Macquarie Group Foundation | 2024 Annual Review

Spotlight on India grantmaking

Empowering young migrant workers to build a better future

$A780,000+

contributed to employment-focused grant partners in India1

7

employment-focused grant partners1

27,000+

people supported through training, skilling, and employment programs1

4,100+

people supported into employment1

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:

  • fighting human trafficking through protection, rescue, and rehabilitation 
  • delivering financial literacy education and legal awareness on rights and entitlements 
  • facilitating linkages with government schemes and benefits 
  • building sustainable recruitment practices 
  • influencing policy change in support of vulnerable communities 
  • up-skilling migrants for better livelihood prospects. 

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. 

The Don Bosco Job Placement Network

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:

  • connecting young jobseekers to formal labour markets ensuring quality jobs
  • providing jobseekers with skills and employability training
  • linking jobseekers with employers through a dedicated web portal and mobile App
  • identifying and onboarding potential employers to provide decent safe and sustainable jobs
  • providing ongoing support to job seekers to ensure they’re placed into safe and secure working conditions and encourage social integration.

FY2024 impact

5

regional centres in India3

7,702

people supported through skills training3

3,853

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. 

 

Participant story

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

Our people supporting Bosconet

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: 

  • engaged with over 730 young students across Bosconet Centers in India through online and offline volunteer sessions on resume writing, interview skills and soft skills
  • raised over $A21,147 to support Bosconet, including matching from the Foundation, through fundraising initiatives and Foundation Week events.

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

  1. Data was supplied and not independently verified between 1 April 2023 – 31 March 2024 for activities undertaken by Macquarie India’s employment focused partners with philanthropic support from Macquarie Group. Data is not included in Macquarie Group Foundation’s total impact reporting figures due to a difference in reporting timelines. ‘Into employment’ is defined by our partners using one or more of these categories: type of work, hours of work, living wage work, meaningful work, secure work, career progression, income progression, jobs created, jobs maintained. It is possible for a person to be counted as employed more than once (for example: if they move to another employment position within the reporting period). ‘Support’ is defined by our partners using one or more of these categories: direct help, indirect help, giving information. Into employment is a subset of the total number of people supported.
  2. Pandey, Abhishek, Legal Rights of Migrant People in India (April 10, 2020). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3572571 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3572571.
  3. In the 12 months to 31 March 2024. Data supplied by The Don Bosco Network
  4. Named changed for privacy reasons.
  5. As at 31 March 2024.

    Image: India-based Asia grant partners at a convening, 2023.