Thanks to a generous grant from PepsiCo Foundation, we teamed up with the Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) to identify the needs of the community of Ahmedabad in India, and to implement a SoCCs project for improvement.  This area was previously characterized by widespread viral and water borne diseases, a lack of awareness regarding cleanliness and hygiene, and a significant percentage of children not attending school or any type of educational instruction.  To combat all of this, program participants earn SoCCs for waste management, attending medical camp, and sending school-aged children to classes if they had not previously been attending school.  SoCCs are then redeemed for organic groceries, stationery supplies, and home improvement materials.  As a result of the SoCCs program in Ahmedabad, the local government has noticed improvements in the appearance of the neighborhood and is now supporting the initiative.  In addition, members of surrounding communities are also observing the benefits of the SoCCs program and have showed interest in joining.

Click here for photos from our project:

 

 

Asia Initiative’s collaboration with Save Indian Farmers (SIF) and Deendayal Trust is enacting self sustainable change in the lives of 30 farmers and their families in the village of BoriSinh.  The villagers are committed to AI’s SoCCs program, which promotes participation in various social initiatives such as monthly meetings, cleaning common areas, women’s health clinics, and daily after school programs for youth, among others.  The SoCCs earned from such participation can then be redeemed for 25% of the value of a buffalo, which the farmers utilize for the development of small milk businesses.  This entrepreneurship provides families with a dependable, non-farming income.  As this region experiences unpredictable seasons of monsoon and drought, the project also empowers villagers to build check dams on the local canal to guarantee a year-round water supply.  This serves as a sustainable improvement due to the resulting rise of water tables in the surrounding area, as well as the ability of farmers to harvest additional crops from the same land.

You can view some of our photos from the project here:

AI has been working with the Center for Development in Ahmedabad, India, to implement sustainable changes in the areas of women’s self help groups, safe institutional births, involvement of community leaders, healthcare workshops, and girls mentoring their peers.  The establishment of the Kadam Resource Center for Girls (KRCG) has provided a safe environment for young girls to learn about socially taboo topics such as self-defense and puberty, most specifically menstruation.  The girls who attend these workshops at the KRCG then spread this information to other girls in their surrounding communities, promoting the widespread knowledge of opportunities for female advancement in society.  SoCCs are earned from community leaders holding meetings, midwives providing pregnancy monitoring from conception to delivery, the implementation of first aid training in the community, and girls teaching their female peers the information learned in KRCG workshops.  SoCCs are thus redeemed for KRCG girls’ travel expenses, hygiene kits for girls and women, fees for teachers, and the rent for the KRCG building.

You can view photos from the project here: