From November 29 to December 1, 2023, Trickle Up hosted an Annual Partners’ Meet in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. This three-day event celebrated recent successes, discussed learnings, deliberated on emerging trends, and charted a course for future collaboration and innovation, marking a milestone moment in Trickle Up’s work in India. The event brought together more than 60 partners, stakeholders, and donors who share Trickle Up’s commitment to partnering with women living in extreme poverty to drive economic inclusion and empowerment.
The event theme, “Connecting Visions … Creating Synergy,” encouraged collaborative discussions among participants and the dynamic exchange of ideas and expertise. Through shared insights, the event catalyzed meaningful connections and partnerships, ultimately identifying and capitalizing on innovative synergies with the potential to shape Trickle Up’s future.
Sushant Verma, Trickle Up’s Asia regional director, opened the event with an inaugural lamp ceremony and welcoming remarks. Sushant emphasized the importance of collaboration in an evolving business landscape. Nathalie Laidler-Kylander, president and CEO of Trickle Up, followed with a recorded personal greeting and update for our partners on key developments in Trickle Up’s global strategy. Throughout the event, the facilitators reminded participants to reflect, embrace innovation, and seize opportunities for growth. Pallavi Barua, head of corporate social responsibility at TATA Communications, also served as a keynote speaker to share TATA Communications’ strategy, vision, and expectations from MPowered partners.
Trickle Up’s programs, monitoring & evaluation, communications, and operations teams leveraged the opportunity to share key technical and strategic guidelines for the upcoming years to help partners deliver their day-to-day activities. Josh Leighton, senior director of livelihoods at Trickle Up, visited from the New York office to present on “Effective Program Implementation.” Shelly Cryer, Trickle Up’s senior director of communications, also connected virtually to share Trickle Up’s global communication strategy, opportunities, and aspirations. Sudip Mukherjee, director of operations at Trickle Up in India, led a session on FCRA norms, a key legal framework for all non-governmental organizations in India. Given the new nature of this regulation, the event attendees appreciated the time to dig into the details of the FCRA rules and requested a virtual follow-up session to explore more specific challenges in navigating this law.
Trickle Up was grateful to be able to facilitate such a substantive and supportive convening of our partners. The event connected peers, highlighted shared experiences and opportunities, and brought together old friends and colleagues.
The event had several successful outcomes, including three key takeaways:
Emphasis on Adaptability and Innovation:
Given that the dynamic social development landscape requires adaptability and innovation, the Annual Partners’ Meet underscored the need for partners to stay agile and embrace innovative solutions to stay ahead in the competitive market.
Collaboration and Advocacy:
The three-day event reiterated the significance of collaborating with like-minded stakeholders and advocating in strategically relevant networks and fora to expand Trickle Up’s reach and impact. Participants were encouraged to explore new avenues for joint ventures and mutually beneficial networking opportunities.
Sustainability Commitment:
Sustainability emerged as a cross-cutting theme through most sessions and discussions, with partners shedding light on environmentally responsible practices in their operations and renewing their pledge for deeper integration of sustainability across interventions. This commitment aligns with Trickle Up’s vision and mission and addresses the growing importance of integrating sustainability in local contexts all through to the last mile program delivery.
The Annual Partners’ Meet 2023 was a resounding success, building on collaboration, innovation, and shared milestones. As we move forward, the lessons learned and connections made during this event will undoubtedly contribute to the continued growth and prosperity of our collective endeavors.
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