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9
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 VOLUME I, ISSUE I, JANUARY 2011 www.bubblewrapped.asia

Bubblewrapped January 2011

CONTENTS
THE TIPPING POINT
07 JUST DO IT
Social entrepreneurship is the name of the game
and the internet is the new playground.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE GREEN TONE
17 SUN IS SHINING... WELL ALMOST
Harnessing solar energy for daily needs -
distant dream or reality in the making?
21 SEEING REDD IN INDIA
UN's programme to save the world from deforestation
slowly clears its way into India.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE WILD TRUTH
29 SAVING SHER KHAN
Does the tiger really have any hope of survival?
33 THE TRUTH ABOUT CATS AND DOGS... AND PEOPLE
Not all men are dog's best friends.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B+
EDITOR 39 CHILDREN OFF THE STREET
Chetna
Street kids have choices. Akanksha and Childline are two of them.
DESIGNER 43 ANYONE CAN WRITE
Guru Munishwar
That's what Dheera Kitchlu tells the kids she works with.
CONTRIBUTORS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Akhil Sood
Anushree Chatterjee
THE CORPORATE PITCH
Mili Gandhi 47 A SOCIAL VENTURE
Nandini Dumaswala ‘Together we can' says EdelGive - Edelweiss' CSR initiative.
Nikita Sawant ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pooja Bhulla graffiti
Rahul Fonseca
publishing
Riddhima Saxena
Produced and Published by house
Sakshi Sigh Tolani
Sachin Rai
Sheetal Paknikar DISCLAIMER
Views and opinions mentioned in this eMagazine do not necessarily reflect those
of Bubble Wrapped or Graffiti Publishing House.Whilst every effort has been made
to ensure accuracy, Bubble Wrapped and Graffiti Publishing House cannot accept
liability for errors and omissions contained in eMagazine. Reproduction in whole or
4
10 part without written permission from Graffiti Publishing House is strictly prohibited.
THE TIPPING POINT
5
6
 JUST
DO
IT
Author: Anushree Chaterjee
What was once perceived as an occupation
for those who had no occupation is now a
sought after occupation. 20-odd years ago,
when it came to social work, most people
looked at it as something one who had more
leftist leaning would do. The stereotypical
image of an individual engaged in community
service was that of a khadi kurta or sari clad,
jhola carrying activist who lived a hand-to-
mouth existence, fighting for the rights of the
downtrodden and cutting themselves away
from all else. Unless you had this kind of
bearing, you couldn't really be a 'social worker'.
You had to look underprivileged if you wanted
to fight for privileges. If you came from a well-off
family and chose to enrol in a graduation
programme for social studies with a leading
institute, it would be an 'odd' thing. As is the
case with most human issues, we ridicule what
we don't know enough of. The fear of the
unknown also manifests itself as
derision of the unknown.

Today, there has been a 360-degree change

in the way generations both young and old
perceive 'social work'. Working for social
betterment has become a part of life for the
hip, cool and tech-savvy, for whom community
service projects run parallel with school exams,

7

college festivals and five-day work weeks. The
country's biggest corporate houses and
campus recruiters like Tata Group of
Companies, Hindustan Unilever Ltd. and Indian
Oil Corporation are known for their Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR) plans that exemplify
the act of using resources to better society
earning them the title of 'social entrepreneurs'.
Young blood is taking noticeable and
praiseworthy social initiatives, to repay society
in whatever ways they can. Primary to post
graduate, institutes have weaved in social
issues into their agendas, encouraging students
to participate in big and small activities that
make them conscious of humanitarian,
environmental and other relevant issues.
Moreover, icons for the generation, like Steve
Waugh, Salman Khan and Bill Gates are
pioneering 'social entrepreneurship', without
cutting out on any of their unique personal or
professional identity aspects and in fact
leveraging on their 'brand value'.
The young blood represents the dynamism that
is the face of social work today and they aren't
sticking to age-old means; they are adapting
newer ones for the larger goal. The internet,
with all its wondrous networking abilities, is
being used to communicate messages, gather
people and gain attention for several
initiatives. Each person, like their Blackberry
messenger and Facebook Ids, is encouraged
to be unique but act together as one, strong
force of change. 'Think global, act local' is
slowly becoming 'Think local, act personal'.
One needn't barge in with a massive,
multi-faceted plan to save the universe. All
that's needed is a basic idea that appeals
with its simplicity and catches on
thereafter, everywhere.
Three simple ideas, three young minds and a
whole lot of out-of-the-box thinking has given
rise to three separate initiatives that spurt mass
movements at regular intervals. Batti Bandh,
The Bicycle Project and The Sapling Project
are just three from the many social initiatives
thriving on the internet.
The Illuminati
Batti Bandh originated after a road trip that a
bunch of friends took. Amidst what could have
been the usual chilled out getaway, normally
just a good way to switch-off from the hectic
urban life, this holiday turned into an inspiration
for Keith Menon and his friends.
How would you like it if someone
turned you on and then left?’ – the
lament of a sorrowful light switch!
The rural and semi-urban places they passed
through in Maharashtra brought them face-to-
face with a severe decline in natural habitats
and resources. Experiencing torrential
downpours, these regions suffered flooding,
rising sea levels and displacement of vital trees
8
VOLUME I, ISSUE I, JANUARY 2011 www.bubblewrapped.asia
and greenery. Choosing investigation over
ignorance, Menon and his friends began to
study the climatic effects of reckless
urbanisation. The study was intended to go
beyond what was discovered, converting it in
to strong action. 'Batti Bandh' or 'Lights Out'
was thus born, with the slogan 'Save Electricity.
Go Green. Save Earth.’
“We had read about the Earth Hour,” says
Menon, “which was a very international
concept. What India needs is a much more
localised concept, intelligible to our people,
no matter what their level of education is.”
Through designated one-hour lights out
sessions, street plays, cycling campaigns and
more, Batti Bandh engages more and more of
India's urban youth in spreading awareness
about air pollution, conscious use of electricity
and the message of being eco-friendly. Doesn't
sound too new or revolutionary? Well, this
movement, promoting 'unplug' as a way of life,
is fast and fabulously building on its awareness
via online media. With more than 4,000
members on Facebook, Batti Bandh garner's a
lot of attention from the 20-somethings, who
regularly attend as well as promote the
movement. Accepting to attend the fun-filled
events, sharing images of these, posting
positive reviews and comments, does more
than just creating awareness. With the
omnipresent Blackberry handsets, word-of-
mouth in its fascinating virtual form, brings
together the sometimes fragmented youth
opinion, as to how worthwhile campaigns like
Batti Bandh can be.
Street plays engage every day, colloquial
references and use humour to make viewers
aware of what environmental threats can be
and how the effects can be well averted. For
Batti Bandh, the idea is to create an
experience that reduces stress and not add to
it. “The key”, Menon believes, “is in engaging
fun, interactive and dynamic methods, rather
than shocking or didactic ones.” Their
Facebook updates get very creative indeed.
A poster depicts a delectable fried egg on a
pan, stating 'Turn off the heat' and another
clearly puts it out there – 'How would you like it
if someone turned you on and then left?' – the
lament of a sorrowful light switch! All of these
are hip, cool designs created by and for the
similar-minded people. No, this doesn't mean
that those at the frontlines or at the back-end
of this movement wish to project Batti Bandh as
something exclusive or of the elite. Rather, to
use Menon's words, “The intention is to take
those with Blackberrys to those without
Blackberrys.” Facebook, Blackberry messenger,
Twitter, Flickr, etc. are all just the platforms and
tools that activists like Menon are using to get
the messages across a very busy but extremely
connected population. Those who need to be
plugged in at all times need to know
electricity's essential value. Once such
messages are out there, they create curiosity,
attendance and then a genuine interest in
taking things forward. In fact in many instances
there is a snowball effect which creates
awareness and elicits response even from
those who may not be constantly connected
and are facing the brunt of
reckless urban lifestyles.
It's not always a rosy story for sure. While tweets
and buzzes do go from one buddy to another,
the rate of the awareness being converted to
activism does not rise proportionately. Over the
past two or three years, there have been
several such events and campaigns being
launched and so any single person gets at
least four invites in a month. It's rather unlikely
9
that he or she will attend all the meetings, let
alone the final event. The challenge, that
Menon and his teammates are facing now, is
how to keep their target activists engaged
and continuously interested. The youth, to put it
plainly, are often fickle-minded getting bored
pretty soon, always looking for something new.
To communicate with them, which requires a
two-way channel, is difficult. One has to
override the mob mentality and find the more
permanent enthusiasts and also not just
depend on technological platforms. After all,
the goal is to save electricity so one has to
get away from their computer screens. “Seeing
is believing”, Menon asserts. So, he implements
initiatives through colleges like Jai Hind,
educational institutions like Akanksha and
several corporate houses that bring interested
people together, in flesh and blood. Qais
Husein of the Jai Hind Rotaract Club agrees,
“We also rely on word of mouth and personal
persuasion to get our friends and classmates
together and participate in such events.” The
 VOLUME I, ISSUE I, JANUARY 2011 www.bubblewrapped.asia

