We hear a lot about corporate social responsibility where companies contribute to the welfare of the society. But here is an organization where social responsibility is not just a residue of its profits, but the core purpose that guides its existence. Mirakle Couriers was born with a business idea that will support the livelihood of deaf adults.

There is no charity here, it is business, it is employment for the deaf. Mirakle simply touched the biggest pain point in the lives of the disabled, their employment. Their talents are all hidden and forgotten. The possibility of them being able to do something is never given a thought and we have them excluded from the mainstream. Moved by this very stigma, Dhruv Lakra founded Mirakle Couriers and invested his trust on the abilities of the deaf.

Based out of Mumbai, this organization started off with just two deaf boys in their team. Now the team has grown to 35 boys and 15 girls. The boys are entrusted with the responsibility of delivering the couriers while the girls work at the office. The employees at Mirakle have come in from different backgrounds and have stories to share that will tear our hearts apart. Abusive families, exploiting work environments, seclusion and what not. But their lives have changed. They are today earning members of their families. They are respected, independent and they love the job they are doing.

Bhupesh, an employee at Mirakle who has suffered a horrific past says: “I asked a deaf friend if he could help me find a job. He took me to meet Dhruv. Now that I am at Mirakle, I can finally feed my brother and myself. I give thanks to my God everyday for this opportunity. I am the only deaf person in my whole village and I have no friends. Life is stressing there. Mirakle provides me with friends who are all deaf like me. I can finally talk to someone like me, share a joke and just enjoy life.”

The biggest success of Mirakle Couriers lies in being able to give a respectable livelihood to the deaf. Mirakle goes to schools for the deaf to hire its people. The word about the opportunity at Mirakle has spread among the deaf with more and more people coming to join in. This unique people force is bringing success to the business which in return is spreading silent smiles of happiness.

You could help Mirakle Couriers by urging your company to use the services of this novel initiative. Know more about them at http://www.miraklecouriers.com/. Also, read their blog http://miraklecouriers.wordpress.com/.

Everyone knows the benefits of planting trees: cleaner air, good monsoons, no global warming. But most of us don’t get the time or sometimes don’t really have the inclination to go that extra mile to plant a tree. Trees for Free is a wonderful organization that has taken up this initiative in Bangalore. They involve volunteers and companies, inspiring them to give  back to the environment. Corporate houses can become a Tree Planting Member as part of their CSR activity and adopt a cause whose benefits will be felt across the globe for years and generations to come.

Individuals can become a ‘Tree Planting Member’ , by donating  a minimum of 100 Rupees for 1 tree a month.

Here’s an interview with Janet Yegneshwaran, Founder of Trees For Free.

The Better India Team wishes Trees For Free all the best in making this country green.

Contact Details

Site: http://www.treesforfree.org/
Blog: http://treesforfree.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/treesforfree/

Mumbai, August 26, 2009: Marico Innovation Foundation announces its 3^rd edition of the Innovation for India Awards to be held on 12^th March 2010 in Mumbai. A significant initiative by Marico – the “Marico Innovation Foundation” was founded in 2003, with an objective to fuel Innovation in India. Under the leadership of stalwarts like Dr. Ramesh Mashelkar, the Foundation focuses on providing the country with a belief that Innovation is a crucial way to leapfrog into the center stage of global business leadership.

Over years the Foundation has effectively played the role of a catalyst by creating knowledge through years of in-depth research, multiplying this knowledge through various platforms and recognizing breakthrough innovations through its Innovation for India Awards.

Innovation for India Awards is the prestigious recognition for business and Social entities that have done some amazing breakthroughs that could hold lessons across all sectors. This year the Innovation for India Awards has added a new category- Public Services, which includes all innovations by Central or State government or any wing of the government including public-private partnership has innovated and have displayed a ‘clear public impact’.

