DHAN Foundation has secured runner-up in the European Microfinance Award 2026 at Luxembourg – chosen among 103 global entries from 43 different countries by recognising it’s continuous efforts in the development of poor lives through SHGs and micro insurance programmes. Representing DHAN, Ms.S.Ahila Devi, Programme Leader and CEO of People Mutuals received the award.
The EMA2026 application process began in March, with Round 1 receiving an unprecedented 103 applications from 43 countries. After a first committee assessment, 44 of these were evaluated in the more comprehensive Round 2. The EMA evaluation team assessed these applications against rigorous and established criteria before 21 applicants from 15 countries were forwarded to an expert Selection Committee, including the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, and members of e-MFP, the Inclusive Finance Network Luxembourg (InFiNe.lu) and Microinsurance Network - a key strategic partner of the Award this year. This Selection Committee met over two days and chose 12 semi-finalists, and among them the three finalists:
Britam General Insurance from Kenya, DHAN (Development of Humane Action) Foundation from India and RADIANT YACU Ltd from Rwanda.
Words of the committee about our organisation “ DHAN (Development of Humane Action) Foundation from India is a long-established grassroots development organisation that pioneered community-based mutual insurance in India. Through its People Mutuals programme, DHAN offers health, life, and asset cover designed and owned by low-income communities, with products adapted to the risks of smallholder farmers, informal workers, and women. The mutual model emphasises education, solidarity, and community governance, and has reached tens of thousands of members with protection that is both affordable and trusted. DHAN’s experience highlights the potential of mutuals to build lasting resilience in contexts where commercial insurers rarely reach. “
Links for further reading :
https://www.e-mfp.eu/awards/european-microfinance-award-2025
DHAN Foundation participated in Land Use 2026 — the International Conference on Research and Innovation for a Sustainable Future, organized by the Tamil Nadu State Land Use Research Boad (TNSLURB) of Tamil Nadu State Planning Commission, TamilNadu government.
Representing DHAN, Mr. Karthikeyan S, Coordinator of the Centre for Heritage and Development Tourism, showcased two decades of DHAN’s work in community-driven heritage conservation and presented insights from the pilot initiative — Community Led Experiential Tourism Network of Tamil Nadu (ETN-TN), designed around Tamil Nadu’s five traditional ecosystems.
Under the theme Sustainable Tourism and Heritage Conservation, our paper was one among the few selected papers for presentation by the TN State Planning Commission — from over 800 abstracts received worldwide.
As part of strengthening DHAN Foundation’s global engagement in irrigation and water management, a DHAN Foundation team headed by Mr.Krishan Jindal, Programme Advisor, along with Mr. Lokesh, Senior Project Executive from the Vayalagam Programme, visited the headquarters of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), New Delhi. The team held detailed discussions with the ICID Senior management, comprising Dr. R. K. Gupta, Secretary General, ICID, and Mr. Vijairajan and Mr. Rishi, Directors, ICID. The interaction resulted in a clear roadmap for collaboration, including a joint full-day workshop to mark World Water Day in March 2026 at the ICID headquarters, co-hosted by ICID and DHAN Foundation; dedicated space for DHAN Foundation in ICID’s forthcoming quarterly publication; and the design of a jointly curated webinar series highlighting grassroots irrigation and water management practices. ICID also agreed to provide platforms for DHAN Foundation during the India Global Irrigation Summit and upcoming ICID Congresses, enabling wider dissemination of community-led irrigation models, including the DHAN Collective initiative. The meeting marked an important step in positioning DHAN Foundation’s grassroots experience and knowledge within global irrigation and water governance platforms.
The International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), headquartered in New Delhi, is a globally recognized non-governmental scientific and technical organization established in 1950 to promote sustainable and efficient management of water and land resources for agriculture. ICID brings together experts, policymakers and practitioners from more than 100 countries to improve irrigation, drainage and flood management practices, strengthen food security, enhance climate resilience, and support rural development. Through international conferences, research networks, technical committees and knowledge-sharing platforms, ICID plays a vital role in shaping policies and innovations in agricultural water management, with its Delhi headquarters serving as a key hub for global coordination and leadership in the water sector.