select few who feel the need for a change some saplings and planted them. The Sapling
Growing Up
remain committed, acceding to him. 'Haath Project is now a well-known initiative that runs
Mila', a human chain and canvas painting tree planting drives across six cities, including
endeavour, saw youngsters from different Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Delhi.
professional, social and academic
backgrounds come together for the cause of During these drives, the team distributes free
The Sapling Project, started by Satish
the earth. In the end, the organisers believe saplings to volunteers, who have to take these
Vijaykumar and Ranjeetsinh Walunj, began
that it is important to stick to one's eco-friendly back home, plant them in their own residential
over a year ago, when a bunch of people
guns and not lose hope. Though the younger spaces and look after them, for at least two
realised the need to do something about the
generation goes through its transitional thought years. The entire idea is to engage people in
depleting greenery in major cities. Vijaykumar
processes, they remain the bastion of change a very simple and basic task that doesn't need
realised that, like the lack of trees, the urban lot
for the future. One has to believe that the them to go out of their way or do anything
have much to complain about,
message that has been planted, will sprout complicated. The saplings distributed are
but do little to help.
effects at some point, in some way, beyond the evergreen, low-maintenance plants that only
virtual world to create a tangible, more require regular watering and sunshine. In case
60-70% of those who queue up to
sustainable response. residential areas don't have much space for
collect saplings, according to
trees, one can even go ahead and plant it in
Vijaykumar, belong to the
Save Electricity. the office premises, if permitted. The idea is to
younger generation.
Go Green. ensure that the sapling is looked after by the
Save Earth. planter and the latter sees his initiative bearing
The inaction is mainly because of the lack of
fruit. “Trees are the biggest investment we can
time to put in that kind of effort. With some
make for our city's future and that is something
friends, he pooled in some money, bought
our colleagues are realising,” Vijaykumar says.

10
Starting with 500 saplings at their first drive, the
Sapling Project's last drive distributed over
4000 saplings in six cities.
Twitter, Facebook and blogging have
boosted The Sapling Project, claims Vijaykumar.
Having started off in a very small way, these
mediums were pertinent in giving the project
the required visibility and results. They became
the best way to spread the word, being
cheap, eco-friendly, fast and far-reaching.
Further, they have been effective in also
converting the concept into action. For a
movement that is still to get its formal
appellation of a registered NGO, an official
website and Facebook updates have been
ideal means of communication successfully
attracting attention to the cause.
60-70% of those who queue up to collect
saplings, according to Vijaykumar, belong to
the younger generation. When they come
forward to do whatever they can, it's a
heartening act indeed. “They all get their
updates through our regular posts online, they
contribute to our blogs with responses and
that's how more people get involved,” he says.
Moreover, an amateur gardener's queries
about looking after plants also get addressed
in a quick, practical way. That's why one has to
keep it simple, Vijaykumar believes. His intention
is to benefit the average person who has to
battle health problems that result from pollution
or global warming. So, he gives a direct
solution, wherein these thousands of average,
middle class citizens go ahead and plant
thousands of fresh, life-giving saplings. Children
of all ages have come together with great
gusto, going back as proud possessors of
saplings that they will be responsible for. They,
in all probability, would grow in to individuals
who respect the environment far more than their
elders nurturing a sense of inherent
responsibility towards the world they live in.
Going forward, once the formal registrations
come through, The Sapling Project seeks to
11
engage with a larger number of schools,
colleges and corporate houses and get their
support. The Project's core team has already
worked with individuals who give saplings as
take away gifts for weddings and parties.
“Children who have their birthday parties at
restaurants, etc. can also be encouraged to
give their friends a plant each as a souvenir. It's
free but has far-reaching effects,”
states Vijaykumar.
The Sapling Project does indeed urge one to
go from online to offline with one's actions. An
unimaginable number of Facebook users stress
about the state of their virtual farms in Farmville,
worried about their strawberry patches,
purchasing fertilisers, and so on. If so much
attention can be paid to a flower that can't
even be smelled, think how much more will be
given to a sapling that can be
carried home to cherish. This year a simple
bouquet of flowers just won't do. Get yourself a
sapling and gift some to your loved ones too.

