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About the partner
Laila is a keen philanthropist with a banking background. Having grown up travelling and undergoing schooling in London, Calcutta, Mumbai and Melbourne, she has always enjoyed meeting people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Living in different cities afforded her the opportunity to witness stark income disparities, particularly in India, and instilled in her a desire to volunteer from a young age. Laila is particularly keen on causes that promote children’s health, welfare and their right to education, irrespective of their backgrounds and economic circumstances. In the past, she has volunteered her time teaching English and Math to children at a municipal school, has worked at Akanksha and also volunteered at a drug awareness NGO. Another cause she is passionate about is women’s empowerment. She enjoys travelling, listening to country music and enjoys trying quick baking and cooking recipes.
My Journey at SVP
“Joining SVP has given me the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals, many of whom are leaders in their professions and work towards a common goal. It is especially heartening to be able to assist NGOs with more than just a monetary contribution. Being a Lead Partner for our Mumbai alumni investee Srujna allowed me the opportunity to work closely with the founders of the NGO, visit their centres and learn firsthand the challenges they faced. We then worked together with the NGO to try and share best practices, grow their team, streamline procedures and assist their fundraising efforts. This opportunity also afforded me the opportunity to learn from my co-lead partners expertise and experiences.
The SVP Lead Partners are able to assist the NGO’s founders to take a step back and review their overall organisation as it stands, and to assist them in drawing a clear roadmap on how to grow their NGO. The idea is always to stay true to the founder’s vision for their NGO and allow them to lead the discussions – with the SVP Partners offering their expertise, advice and suggestions. Another major plus is that the investee has access to not just the expertise of their lead partners, but the entire SVP Platform, with various partners lending their time and expertise – something the NGO would be unlikely to be able to afford if they were to approach one of the big tier consulting firms.
For me personally, working with Srujna was humbling and extremely gratifying and I hope my relationship with the NGO will continue for many years to come, both within and outside of their relationship with SVP.”