Celebrating 2021!

2021 was a challenging year for India. Far too many of us experienced enormous loss and pain, and sometimes, a speck of joy. And for Dost, the story was no different. From debilitating sickness to death, the organisation saw it all. During this difficult period, the team’s empathetic spirit shone through, as everyone rose to the opportunity to help sick and suffering team members. We all experienced true “Dostness”, and not many organisations can boast of a team that is like a family.

And when the team met in November to share all the joyous moments and wins of the year, little did they know that there would be so much more to celebrate.

2021 was an inflection point for Dost - we had supported thousands of families over five years, but now it was time to unleash our potential truly. And we were presented with opportunities that set us on a path to scale further. Two of our biggest wins arrived almost three years before our planned timeline of 2024, as we partnered with UNICEF India and the ICDS Department of Uttarakhand to reach 40,000+ families in 2021! The entire team was invested in this effort, and both the partnerships were in the making for months. From spending hours in government offices to training Anganwadi workers remotely and digitally, the team pulled off a feat amidst a raging pandemic, and we all couldn't be more proud of what we achieved.

This year, we dove deep into our curriculum and built a new program to ensure that the youngest children don't miss out on early learning stimulation. Our new program is now reaching thousands of families with children in the 0-3 age range and has been built in collaboration with our key partner UNICEF India.  

Creating impact has always been at the heart of Dost, and in 2021, the M&E team left no stone unturned to establish a strong case for Dost. The team worked with external researchers and piloted a continuous assessment with a group of families - all while working remotely.

Also, we crossed a significant milestone this year - over 100,000 families supported across multiple states in India!

And lastly, the team grew bigger - 13 people and going strong! Dost has traversed a long distance since 2015, but we have an even longer way to go.

And we can’t wait to make more magic happen.

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