Vijay Eswaran and Qi Group Expands “Gift of Life” Initiative

What started as a personal journey of giving has turned into a global initiative to help those in dire need of the most basic of necessities in life. Vijay Eswaran and his wife Umayal have made it a special practice of their own to commemorate special occasions with one another by giving outside of themselves. Rather than wasteful spending or gifts for each other for birthdays and anniversaries, for example, the two have celebrated these events by giving back to their community through charitable acts and donations.

This practice found its expanded home within the RYTHM Foundation’s Gift of Life program. In the spirit of Vijay Eswaran and his family, the program has taken on new meaning as a broader function of Eswaran’s multinational company, QI Group. Friends, families, and employees alike have embraced the idea of giving as a way to mark occasions and milestones in their lives to have a positive impact on the world around them.

The Gift of Life initiative was expanded to include support for a number of communities and disenfranchised groups that notably lack the aid they need to thrive in healthy and secure environments. This has included everything from flood victim assistance to funding for welfare institutions. Additional efforts have supported autistic children, subsidized mobile libraries, and offered financial aid to tertiary students seeking a broader education. Initiatives eligible for funding under the Gift of Life program include those that fall within the RYTHM Foundation’s broader areas of focus including education for all, gender equality, and sustainable community development.

Most recently, Vijay Eswaran and Gift of Life announced that funds would be allocated to help Malaysian schools in rural areas that lack even the most essential of facilities. “Some schools can’t get the funds to provide teachers and students a safe and conducive educational environment. Some do not have a playground for the kids, have never had a library, have classrooms that leak when it rains, or have damaged floors,” Eswaran said. Gift of Life will now select causes to donate to on a monthly basis in honor of family and friends who are celebrating significant occasions in their lives. The recent support of the Malaysian education system aligns with RYTHM Foundation’s overall dedication to providing educational programming and access that can help create social transformation in even the most devastated of communities. It is also indicative of the organization’s efforts to support development in underserved areas of the country where rural living conditions impact quality of life and access to education.

Gift of Life is one of the most active programs operating under the banner of the RYTHM Foundation. Chaired by Umayal Eswaran, the Foundation functions as QI Group’s social impact initiative through which the business and its employees can make a difference through dedicated donations, volunteering, and community service efforts. RYTHM Foundation endeavors to create positive effects in the lives of people who can benefit from human development programs in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Foundation’s flagship programs, Maharani and Taarana, are both dedicated to providing essential educational programs to marginalized populations including women and girls as well as those with special needs. Gift of Life donations also go to affected populations including indigenous groups who are often overlooked when it comes to social programs. RYTHM, which stands for Raise Yourself to Help Mankind, spearheads a number of community programs throughout the year which QI Group employees are encouraged to contribute to and take part in. The goal of all programs is to help lift up the people who need it most in the communities that are overlooked by larger efforts.