RYTHM Foundation, the QI Group’s corporate social responsibility arm, believes that transforming urban communities begins with grassroots involvement and building strong relationships.
That’s why we partner with local non-government organisations that share our ethos of serving humankind and have a proven track record of implementing impactful programmes aligned with our core pillars of empowerment, education, and environmental sustainability.
By collaborating with NGOs with deep roots in urban areas, we dive straight into the heart of these communities. With their help, we can navigate the local context and address genuine needs to create lasting change.
Shaping Urban Communities with the Help of Local NGOs
Urban communities have needs vastly different from those of their rural counterparts. For one, cities are as densely populated as they are infrastructurally complex, and the sheer number of issues alone can be daunting for one organisation to grapple with.
That’s where NGO partnerships come into play—they allow us to weave through this complexity and help RYTHM prioritise issues where we can make the most meaningful social impact.
Local NGOs have the advantage of on-the-ground experience, access to data, logistical know-how, and the buy-in of key players in their communities. With their support, project planning and implementation become much smoother.
Considering the complexity of urban communities, we collaborate with our partner NGOs to create new projects or support existing grassroots initiatives that we can help with.
We engage in conversations about local community development, for instance, through hosting roundtable discussions or strengthening partnerships in the communities we aim to support.
Once a specific urban development goal is locked in, RYTHM shares its resources—including funding, knowledge, and expertise—to effectively support various short- or long-term projects.
Measuring the Success of NGO Partnerships
We measure the success of our NGO collaborations by focusing on the real-world impact of our joint efforts. We look at how many people have been positively affected, how the quality of life has improved, and whether these positive changes endure over time.
Feedback from the community plays a significant role in this process. We listen to the voices of those we aim to help to understand what’s working and what needs adjustment. Regular, detailed reports from our NGO partners provide a clear picture of progress and outcomes.
Urban Issues Addressed by NGOs
We focus our urban community development efforts on various issues, including education, health, and social welfare.
Here are some examples of long-term NGO partnerships that have been fruitful in recent years:
Our partnership with Malaysia’s PINTAR Foundation launched the Maharani School Programme (MSP), empowering adolescent girls in Selangor—one of the country’s most urbanised regions—through education, life skills training, and personal development. The MSP has since expanded to another state, Negeri Sembilan, with plans to extend to other states soon.
In two of Ghana’s biggest cities, Cape Coast and Accra, we collaborate with The ANOPA Project, an NGO that uses sports to foster personal growth. This initiative boosts school retention rates and promotes inclusivity for children with visual and hearing impairments.
In bustling Delhi, we joined forces with NGO Plan India to support the “Safer Cities for Girls” campaign, transforming the city into a safe environment where girls can move freely without fear.
These examples demonstrate the value of such collaborations in achieving community transformation and driving meaningful social impact.
Get Involved and Transform Your City
Whether you’re passionate about education, health, or social welfare, there are countless ways to support urban development. Stay informed, engage with grassroots initiatives, or take the leap and volunteer with a local NGO.
Explore how RYTHM Foundation’s empowerment agenda transforms lives through our community initiatives. Join us and make a difference today!
