iCONGO Founding Charter
The 4 pronged iCONGO founding charter and activities (what we do as a collective)
Important note: This was put together as the initial strategy and we are proud that we have achieved most of the plans framed in the charter, with frugal resources and voluntary action of various citizens and iCONGOANS who have contributed to making the mission happen. Over the past 6 years we have trained & empowered NGOs and Citizens at large, influenced positive policy as a citizen lobby, innovated and encouraged entrepreneurship for change and mobilised human & financial capital with our campaigns and outreach for various causes. Check www.icoxchange.com for details of the initiatives, movements & campaigns in our charter today. – added in 2011
iCONGO is poised to be like the CII or NASSCOM for the NGO sector and is lobbying with the corporate, government, media and civil society to promote social giving and involvement through volunteerism and thus creating a large supporter base for various causes. The idea is to inform people about the few charities that are actually doing efficient work on the ground and introduce them to small grassroots charities that they have never heard of, as these charities do not squander money on big brand building and fundraising but work effectively on the ground to make a change.
The 4 pronged charter and vision of iCONGO (Training & empowerment, policy influencing & lobbying, innovation entrepreneurship & consultancy, fundraising, campaigning & outreach) is based on the successful experimentation of the founders and members be it with training, building a citizen movement and supporter lobby by sensitisation through mainstream media campaigns. The iCONGO founders were the first to promote direct selling for fundraising in India (see direct dialogue fundraising mission), the prime movers to create a paradigm for movie makers to make movies with social themes by promoting India’s first commercial cinema movie (see media4change), the first retail shops for artisan products – SABHA- and the first shop franchise –PARDADA PARDADI- for products made by young women at Bulundshahar (see retail for change). iCONGO is also working on unique cause related marketing ideas and writing CSR (corporate social responsibility) strategies for top multinational companies’ (see innovation, entrepreneurship & consultancy).
Most of the activities and charter promoted by iCONGO is based on tried and tested methods and has been implemented by the founders in their former avatars to promote a positive philanthropic culture in all sectors.
