Impact Story: DG Rakshak – Deepika Singh’s Mission to Combat Breast Cancer with Digital Awareness
DG Rakshak, an initiative designed to create digitally aware and socially responsible citizens, has seen many youth step up as changemakers in their communities. Among them is Deepika Singh, a passionate DG Rakshak from a semi-urban locality, who combined her training in digital safety with a personal mission—to fight the silence surrounding breast cancer.
The Challenge
In many parts of India, breast cancer remains a taboo subject, especially in rural and low-literacy regions. Women often lack access to timely information, and early detection is hindered by stigma, misinformation, and limited digital literacy.
Deepika witnessed this firsthand when a close family member was diagnosed at a late stage due to lack of awareness. Moved by the experience, she decided to use her DG Rakshak training to address this gap using the power of digital platforms.
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DG Rakshak - Intervention
• Created multilingual digital posters and videos explaining early signs of breast cancer, self-examination techniques, and available government screening programs.
• Used WhatsApp groups, local Facebook pages, and Instagram reels to circulate verified content from the National Cancer Grid and MoHFW.
• Conducted cyber safety sessions for women in SHGs and schools—integrating cancer awareness into digital literacy training.
• Collaborated with local PHCs and NGOs to organize virtual screening camps and Q&A sessions with female doctors.
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Outcomes & Impact
• 3,500+ Women Reached directly through digital content and sessions.
• 12 Early Diagnoses reported after self-check awareness sessions.
• Local health authorities partnered with Deepika to scale the outreach.
• Her WhatsApp campaign was featured in a district-level newsletter as a model for digitally enabled health advocacy.
Testimonial
“I never thought a young girl could talk to us about something we were too shy to ask even a doctor. Deepika explained everything simply, and one woman in our group even got checked because of her,”
— Rekha, SHG Member, Tumakuru
Recognition & Future Plans
Deepika Singh was felicitated by the District Collector on National Cancer Awareness Day for her work as a DG Rakshak Health Ambassador. She now mentors other youth to take up similar causes—using digital tools for social health impact.
Conclusion
Deepika’s journey reflects the evolving role of youth as digital changemakers—not just fighting cybercrime, but also tackling deep-rooted health issues like breast cancer. Through DG Rakshak, young leaders like her are proving that digital empowerment can lead to real-world change—one message, one woman, one community at a time.

At JSS STEP, our journey has shown that purpose-driven innovation is the true engine of impact. Startups that solve real problems—whether in rural healthcare, clean energy, or sustainable agriculture—build stronger user trust, attract long-term support, and create enduring value. We've seen firsthand how structured mentorship across technical, financial, legal, and emotional dimensions can transform even first-time, grassroots entrepreneurs into resilient founders. Many of our breakthrough ventures have come from non-traditional innovators—women, students, and rural changemakers—proving that inclusivity is not just a value, but a powerful innovation strategy.

We believe that ethical leadership creates enterprises that last. Startups guided by values, responsibility, and social consciousness are more likely to scale sustainably and inclusively. Our experience also underscores the multiplier effect of collaboration—partnerships with government agencies, academic institutions, industries, and civil society have expanded our reach, deepened our credibility, and catalyzed systemic change.

From this journey, our message to future changemakers is clear: leadership for social good is not about doing more—it’s about doing what matters, and doing it with integrity. Start with a clear purpose. Understand the larger ecosystem while taking swift, focused action. Let impact validate your model before chasing funding. Blend local wisdom with global technologies. Treat early failures as data, not defeat. And above all, build a culture of shared purpose—because movements, not just businesses, are built by tribes that believe in the mission.

JSS STEP is charting an ambitious path to scale entrepreneurial leadership for social good across India and beyond. We are launching sector-specific social incubator wings in HealthTech, AgriTech, EdTech, and Circular Economy, with grassroots outreach through vernacular platforms and village-level startup labs in states like Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh.

Next-gen capacity-building programs like E4All and Founder Mindset Labs will equip students, women, and rural entrepreneurs with entrepreneurial, digital, and ethical leadership skills. Our University Startup Clubs 2.0 will strengthen innovation ecosystems in tier 2/3 institutions.

A new Centre of Excellence for AI, IoT, and Clean Energy, along with virtual incubation, e-mentoring, and AI-driven startup performance dashboards, will digitally transform our support ecosystem. Global partnerships with incubators in Israel, Germany, and Southeast Asia will open new frontiers, while policy advocacy through our Policy & Innovation Think Tank will shape inclusive national frameworks.

To fuel impact-driven ventures, we are launching a ₹5–10 Cr Social Impact Seed Fund and hosting an Impact Investment Conclave to connect startups with ethical capital. Long-term, we envision Social Innovation Zones in underserved regions—integrating incubation, skilling, digital access, and microfinance under a replicable hub-and-spoke model.

By 2030, JSS STEP aims to incubate 500+ startups, train 50,000+ youth and women, mobilize ₹100+ Cr in investments, influence key policy reforms, and expand to five new regions—scaling innovation with purpose and equity at its core.