Blogs

I had a chance to share insights from this project, and its present workings, and also refine the project through discussions.

The participants in the workshop were primarily designers and engineers who are interested in the issue of Design for Social Impact. One of the questions that did come up was how this project was creating a social impact on the society that has the project being worked upon.

Well, the considerable impacts can be felt only in a long term. But in the immediate impacts, we have the student retention problem being discussed in the community. We initially started with a school where there were 50 students, and now there were almost thrice the number.

One of the questions that I am asked in my talks and the visits that I make at different colleges, is what is it exactly that this initiative of mine is doing. How am I making the difference in the lives of the children.

Well I motivate the kids.Now you may ask, motivate for what? Well motivate them on the value of education. On the need to continue their education to a basic level and not leave it in middle.

Now you may think that it is an easy task to just go to the schools and just yap around. But it is challenging when you fail to see any improvements in their lives immediately.

Amongst the other happy moments, one of the times when I feel it the most is when I am able to convince others to also be concerned about a social cause.

I know this has been long due, but here it is anyway! Thanks all for the continued support so far.

The updates!
Most important things first, I will be speaking a little about this project at the TEDx University talk in BITS Pilani Goa Campus.

I am still in the process of finding some time out to go and visit Bihar and take this up further at more schools.

A few of people are in the process of writing up the documents for the registration of this project as a Non Profit Project under the Government of India. Of all things, it will give us more credibility, a better chance of applying for grants, and proper account numbers and hopefully tax deductions.

I do understand that there has not been an update from a long time. I have been busy with a ton of things. The setting up of my design firm being the prime of them.

So, here's roughly what I have been upto in this project.

Have been talking to more and more people about the project, and it is really interesting to note the people that one gets to meet.

Some of those interesting people have expressed interest in being involved in the project on a larger scale.

I know it has been a long time since the last update of the project happened. There have been many things that have been going on and that have kept me busy.

First of all our funds is approaching the 1000$ figure mark and I would really like to thank the contributors. It has really been inspiring to know that there are people out there who are willing to help in whatever way they can. The funny part is that once I started the actual costs involved in getting things done, the amount seemed small. But as we all know that no amount is small and many times it’s also the gesture that matters. The local people, the parents, the teachers and also the students themselves are appreciative of this fact.