The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) announced the launch of the initiative “Million Designers, Billion Dreams” on August 6, 2024. The innovative program aims to empower individuals across India with systems design know-how to tackle complex societal challenges, informed Ministry of Rural Development, PIB.
The initiative led by LEAP and in collaboration with the DAY-NRLM is an organization that has stemmed its origin from a collaborative work developed in India by the Design Laboratory at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (D-Lab) and the Transform Rural India Foundation (TRIF), with an initial investment from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).
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The launch event was chaired by Charanjit Singh, Additional Secretary, Rural Livelihoods (RL), Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), GoI and joined by Sharan, Joint Secretary, Rural Livelihoods and Raman Wadhwa, Deputy Director, DAY-NRLM along with NMMU experts from the MoRD. From LEAP, Andre Nogueira, Ph.D., CEO of LEAP and Associate Faculty of Design Knowledge at Johns Hopkins University gave a presentation on the program’s vision and structure.
Anish Kumar, Managing Director, TRIF and other representatives from LEAP and TRIF joined the event. The event was joined online by SMDs/CEOs of State Rural Livelihoods Mission (SRLM)s. Vibrant and engaging discussions followed on the expected impact on India’s rural communities.
The objective of “Million Designers, Billion Dreams” is to “enhance the capacity of individuals through systems design know-how,” targeted at rural leader, frontline change agents and village entrepreneurs, equipping them with the skills to create impactful, scalable solutions.
The Ministry stated that the program is designed to enhance three primary aspects;
- participants’ proficiency in design frameworks to drive systems change,
- promote collaboration among diverse stakeholders to address complex challenges, and
- foster confidence and agency to shape better futures through creativity and ownership.
According to the Ministry, the anticipated outcome is to witness an increase in the number of individuals skilled in design know-how, design innovation across sectors, solution development to enhance quality of life and promote economic growth, adoption of sustainable practices addressing environmental, social and economic challenges; and positioning India as a global leader in design and innovation.
“Million Designers, Billion Dreams” is aimed to revolutionize the way we approach societal challenges, empowering a new generation of rural leaders to drive sustainable development across India in our communities and beyond, stated the Ministry.
