Impulse Social Enterprises

We empower and create livehood opportunities to local tribes in North East India by leveraging their traditional skills of weaving ethnic textiles and producing handmade products.

Human trafficking in North East India

Over 30 years ago, when we first started to work with rural communities in North East India, we started getting reports of children and young women going missing.

As we further investigated the issue, we realized that people were being lured to migrate to bigger cities with promises of education and employment. However, at the destination, they ended up in bonded labour, in modern-day slavery.

Impulse Model

The Impulse NGO Network led by Hasina ended up not just rescuing countless victims and fighting traffickers across the region but also creating awareness and livelihood initiatives to prevent human trafficking.

This eventually led to the creation of the globally acclaimed Impulse Model (formerly known as the Meghalaya Model) that works with the protocols of 6Ps: Partnership, Prevention, Protection, Policing, Press, Prosecution, and 6Rs: Reporting, Rescue, Rehabilitation, Repatriation, Re-integration, Re-compensation.

Human trafficking in North East India

Over 30 years ago, when we first started to work with rural communities in North East India, we started getting reports of children and young women going missing.

As we further investigated the issue, we realized that people were being lured to migrate to bigger cities with promises of education and employment. However, at the destination, they ended up in bonded labour, in modern-day slavery.

Impulse Model

The Impulse NGO Network led by Hasina ended up not just rescuing countless victims and fighting traffickers across the region but also creating awareness and livelihood initiatives to prevent human trafficking.

This eventually led to the creation of the globally acclaimed Impulse Model (formerly known as the Meghalaya Model) that works with the protocols of 6Ps: Partnership, Prevention, Protection, Policing, Press, Prosecution, and 6Rs: Reporting, Rescue, Rehabilitation, Repatriation, Re-integration, Re-compensation.

Social Enterprise

Along with our awareness campaigns, we have worked hard to prevent human trafficking in the region through livelihood initiatives. Poverty makes people vulnerable for human trafficking and other forms of exploitation.

Impulse Social Enterprises was established to bring sustainability to our livelihood initiatives. Our aim is not to maximize the profit but the long-term impact.

Access to income makes people less vulnerable to exploitation – they have options, and therefore, can make informed choices. Some of our artisans are survivors of exploitation, giving them an opportunity to rebuild their lives.

Social Enterprise

Along with our awareness campaigns, we have worked hard to prevent human trafficking in the region through livelihood initiatives. Poverty makes people vulnerable for human trafficking and other forms of exploitation.

Impulse Social Enterprises was established to bring sustainability to our livelihood initiatives. Our aim is not to maximize the profit but the long-term impact.

Access to income makes people less vulnerable to exploitation – they have options, and therefore, can make informed choices. Some of our artisans are survivors of exploitation, giving them an opportunity to rebuild their lives.

Therefore, as per the Impulse Model, the Social Enterprise serves the pillars of Prevention and Re-integration.

The business model allows rural artisans to work from home according to their own terms.

Impulse Team

Hasina Kharbhih

Founder, MD

Hasina is the founder of Impulse NGO Network and Impulse Social Enterprises. Her mission started over 30 years ago in her home state of Meghalaya in Northeast India and has today evolved into a global program that aims to put an end to human trafficking and exploitation worldwide.

Hasina is an Ashoka as well as Aspen ILI Fellow and she has been recognized with IVLP Gold Star, Most Powerful Women in Indian Business and Mother Teresa awards, to name a few.

She conceptualized Meghalaya Model presently known as Impulse Model, a holistic approach to combat human trafficking. As a direct impact of this model, thousands of children and women have been given their lives back. Also, because of the prevention initiatives, the likelihood of people having to face the ramifications of human trafficking has been immensely reduced.

Her mission has been supported by various national and international bodies such as the Indian Government, the World Bank, United Nations (UNIFEM, UNICEF, UNODC, UNDP) USAID, AUSAID and JSDF.

She has published several poetry collections and enjoys cooking in her off time.

Learn more about Hasina on her personal website.

Board of Directors

Awards and recognition

Special Recognition Award, 2019

Our founder MD, Hasina Kharbhih received the  Balipara Foundation Social Recognition Award, 2019, in the Social Entrepreneur category,  for empowering women in the communities of the Eastern Himalayas, by helping them apply their traditional skills to develop a sustainable livelihood.
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Mother Teresa Memorial Award, 2019

Our founder MD, Hasina Kharbhih is the recipient of the Mother Teresa Award for Social Justice 2019, the prestigious award is bestowed by the Harmony Foundation  for relentless and passionate work and ongoing efforts towards freeing the world from Modern Day Slavery practices. 
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Most Powerful Women in Indian Business, 2017

Our founder MD, Hasina Kharbhih, is the recipient of the Most Powerful Women in Business -Impact Award, 2017, in the Social Business category, announced by Business Today, of the  India Today Group. The award honours most remarkable women leaders, who have taken India to new heights through exceptional talent and endeavour, and have made a positive transformation to society. 
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CNBC Awaaz Masterpreneur India Season 1, 2013

Our founder MD, Hasina Kharbhih, won the CNBC Awaaz – Masterpreneur Season 1 Reality Show for being an Entrepreneur who is focused not only on taking the enterprises higher but is also committed to being the driving force behind social change. CNBC-AWAAZ  set out on a journey across the country looking for entrepreneurs who will lead the change and coined this exercise as Masterpreneur.
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You can find the full list of awards and recognitions here.

Support our work with the rural artisans
in North East India