Ever since I was small, I awed the big companies who hit the headlines. Loved seeing the big tycoons from my country be listed among the world top. I tried to read about them. Their success inspired me. I had this bug of entrepreneurship gnawing within me. I majored in science and engineering, planning to confine myself within the wealthy walls of the R&D world. I had to commit myself to a life of pure research and before I delved in, I had to find my passion. I had a chunk of spare time to decide my chosen area of research. I did not know what to choose.
Some areas interested me and some promised me a good career ahead. Not knowing what exactly to do, I decided to free myself and go on a trip as I had enough saved up money. I just let myself follow my instincts. Did not go far and wide, instead spend a lot of time in my neighbourhood. My maid's grandson who was uninterested in school but still went for the computer sessions, an abandoned street pup, ever-growing uncleared garbage pile round the corner, the old woman who occasionally came to cut grass for her cow, orphanages and old age homes supported by the local NGO where I volunteer, girl down the street who's stopped going to school, teen-aged mother who picks trash for a day's meal. I decided to cut my trip short. Split my savings and gave it to the people who I felt deserved it the most among these. I was reminded that I was just giving them the fish, who would bother to teach them how to fish?
I started reading up on what I could do. I met each of them and talked to them. I debated with myself how my life would be if I chose either the PhD offer or the big R&D job. I knew it, I could not lie to myself. Had to muster up lots of courage to tell my parents my decision to turn down both these options.
I felt that among the people I met, the young girl who's stopped going to school, the teen-aged mother who picks trash for a day's meal, and the huge pile of garbage would never leave me. I knew it because I had at least some theoretical solutions for each of these. My education had empowered me. The girl had stopped school because she had no sanitary ware to take care of her monthly periods, the mom had no skill for a better and hygienic job, and there definitely was immense methods for solid waste management.
Hygienic sanitary ware and solid waste disposal and management demanded technical expertise and well-equipped work area. I knew I could not do them alone. I joined the research wing of a multi-national academic collaboration who were focused on sanitation and waste management. Skill development, I assumed could be managed by self-help groups (SHGs). I collaborated with a SHG, and got them to expand their skill training program and volunteered with them.
None of my actions changed anyone's life drastically. It did help them get noticed to get more help. Nevertheless, no significant change. This set me thinking. My ways were not good enough, my dreams needed more fuel. I realized non-profit works were mostly unsustainable. More frustrations, disappointments, excitements, panic attacks, request for help and favours, research, discussions, learnings lead me to the concept of social entrepreneurship, as a better way to approach these short-comings.
Some areas interested me and some promised me a good career ahead. Not knowing what exactly to do, I decided to free myself and go on a trip as I had enough saved up money. I just let myself follow my instincts. Did not go far and wide, instead spend a lot of time in my neighbourhood. My maid's grandson who was uninterested in school but still went for the computer sessions, an abandoned street pup, ever-growing uncleared garbage pile round the corner, the old woman who occasionally came to cut grass for her cow, orphanages and old age homes supported by the local NGO where I volunteer, girl down the street who's stopped going to school, teen-aged mother who picks trash for a day's meal. I decided to cut my trip short. Split my savings and gave it to the people who I felt deserved it the most among these. I was reminded that I was just giving them the fish, who would bother to teach them how to fish?
I started reading up on what I could do. I met each of them and talked to them. I debated with myself how my life would be if I chose either the PhD offer or the big R&D job. I knew it, I could not lie to myself. Had to muster up lots of courage to tell my parents my decision to turn down both these options.
I felt that among the people I met, the young girl who's stopped going to school, the teen-aged mother who picks trash for a day's meal, and the huge pile of garbage would never leave me. I knew it because I had at least some theoretical solutions for each of these. My education had empowered me. The girl had stopped school because she had no sanitary ware to take care of her monthly periods, the mom had no skill for a better and hygienic job, and there definitely was immense methods for solid waste management.
Hygienic sanitary ware and solid waste disposal and management demanded technical expertise and well-equipped work area. I knew I could not do them alone. I joined the research wing of a multi-national academic collaboration who were focused on sanitation and waste management. Skill development, I assumed could be managed by self-help groups (SHGs). I collaborated with a SHG, and got them to expand their skill training program and volunteered with them.
None of my actions changed anyone's life drastically. It did help them get noticed to get more help. Nevertheless, no significant change. This set me thinking. My ways were not good enough, my dreams needed more fuel. I realized non-profit works were mostly unsustainable. More frustrations, disappointments, excitements, panic attacks, request for help and favours, research, discussions, learnings lead me to the concept of social entrepreneurship, as a better way to approach these short-comings.