Riding Towards Change
Taking absolute direct action is a very novel
and effective social movement, The Bicycle
Project. Born out of a true need of the hour, this
initiative was taken by Hemant and Sangeeta
Chhabra, a Mumbai-based couple, along with
their friend, journalist Simona Terron.
The Chhabras, who believe in the holistic
development of the community, are credited
with HideOut, an environment-friendly, organic
farmhouse in Jhadpoli village, Maharashtra.
Their interactions with their tribal and rural
neighbours over 20 years inspired them to take
some initiative by which they could give back
to a land and people from whom they have
gained so much.
Roadsters, BMXs and BSAs poured in
as kids willingly contributed towards
a larger change.
The spirit for sustainable living helped them see
that it is at the grassroots that development is
required. The children of Alonde in the
Vikramgarh taluka, they observed, walked for
miles to school. It was these children who
wanted to attend school, during rains, harsh
sunshine and winters, that needed assistance.
The best people to help were their
urban counterparts.
This observation put into motion The Bicycle
Project, when the Chhabras and Terron got
together, repaired 68 old, discarded cycles
and gave them to these children. Roadsters,
BMXs and BSAs poured in as kids willingly
contributed towards a larger change. Since
the past two years, this trio has been
accepting bicycles from those who don't need
them anymore and generously giving them to
12
VOLUME I, ISSUE I, JANUARY 2011 www.bubblewrapped.asia
students in rural schools, so that they can
literally ride their way to a happier academic
experience. Other surrounding villages like
Wada and Thappar Pada have also
benefitted from the Project. The simple gift of a
cycle that one may have just grown out of has
created a chain reaction in urban areas like
Mumbai and Pune, with donations pouring in
and volunteers cropping
up with their generosity.
The Bicycle Project, a very basic and
straightforward plan, depends on social media
and online networks to take its plans forward.
With a 1400-strong membership on Facebook,
the project garners volunteer help by the
awareness created through their posts online.
Simona Terron does see a lot of young
volunteers come in whenever a campaign is
organised. “Facebook and Twitter remain just
tools to reach out to maximum number of
people creating awareness about what we
are planning and how we want to go about it,”
Terron clarifies. “Such platforms”, she continues,
“create 80% awareness and 20% action.” Yet,
the 20% that chooses to be part of the active
proportion is a great figure. The 80% remains a
largely unchanging figure since those who are
made aware may not really be interested or
available, she feels. “No matter how much noise
may be created, this 80-20 ratio
doesn't change much”.
Nonetheless, one can't deny that, at the initial
stages, the boost provided through online
social media is very vital to community social
projects like this one. The people who can
afford to give away an old cycle, or get an
unused one repaired or even buy a new one
belong to a certain strata of society, who are
most likely frequent participants in online forums.
To communicate with these large numbers, the
best thing to do is to get into the same
channel of communication. “The Bicycle Project
idea sprouted out of a lengthy discussion
between three people. So, there are chances
of more and more ideas coming about when
people start writing on the Facebook wall,
comment, join online discussions, etc.,” says
Terron. The Bicycle Project started with a
problem that needed a concrete solution. The
solution they have found as of now can't get
more concrete than this. When people around
see the solidity of the goals and methods to
achieve them, their interest and sincerity builds.
This is in opposition to a project that is fluid in
its focus and means. Here, people can actually
see that their contribution is helping someone
in need and then come back and tell
someone about it. An event notification online
then isn't just left unconsidered. If people have
no more to donate, they even volunteer at
collection centres across the cities, get bikes
repaired and have them sent to the villages.
This, though it is the 20% that Terron had
spoken about, is a strong hold that keeps the
work of The Bicycle Project going.
The way forward, the organisers believe, is
through more on ground events that bring like-
minded people together and join hands so
that the school going kids can get their much
needed bicycles. These will be organised with
young and eager participants, who would
include professionals and students for whom
social networking has more
connotations than one.
Movements to protect the environment, social
needs and resources cannot count solely on
technological developments for their foray into
public consciousness. But their role in boosting
their importance, intent and people
involvement holds heavy weight. Batti Bandh's
4,000 Facebook members don't immediately
spell a solution to power cuts but they do
make a statement: There are a rising number of
people who won't leave their LCDs on standby
mode all night long. The Sapling Project's
membership hasn't stopped the plundering of
forests lands but it represents a group that
won't blindly dump chemical-filled idols into the
waters; a clear shift in mind-sets. The Bicycle
13
Project's blogs help anyone who wants his
actions to matter, sending an eager child to
school. Reaching out without worrying about
geographical boundaries and eliciting
responses with minimum loss of time would have
been a never-ending, uphill climb were it not
for these media. Those who have organised
such projects face similar problems as those
who they expect help from. Apprehending such
issues, they choose to circumvent them by
methods that benefit both parties, and, thus
benefit the primary target areas. Such foresight,
essentially, is what pioneers are made of.
As has been seen in the case of The Sapling
Project, it is the attention garnered across
social networking channels that can aid the
influx of corporate sponsorship. Moreover, it
lends to the identity of a pro-green brand,
working as a great marketing strategy that
would attract a potential sponsor. Also, since
there is the direct action of planting a sapling
or sending across a bicycle, the sponsors and
donors are not kept ignorant. No one remains
in the dark as to where their proceeds have
gone and if they have been misused or not.
“Did my money actually fetch a kid his
notebooks for the coming year?” Instant
gratification is available when the act is done
individually or even by promptly posting the
campaign's photographs online.
The internet, new-age media and fast-
changing technology give an idea of the
dynamics that plays out in this segment of
society: What do those capable of creating
changes think? How are they using their best
skills towards time management? What's the
newest way to get people together for a
cause? Taking this point further, any lengthy
tweet can tell you how a doctor, a psychology
student, a bartender and an archaeologist
can get together towards a concrete social
project, contributing within and in spite of their
learning. Personalisation, that online social
networking facilitates, can bring give any
undertaking a multi-dimensional character. Let's
remember, the causes being worked towards,
aren't of a homogeneous nature either. If there
are thousands of aspects to a problem, maybe
thousands of people can help with their own
ideas. Some broths are brews that need
several cooks

14
THE GREEN TONE
15
16
 SUN IS
SHINING...
WELL,
ALMOST
Author: Sheetal Paknikar &
Nandini Dumaswala (www.seventwentyten.org)
Photography:Nikita Sawant &
Rahul Fonseca

A boon can be a bane and vice versa.

Amidst the heat and dust of summer, there is a

power failure. And we could still smile at the
power of the sun – if we know how to use it well.

Through the floods of rain, we could harvest

water to fill our diminishing reservoirs. And we
could stack up water bodies to cover the
shortfall – if we stopped to think and care.

According to most ‘climate scientists’ and

another newly published study, our climate is
changing and humans are certainly part of the
reason. Will the changes in the climate force us
to change the way we live?

Probably, if the past is any guide to the future.

What could be the relationship between
changes in the climate and human cultures?

17

On the outskirts of Bikaner, Rajasthan, North
India, 14 year old Sakina sits by a dusty
pavement in disappearing light, straining her
eyes under an invisible street lamp, peering into
her text book and preparing for her class in
night school. Days of scorching sun and stolen
moments in hours of powerless workspaces are
not enough to finish her studies. Sakina is just
one of the many labour girls working to earn a
decent meal and support their families. Her
father, who worked for a small solar energy
project in Abu Road, passed away suddenly
after working for a large part of his life in trying
to bring light to other homes.
Juxtapose this against the world's largest
Scheffler-Reflector ‘solar cooking’ system in Abu
Road, Rajasthan, India. This one is capable of
cooking up to 35,000 meals a day. As of last
year, over 2,000 large Scheffler Solar cookers
had been built worldwide.
VOLUME I, ISSUE I, JANUARY 2011 www.bubblewrapped.asia
Near Mahabalipuram in South India, in what
What is Solar Energy?
seems like a small, but happy home – Ira, a 36
‘Solar energy’ or the radiant light and heat from
year old housewife has a diligent daily routine:
the sun, has been harnessed by humans since
to heat the food using the energy from the sun.
ancient times using a range of evolving
On medical advice that addresses a
technologies. Solar radiation, along with
mysterious stomach ailment, Ira experiences the
secondary solar-powered resources such as
benefits of harnessing solar energy.
wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and
biomass, account for most of the available
Confirm this at Auroville, Pondicherry, South
renewable sources of energy on the earth. A
India. The solar bowl is ‘concentrating
partial list of solar applications includes space
technology’ employed by the solar kitchen.
heating and cooling through solar architecture,
Here, a stationary spherical reflector focuses
portable water with distillation and disinfection,
sunlight along a line perpendicular to the
day-lighting, solar hot water, solar cooking and
sphere's interior surface, and a computer
high temperature process heat for industrial
control system moves the receiver to intersect
purposes. For many of us, solar energy instantly
this line. Steam is produced in the receiver at
conjures reflected light or solar panels – called
temperatures reaching 150 °C and then used
‘Photovoltaic’ panels. These are used in ground
for process heat in the kitchen.
mounted installations, built to provide power
for signal lights (thankfully, these are visible in
Before we jump the gun in the relevance of the
parts of Mumbai, India)
above instances, here is a little background
and single homes.
about solar energy. And hopefully, its
significance in the years ahead.
18
 times to around 10%. Just for the record, recent
The Physics The Future Is Here
advancements in research have raised this
Solar energy is now being used to generate Even as the new-age phrase ‘alternative
further to a little over 40%.
the much wanted electricity using ‘photovoltaic energy’ is being brandished through discussions
energy’, converting the sun's rays to generate and debates – as a result of power companies
In perspective, what started as an experiment
electric power. These photo cells are devices, warning of shortfall for the cities, does it really
with alternative energy more than a century
made from silicon alloys, which produce affect those of us living here in big cities -
ago, is still being used on a very small scale –
electrical energy when sunlight falls on it. The where there is happy overuse of power?
for, solar energy represents only 1% of energy
sun’s rays are composed of photons, which Away from the hustle and bustle of city life, in
used today. However, the International Energy
contain various degrees of energy, and this parts of interior India, there are hopeless power
Agency estimates that solar may provide a
energy corresponds to the different wave- cuts with as many as 12 hours in a few villages
significant 25% of global energy by the year
lengths of the solar spectrum. When sunlight across the length & breadth of the country.
2050. That is food for thought.
strikes a photocell, the photons falling on it are Here, solar energy is being used to fill in – but
either absorbed, reflected, or pass through. It is the installation costs are still reasonably high.
those photons that get absorbed which Government policies are currently addressing
produce electricity. As the sun's rays strike the the same and will probably speed up once
surface of the photovoltaic cell, electron
Big Deal: there is serious threat of reducing power to the
migration takes place and this creates
When will the use of solar homes of the rich and famous. And that alone,
imbalance of charge - which appears as a
energy be more visible may be a while. From our side, let’s stop talking
voltage potential at the output. Large arrays
around us? and think how we can educate ourselves in
“Why should I conserve power? I pay for it, so I
of photovoltaic cells are used to produce using solar energy as one of the more powerful
will not put off my supply”
enough electricity to light up a small house. ways of using light provided to us naturally by
“I cannot imagine living without an AC in the
Sunlight is therefore a renewable energy the sun. If nothing else, it may help keep our
heat of summer”
source, which is being harnessed to children cool in the rising warmth of the globe
“As long as I have power in my house, I do not
provide power.
have time to think of alternative sources”
“We are now used to the 12-hour power cuts.
A solar energy project has been promised in
our village three years ago, we hope it will Plug Into the Sun
The Beginning
happen soon”
Apparently, French physicist Antoine-César Arihant Enterprises, Bandra (W)
No prizes for guessing: people sentiments Nikhil Padhiyar 02267306821
Becquerel went ‘eureka’ when he experimented
Complete Solar light Solutions
conclude that we will cross the bridge when we
with a solid electrode in an electrolyte solution
come to it. Satyam Appliance Agency, Borivili (W)
way back in 1839 to discover the first solar
02267305774
cell. And through the next five decades, the Solar Water Heaters

efficiency of early solar cells increased ten

Chips and Bytes Solutions India Ltd, Grant Road (E)
02261630326
Solar Energy Equipment Dealers honour in 1957.

19
 20 www.bubblewrapped.asia
VOLUME I, ISSUE I, JANUARY 2011

20
 SEEING
REDD
IN INDIA
Author: Pooja Bhulla
Photography: Rhett Butler
The UN-REDD Programme – United Nations
collaborative initiative to Reduce Emissions
through Deforestation and Forest Degradation
in developing countries – was launched in
2008 and in a small span of two years is
turning out to be a double edged sword.
While on paper it aims to change the planet’s
carbon footprint for the better and protecting
the world’s forests, the reality is not so rosy.

29 partner countries from Africa, Asia-Pacific

and Latin America of which 12 have been
identified as pilot countries - Bolivia,
Cambodia, Democratic Republic of the
Congo (DRC), Indonesia, Panama, Papua New
Guinea, Paraguay, the Philippines, Solomon
Islands, Tanzania, Vietnam and Zambia. Seven
of these have received funds and are in the
implementation stage. That’s a global preview;
but what’s the Indian story?

As of today the forest and tree cover of the

country is estimated at 78.37 Mha accounting
23.8% of the country’s geographic area, of
which the forest cover is 69.09 Mha i.e. 21.02%
of the country’s geographic area. Though India
only has 2% of the global forest area, it is
faced with demands of 16% of the world’s

21
 VOLUME I, ISSUE I, JANUARY 2011 www.bubblewrapped.asia

document to the United Nations Framework parts of the country, which are plagued by
Superficial Greenery
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) riots, rebellion and separatism, the doing of
India projects the image of a low deforestation
called "REDD, Sustainable Management of Maoists and other groups. Executing REDD
country, but the loss of dense to moderately
Forest, and Afforestation and Reforestation". projects in such areas will be very difficult.
dense forests within the recorded forest area
During the 13th Conference of the Parties However there is another view which
hides under the garb of increasing forest and
(COP 13), India used this situation as a basis advocates giving tribals and inhabitants more
tree cover. In Indian enumeration reports forest
for making forest conservation central to control and proprietorship over these forests.
cover comprises of all lands more than one
negotiations of REDD and the proposal found This can be done if a profit-sharing model is
hectare in area, with a canopy density of more
place in the preamble as well as the operative implemented giving them a right over their
than 10%, irrespective of land use and
part of the COP’s decision. India advocates immediate vicinity and the means to earn from
ownership. Therefore all perennial woody
two main approaches to REDD, ‘compensated it. A point is case is Governor Irwandi Jusuf from
vegetation and lands with tree crops are
reduction’ and ‘compensated conservation’, the Indonesian province of Aceh, a former
considered forests. The 2003 assessment
which means that carbon saved from reducing rebel and one of only 40 to have survived
reveals an overall increase of 2,795 km in
deforestation and degradation, and carbon after the December 2004 tsunami struck the
forest cover but a decrease of 26,245 km in
added through conservation, afforestation prison where he was incarcerated, who has
dense forest cover, across the country. The
and reforestation, have to be become the country's leading supporter of
additional increase in forest and tree cover is
compensated equally. forest conservation funded through
a result of industrial plantations on degraded
carbon credits.
forests and non-forest land.
COP 16 held in Cancun, Mexico, resulted in an
agreement on Reducing Emissions from The Indian government now
...there is another view which
Deforestation and Forest Degradation and proposes to use REDD+ as part of its
advocates giving tribals and
enhancement of forest carbon stocks in 'Green India Mission' to restore 20
inhabitants more control and
developing countries (REDD+). The Indian million hectares (Mha) of land into
proprietorship over these forests.
government now proposes to use REDD+ as forests in the next 10 years. The
part of its 'Green India Mission' to restore 20 approximate cost will be $10 billion
Similarly UN's definition of forests in context of
million hectares (Mha) of land into forests in the and will annually sequester 43 million
REDD, that forests can be as small as 0.05-1
next 10 years. The approximate cost will be tonnes of carbon.
hectare in size, where at least 10%-30% of the
$10 billion and will annually sequester 43
area is covered with trees reaching a minimum
million tonnes of carbon. Under its climate
height of 2-5m, gives countries like India the
Distribution of Funds and
change policies, a national REDD+
opportunity to manipulate and project a green
Rights of Communities
coordinating agency and a national forest After failure of the 1988 Forest Policy to gratify
image despite destructive logging and
carbon accounting program the concerns of ecological necessities of
diversion practices.
are being institutionalised. forests, and involvement of village communities
in the regeneration of degraded forests, The
Insurgency
Forest Rights Act (2006) served as an answer
Another concern is that most of India's dense
to the forest communities' historic struggle in
forests are in the central and the north eastern
India. For the first time, the Government of India

