Increasingly, proximate and community leaders are demonstrating to global leaders that they not only carry the solutions in their communities but are creating real and lasting change.
These proximate leaders include Vanessa D’Souza, the Chief Executive Officer of SNEHA (Society for Nutrition, Education, and Health Action), which is a member organization of the Global Alliance for Communities based in Mumbai, India.
Celebrating 25 years of effecting change at a community level, SNEHA is improving the health and well-being of women and children, with a particular focus on preventing and addressing gender-based violence.
The power of community outreach
In the early 1990s, neonatologist Dr. Armida Fernandez and her team cared for underweight and premature infants from low-income households in Mumbai, who often experienced poor health outcomes. Over the years they realized in-hospital interventions were not enough, because many of the children they treated struggled to survive or hit their developmental milestones after being discharged.
“Hospitals alone were the answer for ensuring the health of newborns. If we wanted to make a change in their lives, we had to go beyond the four walls of the hospital. We had to go into the slums, into the communities they live in, into their homes if we were to succeed in changing their attitudes,” Dr. Armida Fernandez recalls.
To find lasting solutions to child mortality and stunted development, they spent time in Mumbai’s low-income settlements, learning about the compounding challenges of lack of information, resources and access to quality health services. Using the information from their community outreach, SNEHA designed and implemented specialized programs in partnership with the public health system. As their impact grew, so did the support from individuals and organizations—including Vanessa D’Souza, who was working in finance when she first got involved with SNEHA.
Inspired by impact
Vanessa’s path to leadership at SNEHA began when she volunteered for the organization whilst working at a leading global bank. Inspired by the impact she witnessed, she left her banking job for the social impact sector.
Twelve years later, she serves as the CEO, and she is even more deeply invested in the community and motivated by the significant progress made by the organization and the sector. This progress includes seeing an increased awareness and sensitivity towards gender-based violence, which she notes, has been accompanied by a greater appreciation for community mobilization and engagement.
Another encouraging development, she adds, has been the impact of India’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Act. This legislation has led to increased engagement from the corporate sector in social causes and a growing trend of professionals transitioning from corporate careers to the social sector. This shift has brought fresh perspectives and resources to the field, enhancing the capacity of organizations like SNEHA to drive impact.
Addressing global challenges
Looking at the broader development sector, Vanessa emphasized the importance of recognizing the interconnectedness of global challenges and the need for direct engagement with communities to fully understand and address the problems they face.
“One thing I’d like to see in the wider community is people recognizing the interconnectedness we have. And therefore, they are not thinking of it as this is somebody else’s problem but actually thinking of it as our problem and doing whatever is possible within their own capacity.”
For Vanessa, evidence-based models and qualitative research are essential tools for creating effective solutions that can be scaled and replicated in different global contexts.
A prime example of this approach is SNEHA’s work in addressing urban malnutrition. Initially focused on distributing ready-to-use therapeutic food, the organization shifted its strategy to providing home-based counseling to caregivers. This change not only resulted in a significant reduction in malnutrition but also empowered communities to take ownership of their health outcomes.
The power of grassroots engagement
Throughout this process, what’s stood out for Vanessa is the value of deep community engagement, innovation, and honesty in grassroots organizations. She believes that staying true to the mission, being transparent about successes and failures, and maintaining a focus on quality over quantity are crucial for the sustainability and impact of grassroots initiatives.
During our discussion, Vanessa also highlighted the importance of donor support in model building and research. She stressed that donors should be patient and understanding, recognizing that not all initiatives will go as planned. This openness to learning from mistakes is key to fostering innovation and resilience in the social sector.
Looking ahead
At the Alliance, we believe that leaders like Vanessa are needed now more than ever. Their leadership at SNEHA exemplifies the power of passion, commitment, and community engagement in driving social change.
Her journey from volunteer to CEO, her insights into the progress and challenges in the social impact sector, and her vision for the future are a source of inspiration for all of us at the Global Alliance for Communities.
We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Vanessa and SNEHA, and working together to amplify impact and empower communities across the global south.
GAC works with member organizations like SNEHA to champion for the localization of aid, because we believe local organizations understand the community dynamics, cultural needs, and power structures that inform key interventions. Learn more about the work we do with grassroots organizations, and apply for our free membership here.