Down the Memory Lane: Enactus 2013

When I first entered college, I was expecting to see a bunch of studious kids with their heads always buried in the books. That was the general aura of SRCC, the college with the highest of the high cut-offs. But when I actually got in, I realised that it was not the number game of pointers, but the sanguine student culture that made this college one of the best in the country. On interacting with my seniors, I found out that Enactus is a major society and being a part of it is both prestigious and tough. Not knowing much, I gave my best. After clearing vigorous rounds of group discussions and interview sessions, I finally found myself as a member of the team.

"Earlier, I had only heard of the professional effervescence. But being a member of the Enactus team, I witness it, everyday." 

We are given insights into the working of the projects, detailed explanations of their business models, technicalities and the success rates achieved, something which is unusual for a student body of teenagers.

I remember my first field visit, Kathputli Colony. Prior to this visit, I had prepared myself to see the award-winning slums of Slumdog Millionaire in front of my eyes. That’s when I realised that how Danny Boyle had conveniently shot only the aristocratic areas of a slum colony. As compared to the reality, those lanes now seem very wide. But I know that while these people may be staying in small cramped homes, they hold love and affection that surpasses all the need of physical space.

Very soon, I was a part of their families too.

Some might think that their dreams loom like a mirage in a hopeless world that disregards them. But we beg to differ. If the world would want to shut its eyes to their plight, we will give them a reason to look up. We, as Enactus members don’t work with these people because we want to see ourselves getting placed in the best companies, but because we want to secure their futures. We want to take away the tears and give them hope. We want to take away the struggle and give them the fruits.

My association with Enactus SRCC dates back to barely a few months. But in this brief period, I can sense the changes in my personality. Now when I see myself back then, I think that I was a typical urban brat who lived in a dreamy world, where everything fell into place without much tribulation. Now I have matured in many ways. I have seen what happens in the harsh reality. I have seen how even little steps can help scale the heights of success. Earlier, I believed in the spirit of sympathy and compassion. But, now I know that compassion is a virtue and feeding the blind a noble ideal, but blind compassion is pointless. In the end, it is the action you take that matters the most.

In the coming year, I look forward toward channelizing all my energy into creating opportunities for our communities. I look forward towards trying to change the world around me, for the better.

I sincerely hope and pray 2014 rings the bells of optimism and peace in abundance.

Wishing everyone A Very Happy and Prosperous New Year.

- Anshika Gupta

Offshoots of Growth: SVP

I remember how I always wanted to bring about change in the society, to help people in need, to empower women and make them self-sufficient.

Becoming a part of Project Azmat made all this possible for me! I cannot begin to express in words how it feels, having the power to bring a change in the lives of those women while watching them smile and work for something that gives them joy and dignity.

We recently organized two rounds of the Student Volunteer Programme (SVP) as part of this project. The program was designed with an aim to serve the two-fold objective of supplementing the community’s income and also widening our customer base to residential areas.  We invited volunteers from different colleges to sell 15 kg of our detergent, "Neki Supreme" at Rs.70 each. The rule was simple - sell the stock within a time frame of 15 days and in return, take home a letter of appreciation from Enactus SRCC. An incentive that worked wonders in the past, when we'd conducted the first phase of SVP last year, making us believe that we could do it again this year as well.

Easier said than done! Implementation of such a program entailed large scale production, to begin with. But with Diwali just around the corner, the whole event acquired an almost festive air! The women worked relentlessly with renewed zeal and an unbending will to defy the odds and accomplish the challenge that the situation posed. Things unfolded with pleasant outcomes. They managed to produce 435 kgs on a rather short notice. At this point, the onus of the whole project’s success shifted to the hands of the volunteers who sized up the situation and did not let us down. The first round delivered a perfect launch, and the entire detergent was sold within the required time frame!

In the wake of this phenomenal response, we embarked upon the second round with much optimism and confidence. This involved a further production and distribution of 480 kgs of detergent, resulting in further financial consolidation.

Diwali came by, and so did the smiles on the faces of these women.
As Deeksha, another team member would put it:

"Under Project Azmat

The pleasure of detergent making

With women so committing

The blessings we received

And the bonds we weaved

Gave me unforgettable memories

Of those serene Nekpur streets"

Working for these women has always been a  pure pleasure. We all look forward to a great and eventful year ahead!!

