Social Entrepreneurship Series-Story 1

It is really a pleasant experience to write a column in LIBA Radius’ newsletter about social entrepreneurship.

I was wondering what to write in this column. Should I write what is social entrepreneurship explaining various aspects of it? But I doubt whether I am very much experienced about social entrepreneurship. This left me at the possibility of either making a review of various articles about social entrepreneurship in the recent times and presenting a digest here or researching on the happenings on the social entrepreneurship across the globe. Both the options sound equally good and why leave a good thing at the expense of another good thing. I felt I should give a digest of both.

I am sure there is lot of activities happening around social entrepreneurship across the globe. When I was requested to write about social entrepreneurship (In fact, I was given the privilege of choosing my topic for the column) I saw many articles and happenings around social entrepreneurship coming my way. It is an encouraging sign and I hope this opportunity can be grabbed and present them to you in a memorable reading experience.

Let me take you through different phases in the column. The first phase will include articles about organizations that promote social entrepreneurship and how to approach them for any help, various social entrepreneurs who took up the challenge by sacrificing their fat pay cheques and a few case studies. The details of the further phases will be elaborated in the forthcoming issues.

A digest does not mean that only a bird’s eye view of the happenings or articles will be given. Readers can expect an in depth analysis of the various aspects to be covered in this column. I may not be right in all my analysis. Readers are most welcome to correct me at any point of time. I prefer the column to be an interactive mode, so that the outcome of the column will be better in every aspect. Hope I can come out with interesting write ups for this column in the forthcoming issues.

BONIFACE P.

The writer is the secretary of the LIBA Entrepreneurship Cell

Meet our Social Managers for Self Help Groups

This is one of the most interesting and challenging initiative of LIBA-Radius. The objective of this team is to propose a business plan to improve the marketability of products produced by women Self Help Groups (SHG).

Background:

SHG is group of rural poor who have volunteered to organize themselves into a group for eradication of poverty of the members. Generally a self-help group may consist of 10 to 20 persons mostly belonging to families below poverty line with little basic education. The members should build their corpus through regular savings. The group should be able to collect the minimum voluntary saving amount from all the members regularly in the group meetings. The savings so collected will be the group corpus fund. The members in the group meetings should take all the loaning decisions through a participatory decision making process. They are given training on various things like tailoring, catering, leather works, handicrafts, embroidery etc.

Current Problem:

SHGs produce a wide portfolio of products which includes food items; incent sticks, cosmetic creams, fresh juices etc. While the quality of these products are on par with branded products in most cases, but they lack the marketing prowess to take the products to the end customer. They are devoid of established marketing channels. Most people today look at these products as inferior to the more established products. This is primarily one of the reasons for these products to be under priced. The perishable nature of food products makes it all the more important to find an efficient distribution mechanism for these products.

Current Scheme:

Most of the products of SHGs today are sold through Direct Sales Approach (DSA). The members make a door to door to visit to sell their products. This places serious limitations on the marketability of the products. The consumers also perceive these products as inferior and low quality. The products are also available in some retail outlets but at very minimal level. It is also not uncommon to find the shopkeepers demanding high credit period in order to store their stocks.

Research has been going on, to select the SHG and start the work based on two proposals

Proposal I:

We can establish a professional agency that can facilitate in finding the retailers who are willing to sell these products. The students can apply the marketing concepts taught in class to a real life situation thereby acquiring invaluable practical experience. The SHGs could also get a better deal for their products. Thus it is a win-win situation for all.

Plan:

1. Contact Self help groups and get understanding of their products
2. Help self group understand how the project will help them in terms of income generation and more contacts for their products
3. Get the product details like quality, price, volume that they can produce
4. Prepare a product brochure
5. Identify agency that will help in finding retailers for their products
6. Constant support in identifying many agency and retailers and communicating the self help groups about the agencies
7. Developing a proper marketing strategy and giving valuable recommendations for the self help group in marketing the products
8. Time required: 7 month

-Off-Campus SHG Team, LIBA Radius
-Off-Campus SHG Team, LIBA Radius

Slum Development Initiative

Objective:

Developing a slum by fulfilling the basic needs and providing a long term solution for the basic needs.

