The Past Week At Work.
A lot happened at work this week, so I thought I’d summarize in a list*:
Kris and Natassia
5. AIF Visit. Kris Drasgupta, the COO of AIF came to visit Saath. Ekta, Natassia and I had a great dinner with her on Tuesday night, where we learned more about AIF’s boardroom roots and where the organizations is planning its future. On Wednesday, we gave her the grand Saath tour, focusing on Umeed. Kris spent 20 years on Wall Street, so it was interesting to hear her perspective on the program. We visited the centers, met with currently employed alums and I was able to show her the Livelihood Resource Center in Behrampura and explain the need for post-placement support and new job opportunities for Umeed students.
Steve with URC staff, where new technology is a must.
4. Technology. A software firm specializing in on-line recruitment / placement approached Rajubhai to market their program to place Umeed students. Saath, with its integrated development approach (banking, health, education, livelihoods, etc.) realizes the value of tracking data at a household / individual level. So, when we saw the capability of their software we asked them to join us in the field for a day. It was amazing. The engineers were in awe of the scope of Saath’s programs and when we explained that slums represent 40% of the local population, all the lightbulbs went on. Together, we are trying to develop a customized software that can track individuals characterisitcs (education, skills, etc.) and the impact of Saath’s services. The appropriate technology is the key to linking this untapped supply potential with the private sector.
3. Urmila. My favorite program at Saath is the Urmila Home Manager program. Urmila (the name of Laxhman’s wife in the Ramayana) aims to bridge the gap between “domestic servants” and urban households. If you’ve been to India, you know that many homes of all economic levels employ “servants” to clean, wash clothes and cook at wages far below the government approved levels. In addition to exacerbating the unorganized work force issue in India, employing domestic servants does not provide total client satisfaction. Household help can often not be trusted to work alone, is not accountable on a daily basis and provides no service guarantee. Urmila started 5 years ago and trains slum women who were free lancing as domestic servants in housekeeping, first aid, cooking, etc and then finds them formal clients. Urmila charges respectable fees for their managers and in return, the clients receive guaranteed, timely and professional services. As the demand for Urmila Home Managers increases, Saath is begining to explore ways to scale the model across Gujarat and then India. I’m helping the Urmila team create an implementation strategy.
- LRC Opening.
2. My Dad and the New LRC. On Thursday, we inaugurated and opened a new Livelihood Resource Center in Baroda. Baroda is 2 hours south of Ahmedabad and is the home of 11 Umeed centers. It is also where my Dad studied medicine back in the early 70s. My dad, who came back to India to spend a week with me, was asked by the Umeed staff to cut the ribbon. We were both hesitant at first, but when he saw the scene of students, new members and faculty, he became excited. Amidst the commotion, my dad even found his way to a computer and began his own typing practice (15 WPM). We asked the current Umeed students at the Baroda center (who were extremley sad as it was their last day) what they would change about Umeed. They almost unanimously responded “make it longer”. Positioning the LRC as the “ongoing” Umeed, we pre-registered nearly half the class.
Meanwhile, at our existing LRC in Behrampura, we have enrolled 70 members, 50 of which come 3x a week to sharpen their computer skills. We’ve set up e-mail addresses for each member and are encouraging them to write at least one e-mail a day (if anyone is interested in an e-mail pen pal, let me know!). These 70 members also give us a supply to market “mid-level” candidates to our partner employers.
Pops
1. 20 Years at Saath. On Saturday, Saath celebrated its 20th anniversary. At a local town hall, Saath’s Community Video Unit (comprised of slum residents) prepared tribute videos, local community residents gave their personal triumph stories and Saath awarded community leaders who have served their neighbors and friends over the past 20 years. I’d estimate that nearly 1,000 community residents came to not only thank Saath and Rajubhai, but also their local leaders on all that they have done. It was moving to see such a response.
Saath Turns 20.
Community Participation.
A community leader from the Vasna slum, Devuben has worked with Saath for 20 years.
Saath's #1 Fans.
*Pooja Bhatia, AIF Fellow in Bhilai (ie, the best spot in India with a steel mill that no one knows about) was the first person EVER to operate a blog in a list format.
finding rickshaw. 