Saturday, May 30, 2009

Detailed analysis of "Empowering the underprivileged through innovations"

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I attended the workshop on Empowering the underprivileged through innovations, not only as an alumnus of CSIM, but also as an editor covering the event for ThinkChange-India.

I have presented a detailed two-part analysis of the event in the portal. Here are the links

Part-1: Pre-lunch session

Part-2: Post-lunch session and conclusion

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Workshop on "Empowering the Underprivileged through Innovations"

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Center for Social Initiative & Management presents

One day workshop on

"Empowering the Underprivileged through Innovations"

24th May, 2009 Sunday

Venue and Timings
Auditorium of Center for Economic and Social Studies (CESS), Ameerpet, Hyderabad
9:00am - 6:00pm
Registration of participants starts at 9:00am

Who can attend
Anyone interested in learning about the Innovations that drive the Empowerment of the Underprivileged are invited to attend this workshop.

Registration Fees
Rs. 200/- per participant
Rs. 100/- for college students with their college ID cards
(The fees includes a lunch and two tea/snacks and a workshop kit)

About the Workshop

This Workshop will bring together experts in varied aspects of societal development. These experts could be social entrepreneurs – experienced or budding; One common characteristic running through all of them is that they will talk about innovations that are either being used or have the potential to be used as a potent tool to address prevalent social issues.

Themes for the Workshop

Healthcare and Nutrition
Water and Sanitation
Literacy and Education
Livelihood
Shelter
(Micro) Finance

Need for a Workshop

India has leaped when it comes to numbers like the GDP growth rate; it has crawled, in fact slipped, on key parameters like the Human Development Index. This has further widened the chasm between the haves and have-nots.

White collar employment opportunities created in the last decade have led to the formation of a self-reliant and socially aware section in our society. This part of society, having freed itself of questions of bare necessities, recognizes the existence of a vast populace which is disadvantaged when it comes to access to even the most basic of necessities; and it wishes to be a part of the solution to this imbalance.

Many professionals want to volunteer but do not know for whom. Some want to donate but do not know where. Some want to implement ideas but do not know how. Most importantly, some just want to do “something” but do now know what! Answers to such questions can be found out if there is a platform which can “Develop” the social consciousness among people, which can “Inform” those in need of answers and which can “Empower” those in need of support for their ideas.

Today we stand at a juncture where innumerable innovations have lowered the barrier for serving the disadvantaged. These innovations could be technological, financial or process-related in nature. The need of the hour is to ensure that knowledge of such innovations reaches every socially conscious individual who in turn can leverage it to progress on his/her mission.