Synopsis:

There are slums near to LIBA without basic needs like proper road, water supply, schools, toilets so on and so forth. The people live over there may not have much education and political influence to get done all these things. So as a team we are looking forward to provide them with the long term solution for their problem. As a first step we are in the process of identifying the slum, which needs such solutions. Research of the slums is going on this is the major part of this project. Once the slum is identified the team will come with the solutions for the problems what they face.

Plan:

1. Three slums has been listed

2. Research has been going on to select one

3. Legal requirements for the problems

4. Political and financial back-up process has to be done.

5. Commencement of the project with legal adviser and supervisor

6. Time requirement min 1 year(based on the project)

Actions done:

· Planned to visit the slums and decide on which slum we will be progressing further

· The team will be working on concrete plans and the juniors will be heading the team after January, with the guidance of the seniors heading it at present.

OFF CAMPUS TEAM

Slum Development

Radius

LIBA

Freedom is in the Air!

It was on the night on the eve of Independence Day. I was excited about the great day and thinking about the milestones which we have achieved in the 62 years. We have made tremendous achievements in different fields. Be it in science, technology, healthcare, education and the list goes on. We have also achieved the economic freedom. We need not stand in a queue in RBI to buy a Nokia phone. We are living in one of the best time in the history.

The next day in the morning, I was browsing through the paper and I was bit pinched with the reality. The front page story was about the drought situation in India and there were stories about starvation deaths in Bihar. When I went through the other pages, it was no better, as there was a story about Revenue Department “achieving” the first place in corruption. Though India has seen tremendous development, we have still miles to go to attain real freedom for all.

Now it is for us to think about how we can serve this nation in the transformation of this country into a Super Power. Today one of the greatest threats to the nation is the climate change. Every year the climatic changes have been playing havoc. So it is time for us to act. In this direction Radius will start a Green Initiative in the campus. The main focus of this initiative will be on Solid Waste Management, Energy Efficient and a Greener Campus but these initiatives should not stop with LIBA.

Another menace the country faces is corruption. Though the previous UPA dispensation in the centre has passed the landmark RTI Act, it has not yet reached the masses. Radius will start a white initiative which will create awareness about RTI, through which we will try to make the government machinery more transparent. This in turn will help to weed out corruption. We as future leaders will also pledge against corruption in all our future endeavors.

Throughout these initiatives we will consciously employ the management concepts to bring about fantastic results. This is not just for Radius but it is for the LIBA family to participate in these initiatives. I wish that these initiatives do not end here. Carry these initiatives wherever you go. Then certainly a day will come when India will be really free.

LIBA Radius: On-campus Updates

We, at LIBA Radius, believe it is our responsibility to explain to you the various happenings in our club, because all that we achieved could not have been, without your continuous help and support. We also believe that the right to bring about a change in the society is not ours alone, we share it with all of you. We are just the instrument through which all your ideas and suggestions are implemented. So, we present to you our modest attempts to bring about a change, subtle maybe in its form, as we have just begun to grow.

LIBA Radius was officially created on 16^th. July 2009. It branched out into two major functions. One is its Off-Campus initiative and the other, its On-campus initiative. The On-campus committee has 28 odd members, from first and second years alike. Its main objectives are to help out the Off-campus initiative as much as it can, to act as a gateway for all who want to help society in some way, to act as a change agent in LIBA, Loyola campus & the surrounding areas, to act as representative of LIBA Radius and to act as an instrument to improve the visibility of LIBA Radius on LIBA campus.

With these objectives in mind, it started with the Blood Donation Camp. LIBA Radius was very particular about how the blood donated would be used. It wanted the blood to be useful for those who did not have the means to come across this precious resource, under dire circumstances. So, it identified Madras Medical Mission, which is well known for their services to the less privileged, and in association with them, conducted a Blood Donation Camp on 10^th Aug 2009. This was the first ever Blood Donation Camp under the Red Initiative of LIBA Radius. It was a huge success, with 28 eligible donors giving blood, and many more who came forward both from the sections of the students and faculty. The next of its kind will be held during February 2010. We look forward to your participation.

The On-campus Committee pleased with their success in the Red Initiative, unfurled the Green, the White and the Orange Initiatives in the month of Aug. The Green Initiative has many mini projects under its fold, its main objective being “Go Green”. At the moment, the Energy Efficiency, Waste to Wealth and the Tree Plantation drives are in its initial stages, and will take some time to gain visibility. Other projects are still in incubation. Most of its projects will continue on for years together, to serve as an inspiration for the generations to come.

The White Initiative is the spreading awareness initiative. It imparts knowledge of the kind that will make LIBA more aware and helpful to the society. The first of its kind was the Swine Flu Awareness posters informing all of the right symptoms and right precautions to be taken. Many more “information empowerments” will be following, under this banner.

The Orange Initiative is the fund raising initiative. This is mainly to fund the off campus initiatives like Slum development, Self Help Group, Education of the less privileged etc. The pioneer, under this banner, was the Food Stall organized by LIBA Radius on Aug 15^th 2009. It had an overwhelming response, as both members and non members pitched in to make the food stall a hit. More of such fun programs are in the pipeline.

The next LIBA Radius visibility milestone to look out for is the Joy of Giving Week. This week, which is from 27^th Sept to 3^rd Oct 2009, is to be celebrated nationwide by corporate, colleges, schools and NGOs alike. It is supported by celebrities like Abdul Kalam, Sachin Tendulkar, A R Rahman, Surya etc. It is an opportunity to for us to use this as an extra reason to help bring a smile to people and go “full on” during that week. We will be organizing Clothes Donation Drive, Organ Donation Drive, Campus Cleanups etc honoring this week. Look out for this special Week!!

Last, but not t he least, we, at LIBA Radius, value your support and participation in all forms, and so your ideas or suggestion to help change our less privileged neighbors are more than welcomed. For talking out ideas or giving suggestions, please contact any of the radius members. We, once again, thank you for your overwhelming support and participation.

-The On-Campus Team, LIBA Radius

A DATE WITH SIX 'ties' TEENS

“Be kind, especially with the infirm. Love them well ... Oh yes! Be kind. It is a great grace God is giving you. In serving the aged, it is He Himself whom you are serving.”

-Blessed Jeanne Jugan

These were the exact words of Jeanne Jugan, the founder and first Little Sister of the Poor, a humble woman from Cancale, a small fishing village in Brittany, France in 1839. Jeane Jugan dedicated her life for the happiness of the poor at the Home. Beyond just meeting their needs for shelter, food and medical attention, she was concerned that they had ample reason to smile. For her selfless attitude and sincere dedication she will be canonized a Saint by Pope Benedict XVI On October 11, 2009.

The Little Sisters of the Poor is now an International Missionary Institution with nearly 4,000 sisters continuing the vision of Jeanne Jugan by serving more than 22,000 elderly in over 206 Homes for the Aged in 34 Countries across 5 continents around the world.

One such home is located very close to the LIBA campus at #11, Harrington Road, Chetpet, Chennai-600031 and on the second of August 2009, we the members of LIBA Radius, a committee dedicated to social welfare, decided to visit the home and give the elderly a reason to smile, a value that was put forward by its own founder.

As for us, the first years of LIBA PGDM batch, it was the first time we got the opportunity to get together as a group and contribute something to the society. For many of us it was the first time that an event was about to take place outside the regular campus. Everyone including the seniors assembled early in the morning and was very eager to take part in the initiative.

Quite a few were on time and as we waited for others we spent some time among ourselves wishing each other on Friendship Day. As soon as everyone had arrived the Off-campus Head of LIBA Radius was more than happy to show us around the place. It was a pretty spacious place and I must say that the needs of each and every individual was met with utmost satisfaction with facilities like dormitory rooms, beds, sanitation facilities, meals and proper tables and chairs.

The first task at hand was to interact with the people there whom we fulfilled with ease without even considering it a task and in return we were greeted warmly and with cheerful blessings. Then we took them on wheel chairs to the auditorium where the seniors had planned some entertainment programs for them.

Each and every member of the home was presented with a flower on Friendship day and when the program started we could see the child within them beaming with joy. Then began the cultural session where a number of songs were played to which the audience clapped their hands, the first years did their bit as well by mimicking renounced personalities and authors. Then the floor was made open to the members and to our surprise we found amazing talent in the crowd.

Just like a child looking to its loved ones for appreciation for its accomplishments, we could see the child within every single person who went on stage yearning for the love and recognition that each of us could offer. We could see the members calling out the names of their peers requesting them to sing songs of their choice and I must say (giving due credit to the students for their effort) that the members of the place outperformed us students.

Fun and enjoyment became the flavor of the hour. Carols were sung and then came the instruction from the Head of the Home to wind up the program as the elderly needed some rest was well. But we just couldn’t leave them without paying back for the time we spent there. All of us pooled in significant amounts of cash and donated it to the home. Our joy was complete when we heard from the Sisters that the fund collected was used for providing them supper for the night.

As I ponder over the time spent there I am reminded of a saying that I came across during my readings and found it apt for the occasion which goes like this

“I do not wish to grow old, to outlive my illusions. Only a short respite from cares and sorrow, a brief time of flowers, and music, and love, and laughter, and ecstatic tears.”

-Anonymous

Abdul Basheer Khan

PR, LIBA Radius

LIBA Radius organises Blood Donation Camp On Campus

LIBA Radius in association with Madras Medical Mission conducted a Blood Donation Camp on 10^th August 2009. Dr.Jayaraj and his team came on LIBA campus to facilitate the blood donation. The blood donated will be used MMM during the surgeries of the poorer section of the society. 28 eligible donors gave blood on this occasion and many more came forward for this noble cause. LIBA Radius is proud to be associated with this initiative, and is planning to make this a half yearly event, starting this semester.

“Ray of Light” to Reach the Grassroots - LIBA (Loyola College) starts social service club ‘Radius’

The day started at Loyola Campus with the students running to classes, bakery boy riding the bicycle in the campus, aroma of coffee filling the canteen like everyday else. But the day ended with a promise of making tomorrow greener, helping more people share a dream, reaching out to the underprivileged.

On July 16, 2009, another child of LIBA is born- ‘Radius’. The name means ray of light and it is meant to enlighten the downtrodden people who bear curse of inequality in society. The club inauguration function was held in Auditorium at LIBA main building at 4:30 p.m. In the presence of the students of LIBA, along with the fresher batch (PGDM 2009-11) the initiative has been given shape and commitment has been heard, the message has been conveyed to all the young managers of tomorrow about this club. Director Father P. Christie has made the moment auspicious by his presence and support. Dr. M. Victor Louise Anthuvan has been mentor of the club with his valuable suggestions, observations and encouragement. He mentioned in the inauguration that the responsibility of the students is to take care of the people who are lacking resources and bring them at par with the society.

The radius community is looking forward to bring a positive social change through the application of management techniques to various bottlenecks in the social system. Whatever activities we undertake in Radius, our mission is to act as managers, and not NGOs. Radius will enable weak sections, but won't walk their walk. The goal is that whatever project is undertaken can have managerial implications. The social networking, partnering with other organisations for social help and fund raising for noble causes are some of the channels to be thought of for serving the purpose.

The emphasis is on ethics, teamwork and continuous improvement by the activities like circulating e-newsletter, organising monthly meetings, contacting organisations in need of support, creating awareness about social entrepreneurship etc. The team plans to conduct field visits, self employment workshop, marketing or retailing product manufactured by Self Help Groups, training for synergising ‘teaching’ and ‘learning’. Inside the campus, ‘red initiatives’ (blood donation camps) and ‘green initiatives’ (promote ‘greener ‘, energy efficient LIBA campaign) are to be taken up with great vigour.

The dream child is yet to walk steady and fast to the future. But it is having great potential. With right people and right attitude the managerial concepts used for ‘profit-making’ can be used to prevent a ‘loss’- loss to the society. If the intelligent educated and erudite class stand united, the grassroots can be nurtured. Chlorophyll can be brought back to nourish a greener tomorrow with the ray of light, with one and with everyone.

-Debadipta Bhattacharya, PR, Radius