22
through the Scheduled Tribes and the Other
Traditional Forest Dwellers Act, admitted to the
injustice suffered by these tribes, during and
post, the colonial period. The Government also
recognised their right to ancestral lands. This
Act was a step in the right direction, after the
previous displacement and marginalisation of
tribes, not only for passing age-old rights back
to the forest communities, but also for
protecting, conserving and ensuring
sustainable use of the forests and its ecosystem.
But the hesitation of the Forest Department to
share their power with the forest communities is
a constant hindrance in implementation
of the Act.
Indonesia has the highest
deforestation rate in the world at a
loss of 51 sq.kms of forest daily, yet
on paper it can show otherwise.
Lack of clarity regarding the ownership of
carbon and the role of communities in
decisions related to participation in carbon
markets, in REDD context, will cause the
undertaking of community lands for plantations
in the name of increasing forest cover. Rather
than conserving natural old growth forests or
regenerating forests, REDD may undermine the
rights and entitlements of communities and act
as a disincentive towards the decentralisation
of forest governance. For instance, recently,
Papua New Guinea (PNG) Government's
Readiness Plan Idea Note (R-PIN) was
approved for funding by the World Bank's
Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF), even
though the PNG landowners who own 97% of
the rainforests had not been consulted. This
challenges the Bank's claim that all plans
would be subject to wide consultation.
Further, commercialisation of the forest has the
potential to adversely affect the conservation
of biodiversity and wildlife and to accelerate
the problem in Third World countries including
India. Malaysia and Indonesia have already
declared industrial monoculture plantations of
rubber and palm oil as forests. Indonesia has
the highest deforestation rate in the world at a
loss of 51 sq.kms of forest daily, yet on paper it
can show otherwise. Ironically, the Guinness
Book of World Records has made Indonesia
(in)famous in its 2008 edition for this record.
India has several biodiversity hotspots that are
rich in flora and support thousands of species
of wildlife which need to be protected and
not put in further danger of extinction.
The UN's REDD project though stems from right
intentions, it is polluted with many loopholes
that countries use to their advantage at the
cost of the environment. Unless addressed, the
programme might end up as the main catalyst
in the further destruction of the planet. In India,
REDD can churn out results reflecting the true
vision only if old growth forests are
safeguarded, the indigenous forest dwellers
and local communities are made
accountable, monoculture plantations are
excluded from the fund allocation and the
entire project is subject to approval and
transparency with all involved being held
accountable
23
24
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25
LEASE
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26
THE WILD TRUTH
27
28 12
 SAVING
SHER KHAN
Author: Rahul Fonseca
Photography: Sachin Rai

Mowgli, Bagera, Baloo and Sher Khan. Would

Rudyard Kipling’s story be the same without its
two central characters, Mowgli, the man cub
and Sher Khan, the Royal Bengal tiger? With
the count, down to 1400 pan-India, one
wonders if future generations will know anything
but old photographs of this gold and black
pelted big cat.

According to The Wildlife Protection Society of

India, the country has lost almost 53 tigers, 26
of them to poaching alone this year. Wildlife
reserves like the Panna Tiger Reserve (TR) in
Madhya Pradesh and Sariska TR in Rajasthan
have been forced to admit that all of the big
cats under their protection have disappeared.
Recent efforts to relocate tigers have meant
further dwindling of the population. The Tiger
Summit in St. Petersburg this year (2010) saw
participation from 13 Tiger Range Countries
(TRC), including India, set itself the target of
doubling the population of the endangered
animal in the wild by 2022. However after
accepting the failure of 40-years of tiger
conservation efforts can these
commitments be trusted?

The Indian Wildlife Protection Act of 1972

enabled government agencies to take strict

29

measures to ensure the conservation of tigers
previously hunted for sport by the wealthy. A
government initiative, The Tiger Project was set
up in 1973 and the first few census of tiger
population in the country proved to be flawed
as it depended on outdated techniques of
identification, which led to erroneous data.
Results of the census conducted in 2007-08
showed that urgent steps are essential to
protect the species from complete elimination
in India. Unfortunately, today there are more
NGOs campaigning worldwide to save tigers
than the actual number of tigers in the wild.
Urban awareness to the plight of the tiger is at
an all time high. But what most people fail to
understand is that more needs to be done in
tiger habitat than in the city.
A point in case
Tiger reserves in India are very large and
Pioneers in tiger conservation like author
effectively monitoring them requires immense
Jim Corbett started off as tiger killers in
manpower and infrastructure. Ill-equipped forest
the late 1800s, heroes of the masses,
rangers, strict but ineffective gun control laws,
eliminating the man-eaters. It was only in
poachers under protection of local political
1920 armed with a camera instead of
goons and a general apathy on the part of
his usual weapon, that his admiration for
the government has lead to regular poaching
his once arch-enemy grew to a point
activities within the boundaries of these
when he vowed never to shoot another
reserves. Eco- tourism, which was developed to
tiger. His efforts in the 1930s with F.W.
actively promote awareness, was the favourite
Champion resulted in the establishment
scapegoat of the officials when quizzed about
of India’s first national park in 1936. Then
the failure of government initiatives. Even NGOs
named the Hailey National Park after
that reveal flaws in the system are promptly
Lord Malcolm Hailey, it was renamed Jim
denied access to the reserves.
Corbett National Park in his
honour in 1957.
The unfortunate truth is that its people against
tigers. A tiger kills a man’s cattle and he
receives compensation from the government.
Organisations such as WWF support smaller
30
VOLUME I, ISSUE I, JANUARY 2011 www.bubblewrapped.asia
NGOs in dispensing compensation as the
governments process is long and drawn out.
The WWF compensation program began in
1997 in Corbett TR and was soon
implemented in Ranthambore TR in 1999.
Compensation is usually paid within 48 hours of
the cattle being killed to avoid any delay that
might lead to poisoning of the predator. The
same cannot be said for a reverse
situation, poaching.
To date, only 16 people out of the
hundreds caught have ever been
convicted of killing a tiger.
Tigers are killed to supply the black markets with
organs, pelts and bones. Scarcity has only
served to fire the demand for these items that
are highly valued in eastern medicine. Today,
due to sparsely guarded reserve areas even
tribals have taken to poaching tigers as a
quick source of income. NGOs such as Tiger
Watch have implemented undercover
operations and found that gangs of poachers
operate unchecked in the core areas of the
reserve. Along with the local police, Tiger
Watch helped stop a large number of
poachers in Ranthambore. The Kaziranga Park
officials have recently also granted authority to
rangers to shoot poachers on sight, an act
which has lead to many fatalities on both sides.
Most of the poachers in India are poor tribals
who know the terrain well and are willing to kill
a big cat for the right price. Their hunting
talents and knowledge is exploited by greedy
traders and despite severe penalties for
poaching, the laws are difficult to enforce. To
date, only 16 people out of the hundreds
caught have ever been
convicted of killing a tiger.
India today has less than 1400 tigers left, a
widely publicised fact in campaigns launched
by Aircel in collaboration with NDTV, World
Wildlife Fund (India) and some of the 10 wildlife
organisations currently active in the country.
Prominent actors were featured in
advertisements to help spread the news. Print
media carried similar messages. Websites
sprung up and the tech savvy citizens 'roared
online' and plastered networking sites with pro
tiger slogans and videos. But as with most
campaigns of this nature, everyone involved
except the chief protagonists, the tigers, have
had their day in the sun. Though these
initiatives are successfully in raising much-
needed funds that aid conservation efforts,
poaching goes on and tigers continue to be
poisoned in India's reserves.
The need of the hour is education and generating revenue that can compensate for
empowerment of the people in and around its keep. But this will only happen if the people
tiger habitats with specific focus on the wild living in its vicinity have some form of property
cats. Organisations such as the Tiger right and ownership over the animal and its
Foundation help set up education facilities in habitat, and can legitimately claim
villages so as to help alleviate poverty a share of the profits.
provide for self-sufficiency and help them to
lead productive lives. Educating the villagers The future might seem bleak, but in a realm that
on the fringes of the reserves helps instil respect follows the mantra of 'survival of the fittest', this
for the big cats and in turn curb poaching. The wild cat is more resilient than we give it credit
Bandhavgarh Wildlife Tiger Trust has set up an for. Let each person contribute to the
education centre at Kailash Sankhala protection of this species and let these big
Conservation Centre at Kanha to provide cats worry about fighting extinction
guidance for the children of underprivileged
families helping to inculcate respect and
responsibility towards the park.
Today, the tiger is perceived as more valuable
dead. But it is just as valuable alive and not
only for environmental reasons. In the wild, it is
one of the most popular attractions for tourists
and nature lovers and is capable of
31
 VOLUME I, ISSUE I, JANUARY 2011 www.bubblewrapped.asia

32

32
 THE TRUTH
ABOUT
CATS &
DOGS....
& PEOPLE
Author: Mili Gandhi
Mumbai is a jungle, maybe a concrete one,
but a jungle nonetheless. Along with humans
and sparse flora, this urban forest is home to
many other species. While the main city is home
to cats, dogs, birds, horses, cattle and
donkeys; snakes, jackals and leopards are
found on its fringes. And we, humans aren’t the
only ones struggling in Mumbai. These animals
struggle to survive in this challenging place
they share with us, cars, buildings, laws and
lawlessness. Helping them silently and
unflinchingly are several groups of young and
old, men, women and children, faces
unrecognizable but not easily deterred.

Traditionally and decades ago this task was

the domain of the Brihanmumbai Municipal
Corporation (BMC) which could not effectively
handle the slew of cases and matters
pertaining to animals in the street thrown at
them. Today the BMC outsources all matters
related to Mumbai’s animals to one of several
hundred animal rights and welfare
organisations. Thus several new and old animal
rights and rescue organisations have made

33

their place in this city and continue to carry out
work despite several odds - financial, physical
and cultural. They encourage participation
from citizens and show them how animals can
be helped in various ways. Outreach and
education programs for schools, colleges and
corporates are carried out frequently by some
of them. In the internet age it becomes easier
with tools like Facebook, Twitter and similar
social networking sites that help connect with
millions economically and quickly. Most
organisations these days have active social
networking pages where a host of information is
available on their activities and participation.
There are people who and times when dogs
and cats are considered a nuisance. We see
horses being ill-treated and just walk past. We
see an elephant making his way through the
traffic jam and can only nod our heads in awe
or exasperation. We don’t have time for our
own people leave alone having time animals.
Most of us don’t have a clue about animal
VOLUME I, ISSUE I, JANUARY 2011 www.bubblewrapped.asia
a large number of us don’t consider ourselves
Ahimsa
to be ‘animal-people’.
This is an Animal Hospital in the premises of the
BMC Cattle Compound in Mumabai -
We may not be the direct perpetrators but
Malad West.
walking past an animal in distress is not right
Contact: 02228823742,
either. For those of us who don’t want to get
28802682, 28821972
our hands dirty, well, the least we can do is call
one of the many organisations that exist for this
Animals Matter to Me
very purpose. They have a widespread
AMTM was created with the vision of providing
network of volunteers and will guide one or
a safe refuge for abused, unwanted, orphaned
send someone to assist the troubled/
animals and, supporting NGO's and Animal
injured animal.
Welfare Association's to reach out to places
faster and better. Assistance to societies and
In situations where a dog, cat or other animal is
firms for vaccinations and recovery is given by
causing a nuisance to members of a society or
their volunteers in any emergency for strays and
locality it is most prudent to call the Mumbai
abandoned animals.
SPCA or any of the animal organisations for
Facebook: Animals Matter to Me Mumbai
assistance. There have been several cases in
Contact: 091-9819380310 (available 24x7)
the recent press where residents with little
knowledge of animals have harmed them
grievously and subsequently been charged by
the police for violation. Yes, they too are
protected by the law.
34
In Defence of Animals
IDA INDIA is a non-profit grass root level animal
protection organisation, dedicated towards
establishing and defending their rights. They
have several ambulances and can be
contacted round-the-clock.
Website: www.idaindia.org
Karuna
Free onsite medical treatment, rescue,
rehabilitation and awareness through a
network of mobile ambulance equipped with
vets and helpers to assist all animals in distress.
An animal helpline that runs from 9am to 6pm
answers calls and ensures help reaches as fast
as possible.
Website: www.karunaforanimals.org
Mumbai SPCA
Situated in Parel behind KEM Hospital this is
Mumbai's largest animal hospital and veterinary
college tackling all kinds of animal cases from
cattle, equine, canine, feline and that of the
avian and wildlife variety as well.
Website: www.bombayspca.com
Thane SPCA
Set up in 2002 by like minded people from
Thane, it is their endeavour to bring medical
aid and relief to street animals on
the roads itself.
Website: www.thanespca.org
35
Welfare of Stray dogs
The Welfare of Stray Dogs is a Mumbai-based
non-profit organisation working to eradicate
rabies and control the street-dog population
in a humane, scientific way. Their focus is the
Animal Birth Control (ABC) program,
vaccinations and disease control amongst
street dog populations.
Website: www.wsdindia.org
 VOLUME I, ISSUE I, JANUARY 2011 www.bubblewrapped.asia

36
B+
37
38
 CHILDREN
OFF THE
STREET
Author: Riddhima Saxena
Photography: Nikita Sawant
Survival of the fittest is the name of the game
and the street children are made to learn
the rules really fast to survive the tough game.
India is emerging as an economic power
house and one of the reasons is its huge young
population. However it maybe noted that
18 million of this productive set lives on the
streets as per the estimate of the
international agencies.

‘Street children’ is a term used to refer to

children who live on the streets of a city,
deprived of family care and protection. Most
of these children are between the age group
of 5 to 17 years. “The definition of street
children has also undergone a change”, said
Kajol Menon executive director Childline India
Foundation, a 24-hour emergency helpline for
children in need of care and protection. The
new meaning indicates street children are
children with families, earning salaries and
living on streets.

Poverty, abuse and disturbed family situations

are catalysts that provoke children to run away
from their homes and very often seek their
fortune in urban areas. Mumbai is still the largest
recipient of street kids with twenty five of them

39

arriving on trains from around the country. Many
of the street children who have run away from
home have done so because they were
beaten or sexually abused. Most Indian street
children work and some of the common jobs
are rag-picking, in which boys and girls sift
through garbage in order to collect recyclable
material, begging, street vending, dyeing and
prostitution. There are fewer girls than boys
actually living on the streets as there is higher
pressure on girls to be confined to homes and
put up with more abuse. Girls are also less
visible on the streets as they are often forced
or lured into brothels.
For years now this problem has been
acknowledged and efforts have been made
by various organisations and individuals to
improve the situation. A number of
organisations in the country to name a few
CRY (Child Relief and You) Childline India
Foundation, Aakanksha, Butterflies, Prayas,
Magic Bus, are dedicated towards uplifting
these children and fighting for their basic rights.
“Childline was built on networking and it spring
boarded on the technology available when it
started in 1996”, said Menon. Telephone was
the connecting medium and an easy-to-
remember toll free number 1098 was available
round the clock for street children in the city of
Mumbai. With its success, it evolved into a
service for children in need and protection
spreading across 83 cities across the country
carrying the same number. 14 years on, it
continues to spread its network reaching out to
more in need every day. “Today with the
widespread use of cellphones, the number has
received Category l service (similar to the fire,
police, ambulance units) in national
numbering plan”, said Menon.
Similarly, Aakanksha began in 1990 with a
simple idea. There were thousands of slum
children who needed and wanted to be
educated. There were thousands of college
students who had the energy, enthusiasm and
time to teach. There existed pockets of
available spaces located in schools that
seemed ideal teaching environments. The
simple idea then, was to bring together the
three - kids, student volunteers and spaces - in
schools for less privileged children run by
college students.
...18 million of this productive set lives
on the streets...
“Shaheen Mistry, the founder of Aakanksha
mobilised friends, youth in colleges and like-
minded people to volunteer in centres and
started towards building an organisation that
has 54 centres and 7 schools”, said Chitra
Pandit, director marketing. While the core
activities continue to happen with the target
group, sustaining these projects does require
constant communication, awareness, support
both financially and morally. The evolution of
technology has not only bought everyone
closer but also made it easier to nurture a
support group that helps by way of spreading
the word getting people involved
and raising funds.
40
VOLUME I, ISSUE I, JANUARY 2011 www.bubblewrapped.asia
Pretty much all of us use social networking sites
of some sort. Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter,
Orkut , Linked In or one of the many other sites
out there, social networking sites provide a way
for us to interact with friends and meet new
people. But these sites also double up as a
platform for social causes and social
entrepreneurship. “It reaches out to an
interesting group of individuals “the youth” who
are extremely passionate and committed once
they get involved”, said Menon. “Earlier to get
the attention of the people one would
need to figure out where and how,
which is no longer a hurdle”.
Similarly, Akanksha has been able to reach out
to retired people wanting to volunteer and
teach in the centre. According to Pandit, it has
become so much easier to spread awareness,
get reactions, fundraising, branding and most
importantly mobilise volunteers. Akanksha runs its
campaigns and volunteer initiatives regularly
and has been successful in receiving positive
responses from potential volunteers.
Pandit cited its recent intitiative with Kodak, the
photographic company to promote awareness
and importance of education. It used the
social networking platform to invite
photographer across India to send in pictures
of children in schools and classrooms. Another
successful online campaign was that of
Akanksha and MTV, the entertainment channel
where every comment posted on their page
generated revenues for Akanksha. The
campaign generated 10 lakh hits and even
more monies.
Social networking, while it provides branding
and reach, is a front end to all the core work
that the NGOs are doing, agreed Menon and
Pandit. According to Menon, while mobile and
telephone connects us to a million children, it is
the fact that we reach out to the distressed
children that defines Childline. “Connecting to
several volunteers and fundraising online is
convenient but to nurture longer term
commitment from such individuals they have to
come to our 54 centres and 7 schools across
the city”, said Pandit.

