2021 in numbers

One of the most important lessons of seeking Wholistic Wellbeing is to have the courage to interrogate it. Unlike other, more dogmatic belief systems, Wholistic Wellbeing encourages inquiry. Far from inviting us to blindly follow a set of rules, it guides us to ask questions and explore answers we may have previously ignored.

As I dig deeper into the concepts and ideas that inform and underpin Wholistic Wellbeing, one conclusion I find myself drawing consistently is of the framework’s democratic ethos: that it seeks to touch us all, regardless of our positions within society; source and level of income; or personal convictions. As I understand it, Wholistic Wellbeing is a universal birthright.

This is why, as part of my own journey of wellbeing, I have felt the need — and nurtured my desire — to give back to communities that have shaped who I am today, and for whom Wholistic Wellbeing is often more difficult to access. I have set this wheel in motion through the RoundGlass Foundation, which has led various social and environmental initiatives in Punjab since its inception.

I am particularly proud of the work done by the Foundation in 2021; not least because of the amazing results, but also because of the incredible difficulty of pursuing on-the-ground outreach during a global pandemic, when staff shortages make it harder to meet targets, and some of the problems we seek to alleviate (notably violence against women) have increased dramatically.

I would like to highlight some of our achievements this year:

• In December 2021, RoundGlass Foundation reached 1100 villages, impacting lives of a million people overall.
• The Plant For Punjab initiative won the state-level, SOCH (Society for Conservation and Healing of Environment) award, instituted by a Punjab-based NGO working in the environment space. The Dharat Hariyali Award and a cash prize of 75,000 rupees were presented to the Foundation for planting 582,426 saplings since 2018. Around 3,000 people, 50 organizations, and 150 organic farmers participated in the event.
• RoundGlass Foundation met its target of reaching 107 villages with its Waste Management unit.
• By the end of December, more than 1200 villagers were employed.
• RoundGlass also opened 54 digital community centers by December 24th that are accessed by more than 1500 children. Equipped with basic technology like TV and internet connections, children at these centers in the villages of Punjab are learning English, yoga, environmental studies and community engagement. These digital community centers are run by a young adult woman from the village, who is appointed as a changemaker and acts as a mentor.
• Through our Sports Centers program, we reached 255 villages of Punjab and helped revive the culture of sports in the region.

I want to extend a heartfelt and grateful thank you to all my friends and work family at RoundGlass Foundation, whose tireless dedication to enacting meaningful and lasting change inspires me every day as I seek to make Wholistic Wellbeing a reality for all.