment in human capital. Around 750 scholarships were awarded in the first year and recipients received up to INR 30,000 per year reinforcing long-term economic sustainability for marginalized communities.
Project Aastha’s comprehensive support to over 600,000 Cancer Patients Nationwide
‘Project Aastha’ started in late 2021 by an MNC aimed at providing holistic support to cancer patients and their caregivers, addressing multifaceted challenges encountered during the treatment journey. It has assisted over 600,000 beneficiaries, including more than 70,000 patients, through help desks established in prominent hospitals across the country.
Focus on five major objectives to enhance patient care:
- Establishment of help desks within select cancer hospitals to provide on-site assistance.
- Guidance to help patients and caregivers navigate complex healthcare systems, ensuring timely access to necessary services.
- The project linked patients with various government schemes and provides guidance to access financial aid from trusts, civil society, or individual donors.
- Emotional and mental health support is provided through counselling services, both in-person and via helplines, to address the psychological impact of a cancer diagnosis.
- Community outreach programs have trained over 1,800 community health workers in breast cancer awareness and self-examination techniques to promote early detection and prevention.
Project Aastha offered comprehensive non-medical support services, including assistance with patient registration, travel and accommodation logistics, dietary counseling, and co-morbidity management. The holistic approach ensured that the diverse needs of cancer patients and their families were met throughout the treatment process.
It exemplified best practices in cancer support in India, offering patient-centered care that addressed medical and non-medical challenges.
About SoulAce
SoulAce is India’s leading CSR consulting and monitoring & evaluation firm. Over the last 15 years, SoulAce has delivered over 3,000 CSR projects across 28 states and 200+ districts in India. Some clients include Tata Sons, P&G, IBM, Oracle, Reliance Foundation, Hindustan Unilever, Colgate Palmolive, Asian Paints, Titan, and Kotak Mahindra Bank, among others. SoulAce’s major verticals include CSR Impact Assessment and Fund Utilization Reviews, Advisory, CSR Monitoring & Evaluation, and Employee Volunteering. It also offers a CSR grant management platform to help organizations meet CSR compliance. SoulAce’s ESG platform helps companies manage, report, and optimize environmental, social, and governance performance.
For further information, please get in touch with nachiket@soulace.in