The target audiences that both Childline and

Akanksha work with are not the internet using
population. After all, the internet medium is
limited to 1-2% of the population. But it has
definitely provided a great network for what
they do. Feel very strongly about certain
issues? Feel the need to make your voice
heard? It’s so much easier to do that now than
ever before. Come forward to lend your
support… as Mistry put it “together we can
make a difference"

41
12

42
 ANYONE
DHEERA CAN
KITCHLU WRITE
Author: Akhil Sood
“Anyone can write,” stresses Dheera Kitchlu, as
she explains the purpose behind her latest
initiative that goes by the same name. The
programme, launched in March '10, aims at
encouraging young children to write, and
provides them with an opportunity to get
published. She is aiming at compiling an
anthology of 30 pieces sent in by children,
and launching it by the middle of 2011. “Once
children see their name in print, they'll get the
taste of blood, making it difficult for them to
resist the temptation of writing more. Soon, we'll
have budding young authors all over the
place!” she says with childlike enthusiasm.
Dheera, a published author with eight books,
for both children and adults, to her credit,
wants to harness the talent that children of
today may have, and further nurture it through
constant interaction with them, and provide
them this channel for articulation. “I've been
corresponding with around a hundred kids,
and the point of the interaction is not to teach
or correct them,” she says, “but to suggest ways
to improve their work. My role is to merely offer
another perspective, and help bring the child's
talent to the fore. Even if it's a work in progress,
that sense of accomplishment helps drive
the child forward”

43

The programme, in collaboration with Serene
Woods, a publishing platform for promising
writers and photographers, is slowly gaining
momentum through a steady campaign to raise
awareness. Dheera has addressed several
schools, including her alma mater, Welham in
Dehradun, to alert students and teachers
about the campaign, and proudly informs us
that the idea has been welcomed by all.
“Aside from that, we are aiming at promotion
through word of mouth, as well as a
widespread Facebook campaign. While
Dheera interacts with the children and posts
writing tips on the website, the promotion is
handled primarily by Swapnil Chugh, the
founder of Serene Woods, which will be
releasing the anthology for the programme.
“He's the one taking the movement forward. I
took him on for the quality of his work,” she
gushes. “Once the first anthology is released,
we can further expand the programme as
children will realise the possibility of getting
published, giving them a huge boost.”
Dheera has already published two of her
books with the Serene Woods publication,
'Ouch!' Cried Planet Earth, a story about how
children can contribute to awareness about
the earth since they hold untapped potential
for change, and a collection of her poetry
called Nippy, Nipper & Others. Aside from
several children's books, Dheera has also
written Your Story, a book commissioned by the
Indian Association for Promotion of Adoption &
Child Welfare. It's distributed free of cost to
anyone adopting a child at the centre. It is
meant to be read to the child when he's three
years of age, to tell him that he's adopted.
“Parents find this task daunting, but the book is
written in a way which makes the child feel
special.” She has also authored From Darkness
to Light, a non-fiction book profiling 25 women
who have accomplished a great deal despite
their disability, commissioned by the National
Association of the Blind.
The intention behind creating this platform for
children stems partly from Dheera's own difficulty
as a child suffering from undiagnosed dyslexia.
“I couldn't write well, and I had trouble reading.”
she says. She became aware of her learning
disability while undertaking a teaching course,
and tells us, “All the tension that was bubbling
up inside me came out through my writing, and
now this programme.” She has also penned
and illustrated a largely autobiographical story
about a dyslexic child, called Maya. She
explains the difficulties she faces, telling us how
she's unable to read in front of an audience,
and requires lengthy periods of time to pen her
thoughts down. “I have a passion for it, and a
discipline. I write all day. If you embrace your
difficulties, and enjoy the process, then you
can't call them difficulties anymore,” she says
determinedly. She states that awareness about
learning disabilities is a lot higher today among
the urban populace, and the attitude of the
people is definitely changing, but most schools
lack a separate wing for students with these
disabilities, and not enough is being done
to help them.
She tells us that the aim of the Anyone Can
Write programme is not simply to focus on the
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VOLUME I, ISSUE I, JANUARY 2011 www.bubblewrapped.asia
clever children, but also the ones “who may be
quiet and reticent, and have an interest in
writing.” She's comfortable with children
dropping out of the programme if they lack the
necessary patience and discipline. “They have
the liberty to leave if they begin to lose interest;
it makes me glad to know that they tried,” she
says. Her own dyslexia makes her empathise
with children suffering from the same, and she
wants such students to approach her for
guidance. And she assures us that she prefers
children writing to her themselves. “Once the
parents come in, they insist and put undue
pressure on the child.”
“My role is to merely offer another
perspective, and help bring the
child’s talent to the fore. Even if it’s a
work in progress, that sense of
accomplishment helps drive the
child forward”
We quiz her on whether the initiative is
restricted only to the English-speaking upper-
middle class, and she duly responds that she
has enlisted the services of several Hindi
scholars for children interested in writing in Hindi,
while she hasn't yet found people to help with
Marathi writers. “We are aiming at spreading
the word in Hindi-medium schools in Delhi, but
we don't have access to these schools as yet,”
she says. She freely admits that she's in no rush
to expand the movement, “I don't want to take
on anything I can't deliver. I believe it is very
important for me to reply immediately to every
child who writes in and make sure they don't
feel neglected ”
THE CORPORATE
45
E PITCH
45
 A
SOCIAL
VENTURE
Author: Sakshi Singh Tolani
A typical day in EdelGive starts at 8:30am and
ends by 9pm. Spending time with investees on
ground, their sites, centers and offices,
counseling them, working with them, figuring out
their challenges and providing them quality
inputs are some of the things Aditi Thorat, CEO
EdelGive, and her team do through that fairly
long working day.

So what's the big deal? Many companies have

long working hours and multi-task through their
day. The EdelGive Foundation is the not-for-
profit subsidiary of financial services company,
Edelweiss Capital, and focuses on providing
capacity and capital to non-profit
organisations working in the sectors of
education and employability. Using the venture
capital approach in the social sphere,
EdelGive has found its innovative and
effective way of bringing about what they call
systemic change.

