Macquarie Group Foundation | 2024 Annual Review
Young migrant workers in India are at risk of discrimination and exploitation because they are typically from underserved communities with limited access to education. Furthermore, there is a lack of support for young migrant workers which makes them susceptible to longer working hours, poor living and working conditions, social isolation and poor access to basic amenities or support from civil society.2
Across Asia we support 15 grant partners helping to break down barriers to employment for migrant workers. Seven of these partners are located and work in India, and as well as providing funding, we collaborate with other funders to strengthen and build the capacity of these organisations.
Our employment-focused partners support migrant workers in a range of ways:
In India during FY2024, Macquarie provided $A780,000 in philanthropic funding to seven employment-focused partners. Our employment-focused partners reported supporting 4,100 people into jobs, with a total of 23,200 people supported through training, skilling and employment programs.
Macquarie employees volunteering at the Bosconet Delhi Okhla Institute during Foundation Week 2023
The Don Bosco Network (Bosconet) created an innovative way to upskill young migrant workers for better jobs through the creation of its Job Placement Network (JPN), which provides comprehensive skills training and job placement services in 28 states across India.
The network provides a range of services and utilises technology to increase its reach:
regional centres in India3
people supported through skills training3
people supported into employment3
Our current three-year grant partnership (2023 to 2025) is supporting five regional centers in Delhi, Ranchi (Jharkhand), Dimapur (Nagaland), Bengaluru (Karnataka), and Tiruchirappalli (Tamil Nadu). In FY2024, the first full year of the current grant, 3,849 people were supported with skills training and 3,853 were supported into employment. The goal of the grant is to connect 20,000 young migrant workers with employment opportunities.
Since Macquarie started supporting the organisation in 2019, Bosconet has onboarded close to 41,000 young job seekers on the JPN portal; supported over 32,500 young people with employability skills training; and helped 21,312 young people into employment.
23-year-old Anita4, was born in a small village in Muallum, Manipur. Due to unrest in Manipur in 2023, Anita fled from her village and migrated to Delhi to find work. Anita soon realised how challenging it was to find a job and fell prey to some unscrupulous recruiting agencies which left her financially depleted and without a job.
Through one of her friends, Anita was introduced to the Bosconet JPN. The project team guided her on various career choices based on her existing qualifications and experience, and helped Anita prepare for job interviews. Subsequently, Anita and seven of her friends were employed at PVR INOX Cinemas Gurugram (formerly Priya Village Roadshow Ltd), an Indian multiplex chain based in Mumbai, where Anita continues to work today.5
Sumit Bhatia (back row, third from left) with colleagues from Macquarie’s Gurugram office and representatives from Bosconet at the Mockstars rock concert fundraiser.
In addition to Macquarie Group funding our people support Bosconet in a range of ways, primarily through a dedicated employee-led working group which organises annual volunteering and fundraising initiatives. During FY2024 our people:
Sumit Bhatia is the Chair of Macquarie’s India Community Advisory Committee (ICAC) - a committee formed to actively support the community work and non-profits partners in India. Sumit also acts as a senior champion for the Bosconet employee-led working group.
Sumit explains that Macquarie’s employees have taken a hands-on role by mentoring young people, using skills-based volunteering to provide coaching and training on many of the aspects of workplace life that aren’t taught within the education system.
Bosconet is all about empowering youth from underprivileged and migrant backgrounds by helping them into meaningful employment. It does this by offering training and other support. We liked that its reach extends beyond the major cities and into regional areas where there is often not as much opportunity for young people.”
Sumit Bhatia
Macquarie employees volunteering at the Bosconet Delhi Okhla Institute during Foundation Week 2023
