Our History
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2017 Our Approach
Everything we do is designed around the principle that people are at their best when they are contributing. We want people to be the best that they can be, so our projects are designed to support people to give back.
Volunteer Led
Everyone who works on Chennai Challenge from our team members to our CEO is a volunteer. We all give our time, skills and energy for free because we share the belief that people are at their best when they contribute or give back.
Local Partners
We partner with local organisations in Chennai. We are only in India for a short time every year, but our partners are there all the time. They understand the context, and their programmes are part of long term plans to support the communities they work in. We work closely with our partners to make sure that everything we do contributes to these long term goals.
Personal Development
We work with our team members to help them create personal development plans. Each plan is unique to the team member for whom it is created, but ultimately all will be designed to help people give back – through their Chennai Challenge project and in their future lives.
Our Partners
Central to our approach is working with local partners who know the area and supporting their existing work. This allows us to ensure our contribution is sustainable and focused on detailed understanding of the local context.
Madras YMCA
The YMCA is a global movement supporting people to grow in body, mind and spirit. The Madras YMCA is our founding partner. Amongst other projects, the YMCA run 3 community centres, 2 schools and a home for destitute boys.
Oasis India
Oasis India focus on building communities where everyone is included. They run 2 hubs in poor communities in Chennai, delivering training, development and education projects. These projects include English lessons, tailoring courses and sport’s projects for children.
Our Funding
All our funding comes from donations, and the majority is from team members. Each team member raises a minimum of £1500 as a part of their Chennai Challenge experience. In 2017, here is how our money came in and how we spent it:
Our Team
Chennai Challenge is a registered charity in England & Wales. We are led by a board of volunteer trustees, and a staff team of volunteers responsible for every part of Chennai Challenge. Volunteer staff are recruited on a one or two-year agreement, and the roles allow for people to gain personal and professional development opportunities as well as support Chennai Challenge’s work.
Our Impact
As a registered charity, we have to report to the Charity Commission on the money we’ve raised, how we have spent it and the impact we’ve had. You can access our reports from the last 3 years below.