47

How it all began…
While it's easier to adopt a non-profit
organisation and provide the much-needed
financial support, it's more challenging and
demanding to work with them closely. EdelGive
started off by doing what most corporates do
which is finance a non-profit organisations or a
social entrepreneur, however the need to do
more was not easy to ignore. “We believed
that whatever we do has to be strategic and
to make systemic change in the sector, we
believe that we need to work closely with the
organisation in both financial and operational
aspects. The other thing that we discovered
through research was that although funding
constraints were there, most organisations
hurdles to overcome such as structures,
systems, processes, technology, MIS, impact
assessment, financial reporting, monitoring.
Considering that these are the very areas
Edelweiss had to work on to sustain the rapid
growth it experienced, we knew what it was like
to work with these entrepreneurs. We saw an
opportunity to do more and decided to apply
our strengths to the social sector”, says Aditi.
The concept
The EdelGive vision is to support high potential
social entrepreneurs and non-profit
organisations, to achieve systemic and
sustainable social change. The key approach
is a combination of financial capacity and
hands-on building support for social
entrepreneurs and non-profit organisations.
VOLUME I, ISSUE I, JANUARY 2011 www.bubblewrapped.asia
Financial Planning and sustainability - Helping
“Bringing the venture
the organisations think through 5-year budgets
capital approach to the
and helping them understand how they can
social sector”
raise money as well as leverage additional
Aditi says, “What we mean by this is that like
funding.
venture capitalists work closely with companies
Impact Assessment - A crucial aspect for social
they invest in with not just money but also their
organisations, this demonstrates how EdelGive
time, expertise, networks, we too do the same
works closely with organisations to develop
thing. Our focus is on organisation capacity
systems around this.
building and associated areas because we
believe that what we call 'venture philanthropy'
Aditi says, “Each of the above areas we have
is crucial to accelerating the growth of
Edelweiss employees closely involved and
social enterprises.”
mentoring the social entrepreneurs we work
with. It actually works like a beautiful win-win
Model EdelGive:
situation where Edelweiss employees get
How it works!
exposure to the social sector and social
With so many different ways and means to work
entrepreneurs are able to draw from the
with a non-profit organisations, EdelGive has to
corporate world as well.”
choose its expertise zones while working closely
with a social entrepreneur
Strategy and leadership – Developing second
The criteria
EdelGive is currently working closely with 20
line leadership among the team and also help
non-profit organisations and has relationships
develop a five-year vision and plan for the
with 28-30 organisations through their annual
organisation.
awards program which identifies and honours
Human resources - HR strategies, talent
innovative organisations that are working to
acquisition, retention, helping them with hiring,
deliver essential services to women and the girl
job prospects and building sustainable
child. They receive more than just financial
organisations.
support from EdelGive. The organisation follows
Systems and processes - This includes
a rigorous process before it decides to work
technology and MIS. For e.g., EdelGive has
with a non-profit firm and a social entrepreneur.
built two different technology systems for two
“We have a rigorous investment committee
different non-profit organisations - an
process which we call as due diligence. We
automated payroll system for a large
basically work like a fund. Before we reach the
organisation and a web based MIS for the
investment committee stage we start off with the
Aangan Trust.
48
process of desk based research moving on to
extensive discussions on the phone through
meetings. Then we actually make a stage
where we make a field visit. Based on this
assessment which is very critical aspect of our
due diligence process; we take a call whether
we should put up this organisation through our
investment committee process or not. The next
step is to define the purpose of funding, the
measurement metrics and present it to the
investment committee. It's a layered process
where we also identify the key risks involved
and list down the mitigation strategies.
Checking balance sheets, annual reports,
doing web based research, meeting the core
management team are some of the things that
impact our decision process.”
The criteria
- Key management team
- Are these organizations hungry for growth?
- Are they hungry to expand, grow and scale?
- Are they looking to engage with us on a
non-financial level?
- Do they fall in our sectors?
- Are they really thinking about systemic impact
not just individual and community impact?
- Are they game changers and innovative?
We get reviewed by Edelweiss on a quarterly
Challenges
basis and we follow a strict disciplined
A not so conventional CSR initiative is bound
approach in our day to day functioning”,
to have its own share of challenges. EdelGive
says Aditi.
confronted many obstacles. In fact most came
from the organisations themselves. “It was
difficult for the non-profit organisations to
understand that we weren't just pure funders for Future plans
EdelGive has a well charted out plan of action
them. To convince them that unlike most donors
for the next five years until 2016. Aditi says, “We
we are going to be around and work closely
have an ambitious plan for 2016 of being a
with them is a task in itself”, says Aditi.
100-crore platform. We will leverage money
through corporates, international organisations,
and individual donors getting them to invest in
The journey so far the entrepreneurs and non-profits we believe
in. Apart from this we want to look inwards,
EdelGive is a relatively new name in the CSR
initiatives being only two and half years old. become better, evaluate and monitor our
Working on a new foundation with a fresh team processes and forge strategic partnerships
and starting from scratch is not just challenging and networks.”
but extremely exciting and demanding. Aditi
says, “Last two and a half years have been the Having found their own unique methodology of
real journey. We have learnt and innovated bringing the venture capitalism strength to the
every day, and unlike other organisations that social sector, EdelGive Foundation has paved
come with baggage, we had to set up systems a new way for other organisations to conduct
and process from scratch.” their corporate social responsibility initiatives
With limited budgets, the team strives to work
with discipline and is conscious of how they
manage their finances. “We function like any
other line of business. We have KRA's as our
review mechanisms, key performance indicators.
49
 VOLUME I, ISSUE I, JANUARY 2011 www.bubblewrapped.asia

50

A few days ago Economic Times carried an
article on The Future of Philanthropy discussing
the shift in India Inc's mindset from just creating
wealth to actually giving back to the society.
Corporate Social Responsibility is now a full-
fledged career option. Social work has moved
onto a larger platform called 'social
entrepreneurship'. Fighting for a cause, making
change possible, working for a better tomorrow
is suddenly very 'cool'. It looks to me, people
have taken the idea of “being the change”
quite seriously!
So I've decided to join the bandwagon and
Bubble Wrapped is my way of giving back. I
started this eMagazine with the intention of
creating a platform for information sharing,
highlighting problem areas and celebrating
those who are the change. In its very first issue
Bubble Wrapped has showcased people like
Keith Menon, Satish Vijaykumar, Ranjeetsinh
THE BEGINNING
Walunj, Hemant and Sangeeta Chhabra, and
Simona Terron who have changed the way the
business of social causes is conducted. A
simple idea, a lot of determination and a little
help from friends and well-wishers is all it takes
to bring about positive change.
Discussing pros and cons of the UN's REDD
programme and the country's fight to save the
tiger to highlighting the availability and
benefits of switching to solar energy as well as
giving due credit to Edelweiss for its CSR
division called EdelGive, Bubble Wrapped
through every subsequent issue hopes to
create awareness and elicit constructive
responses towards many problems that need
to be addressed. I hope this eMagazine
becomes the mode of communication for
people involved in protecting our planet and
the lives of those that inhabit it.
50
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VOLUME I, ISSUE I, JANUARY 2011 www.bubblewrapped.asia
The next issue will cover the organic vs.
inorganic products' debate, the plight of the
river dolphin, the recycling mechanism or the
lack of it in our country as well as another CSR
programme that is successfully helping those in
need. If there is any topic you would like
Bubble Wrapped to touch upon do write in to
me. Also, your feedback and constructive
criticism is always welcome as it will only help us
improve this eMagazine that is truly yours.
Until next time...
Cheers!
Chetna
editor@bubblewrapped.asia
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