- Aisha Khandelwal

The Ideas, Innovation and the Experience: C2P CASE Grant Competition

We were told about the C2P Case Grant Competition in one of our very first team meetings. At that time, Enactus was still new to us and there hovered a hesitation in talking to our seniors and even to our batch-mates, for that matter!

But at that point, C2P proved to be a bonding mechanism. It was to be our very first team event and the responsibility of making it a success was on our shoulders. Together, we marketed the event in various colleges. The theme was social entrepreneurship – positively impacting the lives of a community in need by devising an alternative business model for them. A competition spread across 3 levels, its winners were granted Rs. 30,000 each to implement their projects.

After two weeks of online and offline registrations, we were done with the first round. As the second round progressed, we were also on our way to becoming more familiar with our Enactus seniors and fellow team members. On one hand, the teams were expressing their ideas on paper and on the other we were learning to execute the existing projects of Enactus SRCC.

Then came the time for the final round. On 19th October we were all present in the Seminar Room, dressed in formals and eagerly looking forward to the event. We were excited not only because it was to be the conclusion of such a major competition, but also because we were going to have some amazing judges amongst us. It was truly an overwhelming experience to hear Mr. S Ravishankar – Director at Metis Consultancy, Miss Barsha Poricha - Director at National Foundation for India and Mr. Joyonto Chaudhury - General Manager of the Delhi NCR Operations, Coca-Cola India Pvt. Ltd.

The 13 finalists presented their project ideas in front of the judges. It was enriching to hear them. 


"The ideas were very innovative and well thought out. At that moment, the impact and social relevance of C2P hit us."

Soon we had the winners amongst us. Carol, which stands for “Creating And Redefining Opportunities for a Lady”, began its operations in May '13. Their project aims to engage underprivileged women in the contemporary art of quelling, in order to enhance their income and standard of living.

Project Laadli focuses on the basic problem of health and sanitation amongst women. The team aims to not only provide women with low-cost biodegradable sanitary napkins but even engage them in the production of the same. It also covers the aspect of environmental conservation.

Last but not the least, Project Clay Coolers uses science to help people in rural areas to preserve food. They aim to make use of a simple technology wherein a small earthenware pot can be fixed inside a larger one and the area between the two is filled with sand and water. This acts as a refrigerator to store food. This will not only help to reduce wastage of food, but also provide gainful employment to potters.

 

Thus, as we stood up and applauded the winners, we realised that C2P brought together the people who wanted to genuinely contribute for the betterment of communities. It is a platform for socially aware people who can make things better for the masses with their ideas!

-Kanupriya Puri

Acknowledging The Change: CDC 2013

Sound, check. Lighting, check. Video, check.

That’s how my morning on September 28, 2013 began. It was Enactus SRCC’s Certificate Distribution Ceremony for the year 2012-13, an occasion I couldn’t really relate to until I entered the seminar room. There was an air of positivity around the room, with all the current members working to get things ready, albeit not looking to mess up their formal attires!

Once we were set, in came our alumni members who were greeted with warm hugs by the seniors. We were also fortunate to have amidst us Shuchi ma’am from Enactus India, as well as Abhay Sir who has always been the backbone of Enactus SRCC.

To kick things off, we had the presentation given by the presenting members at last year’s Nationals, which was absolutely awe-inspiring. The meticulous precision between their delivery of speech and the timing of the video was simply amazing! It was evident that an enormous amount of time and dedication had been spent, to reach that level of perfection.

We then had the distribution of certificates, starting from our alumni members down to the second years. Courtesy my role of being the photographer for the day, I was the lucky one to have all the recipients beam their smiles at me! Zooming through the lens, I noticed the smiles they wore were clearly not of happiness for receiving certificates which would decorate their CVs, but more of a deep fulfillment and satisfaction. Deep down, they knew their real achievements were the smiles they had brought to the faces of our communities. Clearly, in the words of one of our alumni, a certificate is the least that one gets out of Enactus!

We then had some of our alumni members share their Enactus experiences, followed by some refreshments. What unfolded next was an informal and light-hearted interaction session that turned out to be an ice-breaker - the first years were spontaneously asked to talk about the person sitting next to them, and there were some embarrassing discoveries too! But the real fun was when we got to know some interesting facts about our current seniors, with the alumni members obviously on our side!

To sum up, this event was a reflection of the very spirit which unites all members. I am certain every first year member left that room as a changed and inspired person, with the fire to continue the great work which our seniors have been doing till now. On a personal note, I can safely say after that day, I’d found my extended family for the next four years of my life.

-Divyat Rungta

Three: Azmat, Repossessing Respect

Part Three: Azmat

Each day, a group of 20 women in Nekpur woke up to clean dry latrines in other people’s houses. They were shunned and distanced from society.

"I was forced by my in-laws to adopt the family practice of lifting human excreta from temporary toilets in the locality. When I recall how I used to do it – with the help of a metal piece and dumping it in my basket – it gives me goosebumps. Each time I used to put the basket on my head, I had to cover my face with my dupatta to avoid the stench and shame as I crossed the streets.”  – Ballo Didi

“We do not like cleaning the dry latrines. But we have to do it to fill our stomachs. If we leave this job, where will we get our bread from?”    – Suman Didi

 

And that's how Project Azmat was started. The project aims to rehabilitate manual scavengers by providing them with an alternative source of livelihood and turning them into independent entrepreneurs. It focuses on eliminating the need for manual scavenging by constructing eco-friendly two pit toilets, thereby conserving water, providing organic rich manure and improving hygiene for over 7500 inhabitants of the village. This is done in partnership with Sulabh International Social Service Organization.

Today, with the help of Enactus SRCC, these women are independently producing detergent under the brand name of 'Neki.'

 

“We have our own life now. We sell the detergent we make. We are self-reliant; we don’t need to suffer anymore. All this was made possible only because of Project Azmat.”  – Bindeshwari Didi
 

Three years since the project first started, we've all gained something from it. The 20 women manual scavengers have gained the most as Project Azmat has impacted their lives both socially and economically. They now lead a life of dignity and respect and have become entrepreneurs of a detergent making enterprise, which has exponentially increased their income! The owners of the two pit toilets have also benefited due to improvement in sanitation and living conditions.

However, these are simply statements based on facts. What truly tells us of our success is when these 20 women talk about all that Project Amzat has brought into their lives in these testimonials. 

And that is the change which Enactus SRCC aims to bring about in society. That is the change in people's lives that we're committed to strive for. With this, we end the tri-series that encased the change in our as well as our communities' lives. This change is dynamic, growing and multiplying its ambit each day. The series may end here, but the lives will continue to change for the better.

- Compiled by Bhumika Gupta and Devika Mathur

Two: Kayakalp, Changing the hues

Part Two: Kayakalp


Puppeteers are an amazing community. They are very welcoming and very humble. They joke with you, try to know more about you. But when it comes to their work, their kala, they are very driven and passionate. They work magic with their strings, their puppets. You don’t just change their lives; they change your lives too.

 “Enactus has changed me a lot. Be it puppetry, my       language or my personality, I can feel the change.  When I first joined Kayakalp, I had only a basic idea  about puppet making and its manipulation. But since  then, I have polished my skills and now I myself can do  a show! Thank you Enactus SRCC for being associated  with us and I hope that we will continue to work  together.”

 – Raju Bhaiya

“It feels amazing to be associated with Enactus. Earlier, we had our art but we did not have any medium to showcase our art. You guys have recognised our talent and have publicised it as well. Thank you.” 

– Ravi Bhaiya

It is just not about the change that has been brought about, but also the change that puppeteers think and feel can be brought about; the very hope for the future.

 “Being associated with Enactus is changing our thinking,  our work-style for the better. If this continues, we shall       surely become something. Even if not very huge, we will still  be someone worth mentioning.”

– Deepak Bhaiya

 

“You guys have trained us a lot; our workshops have been very good. We have now worked even with Puran sir. Now I have the confidence that I can design my own production. This is something unique; I did not have this kind of confidence before. I look forward to the change.”

– Sarju Bhaiya

Now as things wrap up with the Amar Singh Rathore show and Puran Bhatt productions, puppeteers have all learnt something that is invaluable. They all look forward to new shows, new productions and new horizons. As Puran sir puts forward in his own words:-

“The initiative that you have taken is commendable. It is beneficial both ways, for you and of course for the puppeteers. This is a huge opportunity for them to learn. You can also look into diversifying and reviving other art forms as well, Kathputli colony is full of them. You can combine them together, and all the artists will learn something. I wish you all the best.”

