Date
May 2020
Project
Brand strategy, positioning & marketing outreach
Client
i-saksham Education And Learning Foundation
Duration
3 months
Enabling an education-based NGO scale by 150%, recruit and raise funds
Client Overview
i-Saksham is an education-focused NGO working in rural Bihar across Jamui and Munger. The organisation builds local edu-leaders to improve learning outcomes for children while strengthening community participation in education.
About Project
i-Saksham approached Umanshi at a critical stage. Despite strong on-ground work, growth had plateaued. They were unclear why scale was slow and how to recruit better fellows, raise funds and articulate impact. The mandate was brand strategy, positioning and communication—built on ground reality, not theory.
Challenge
Stalled Growth
Despite meaningful work, growth was uneven.
The organisation had reached ~2,500 children but lacked clarity on what was holding them back and what would unlock the next phase of scale.
Crowded Impact Space
Education impact narratives sounded similar.
Models like Teach For India and GyanShala dominated mindshare making it difficult for i-Saksham to articulate its distinct role and value.
Fragmented Stakeholder Communication
Different stakeholders heard different stories.
Students, fellows, parents, panchayats, donors and partners all interacted with i-Saksham differently with no single unifying narrative.
Our Strategy
Ground-Truth Discovery
We went to the field before writing a word.
Through on-ground conversations in Jamui and Munger, we identified key student motivators—technology exposure, English proficiency, confidence building and access to mid-day meals—rather than assuming learning outcomes alone would drive retention
Purpose-Led Positioning
We moved beyond program branding to ecosystem thinking.
The positioning “Shiksha Se Saksham” was crafted to unite emotional intent and rational outcomes—giving back to the community while enabling tangible progress through education, employability and long-term capability building.
Actionable Outreach Design
Strategy was translated into tools, not slides.
We designed outreach ideas spanning emotional and rational triggers—preparing fellows for higher education and competitive exams, enabling entry into government jobs through NSDC tie-ups, offering computer training, communication skills and regular career counselling with clear progression paths.
Ecosystem Re-Design
Reimagined i-Saksham as a platform uniting government bodies, NGOs, communities, youth, media and CSR partners supported by five strategic recommendations for recruitment, retention and engagement. Our recommendation eventually led to I-saksham’s tie up with Bihar govt’s Jeevika, Bihar’s SHG program
Testimonial
A Team That Understood the Mission
Umanshi helped i-Saksham in pre-covid era with our website and other communication collaterals. The team demonstrated a deep understanding of our mission, ensuring every design element was purpose-focused and aligned with our goals. Their client-centric approach was commendable, maintaining open communication and seeking feedback to ensure our satisfaction.
The communication collateral helped us position i-Saksham’s work better with our stakeholders, in an easy to understand fashion. i-Saksham has expanded to 5 districts from 2 in last 4 years and part of the credit goes to Umanshi.
Team Umanshi excelled in timeliness, consistently meeting deadlines without compromising quality. We highly recommend Umanshi to anyone looking for expertise, professionalism, and dedication to excellence in communication.
Aditya Tyagi
Co-founder, i-saksham
Built for Business Outcomes
Added 3 districts
Expanded from 2 to 5 districts across Bihar
Reached 10x students
Accelerated reach among students through key motivators: tech, English language & mid-day meal
Onboarded 3x edu-leaders
Tripled the base of fellows by prioritising female edu-leaders, improving retention and community acceptance
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