Dharma Life | Dharma Life

The We for Village Alliance


Area of Focus:
Geography:
India

TRANSFORM Survive & Thrive helped Dharma's Life network of over 16,000 rural entrepreneurs pivot to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and bring access to vital goods and services to India's most vulnerable communities.

head shot

Get in touch with Dharma Life

If you would like to learn more or explore opportunities to collaborate, click below to connect with this enterprise.

Contact view profile

The Challenge

When the COVID-19 pandemic reached India, the country went into lockdown. While this was a shock to those living in urban areas, it was particularly difficult for India’s rural population, most of whom already had limited access to public, health services, information and vital goods and services.

Thanks to the strategic, operational and financial support provided by TRANSFORM, Dharma Life is now in the process of pivoting its model using a digital-first approach and repurposing its network of 16,000 rural Dharma Life entrepreneurs (DLEs) as a crisis response force to respond to these challenges.

The impact enterprise

Dharma Life is a social enterprise which improves the quality of life in rural India through a holistic women entrepreneurship model that provides low-income households and individuals with livelihoods, awareness and access to socially impactful products and services at the last mile. Dharma Life identifies aspiring women, and trains and mentor them through certified programs to become village-level micro-entrepreneurs: the Dharma Life Entrepreneurs (DLEs).

The idea

To repurpose the network of DLEs into a crisis response force to support the Government of India in fighting this pandemic by addressing the above listed problems through last mile research, information dissemination and behaviour change, and delivery of socially impactful products at the last mile.

The implementation

Dharma Life implemented a three-step process that reached vulnerable communities while refining outreach through real-time research and data collection.

Man standing by public toilet

Research

Identify the areas of greatest need.

Rural community

Communication

Communicate vital healthcare information, behaviour change content and provide issue resolution support.

A Dharma Life DLE

Delivery

Focus on care package delivery and re-establishing the supply chain for essential and social impact goods.

ST Logo

This is a TRANSFORM Survive & Thrive COVID-19 initiative

If your enterprise or organisation would benefit from or could contribute to the TRANSFORM Survive & Thrive platform, we want to hear from you. Find out more

Women in Africa

Collaborate with Dharma Life and other impact enterprises

Explore our discussion and project board to discover projects on the TRANSFORM Survive & Thrive platform and interact with other impact enterprises.

Related resources

  • EY Finance Navigator
    Specifically designed for start-ups, this online financial planning software is trusted by entrepreneurs in more than 80 countries worldwide.
    • Digital Transformation
    • General Business Support
    • Skills Development
  • EY Velocity
    This free digital platform helps ambitious CEOs, business leaders and entrepreneurs identify and focus on their high-impact, high-urgency priorities.
    • General Business Support
    • Strategic Support
Share-your-story

Share your story

If you have a story on how your enterprise has pivoted to maintain or increase its impact, you can submit it here.