– Puran Bhatt

We all look forward towards having years of successful relations ahead and reaching new heights in this project!

Next week we bring you the last part of the series, Azmat and the change. Keep watching this space for more!

Enactus SRCC: Taking Action, Changing Lives. 

Some changes are transient, some a bit more permanent. But there are some rare changes which are imprinting, for they change lives.  Here at Enactus SRCC, we try to bring about one of those. 

In this three part series, we bring to you the stories of such change. Stories of people, including ourselves, of how they’ve witnessed this change and have been a part. More importantly, how they’ve played their part.  

Part One: The Team 

“Enactus has changed me in beautiful ways, many that I probably don’t even realize. I’ve witnessed the sinister reality, where some are living in the absence of most basic of amenities while some have all one could wish for. As a gleam of hope, there are some who are willing to give away. My journey with Enactus has truly been the most enriching experience of my life.” -Shruti Paul, Advisory Board Member  

 “Enactus is much more than team  meetings, field visits or brain-storming  sessions, it is a journey where we  witness ourselves grow, imbibe and  give-back. Here we learn to have a  “head for the business and a heart for  the world.”  

- Nehal Garg, Advisory Board Member 

When you first enter the team as a first year member, you don’t know much about 

Enactus. You see those few black shirts with the yellow logo. You only know that it is one of the most respected societies of college. Soon you learn the reason behind this awe, and why it is not just a society but something far more.  

“Enactus has changed my perspective; it has empowered me so that I too, can impact lives. This optimism is a unique one. Indeed, each step makes a difference.” 

– Kanupriya Puri, Team Member 

 “We live with the hope that one day,  everything will be okay. I finally get a  chance to make it okay for someone.” 

 – Medha Gupta, Team Member 

“Enactus has made me look beyond the horizons, to hear the silent, and do what need to be done.”

- Pooja Aggarwal, Team Member 

From there you embark upon a journey, a journey like no other. It changes you and your perspective of the world.  As the year ends, you realize that you’ve had experiences that will remain unparalleled for a lifetime.  

 “Over the last one year, I’ve learnt so  much. I’ve made  great friends and I’ve  met the most amazing communities.  And the fact that, in my capacity as a  full time student, I’ve  contributed towards improving the  lives of people makes it  all more the  worthwhile.” 

–Anmol Kaur Grewal, President 

“When I started with Enactus, I thought of it as a platform to do my bit for the world. But now, after a year, I’ve realized that it is much more than that. I relate my journey to the things that I’ve learnt and the family I’ve gained along the way. I’d describe my experience through the extreme emotions that I’ve felt, the inside jokes that we’ve cracked and the memories that will stay with forever.” 

– Ojas, Director: Community, Project Azmat

 “I now realize that there is much more  to Enactus than the idea of  social  entrepreneurship. You make a  difference not only to a specific  community but also to yourself. You  learn a lot in  every aspect, develop your  skills, make friends, along with making  a  difference in the world.”

-Samin Bhargava, Co-President 

And as you proceed into your third year, you know that you’re richer. You’re richer in knowledge, experience and skills. Being a part of Enactus makes you realize your true potential for creating change and imbibing it.  

“Besides the satisfaction of serving people around me, I’ve gained professional skills; soft skills that really mark an edge on me!” 

– Sambhav Raj, Advisory Board Member 

 “In Enactus, the head and heart works  together for empowering those in need  and attaining a sense of purpose in  one’s own life too. The experience has  been loads of learning, fun and most of  all, the satisfaction of creating an  impact which is both tangible and  intangible.” 

–Priyanka Ravishankar, Advisory Board Member 

“Enactus made me put a smile on faces that needed it more than the most, I can’t ask for more!” 

– D.C. Tarun, Advisory Board Member 

We, here at Enactus SRCC, believe that this is a journey which never ends! 

 “When Enactus was SIFE, we used to  say SIFE for life. The name may’ve  changed, but the feeling remains and  will remain the same.” 

 –Arjun Sahai, Advisory Board Member 

 Next week we’ll bring you another story, a story of people whose lives we strive to change. Keep watching this space for more!