So far the Awards have been recognizing and applauding outstanding leadership with innovative focus in Business and Social arena. Its intent is to reward projects and businesses that make a real difference to India and community at large. Based on the criteria of uniqueness, impact & scalability, ‘India’s Best Innovations” are declared at these Awards. Over the last 3 years, 23 such innovators have been recognized which includes organisations like Kirloskar Brothers, BOSCH MICO and Titan Industries Limited & Azim Premji Foundation, MV Foundation, Trichy Police and Kudambashree, ITC IBD,  Evalueserve. Tata Motors was recognised for their spirit of Innovation – The NANO by being bestowed with the Global Game Changer Award at the 2008 Awards.

Any Indian company, social organization, government body and/or individuals who have successfully conceptualized and nurtured a brilliant idea, made it work and brought it to market is eligible to participate.

The three categories under which Innovation will be awarded are – Business Innovation (Products/Services, Business Model and Innovation in social space by a business organisation) and Social Innovation (innovation by a social organisation). Public Services Innovation (innovations by Central or State governments or any wing of the government including public-private partnership)

The guiding principles for selection of Awards are transparent, Qualitative, Consistent and Fair. A high profile jury consisting of India’s most respected and eminent personalities, will judge the Innovations on the basis of its uniqueness, sustainability and scalability through a rigorous four-stage selection process.

For the purpose of evaluation of candidates, and architecting the awards process, the Marico Innovation Foundation uses Erehwon Innovation Consulting’s path-breaking innovation methodology and framework. This methodology has been used successfully for innovation evaluation across various platforms globally.

Dr R A Mashelkar,FRS CSIR Bhatnagar Fellow, National Chemical Laboratory & Chairman of The Marico Innovation Foundation states that “The Foundation’s mission is to encourage Innovation in India, by providing the nation with a belief that Innovation is indispensable and is the way to leapfrog India into the center stage of global business leadership. Through these awards we want to commemorate projects and businesses that make a real difference to the country and community at large.”

“Innovation in India is a key theme in India’s global repositioning as an emerging economic superpower. With the second edition of the Innovation for India awards, the Marico Innovation Foundation seeks to continue to fuel innovation in India- amongst other achievements, let Indian businesses build a cascade of successful and enduring Indian Global brands,” believes Mr. Harsh Mariwala, Council Member, Marico Innovation Foundation & Chairman and Managing Director, Marico Limited

Photographs from last year’s event:

(from the left)-Actor & Director, Aamir Khan, Ad-Guru & Lyricist, Prasoon Joshi in discussion with Mr. Arun Maira, Chairman

Mr. Sam Balsara, CEO Madison, awarded Mr. Kunwer Sachdev, CEO Su-Kam Power Systems Ltd. for Innovation in Business Process

About Marico Innovation Foundation

The Marico Innovation Foundation was created in March 2003 under the stewardship of Dr. Ramesh Mashelkar. The Foundation’s Mission is to Fuel Innovation in India, by providing the nation with a belief that Innovation is possible and is the way to leapfrog India into the center stage of global business leadership. The Foundation also believes that a framework will enable leverage innovation for quantum growth. The foundation is steered by a governing council that oversees both its vision and direction.

The reach is first envisioned to cover the business community, both professional and entrepreneurial.  The reach will soon expand to future business leaders and the general public.  The Marico Innovation Foundation is led by its Council Members, who are visionaries like Dr R A Mashelkar, FRS, CSIR Bhatnagar Fellow, National Chemical Laboratory, Anu Aga, Chairman, Thermax, Sam Balsara, CEO, Madison, Ashwin Dani,  Vice Chairman, Asian Paints, Ranjan Kapur, Country Manager, WPP, Arun Maira, Chairman, Boston Consulting Group, Harsh Mariwala, Chairman & Managing Director,  Marico, K V Mariwala, EX-Director, Marico, Rajiv Narang, Chairman & Managing Director, Erehwon Innovation Consulting, Dorap Sopariwala, Consultant. Visit www.maricoinnovationfoundation.org for more information.

Twenty-five year old Rehana has faced several hardships in her short life thus far. As a nineteen year old, she had to take up the mantle of the household, when her father, a salesman in a local cycle shop, fell seriously ill. The eldest of 4 unmarried sisters, she started stitching clothes for her neighbours to earn a living. Today, she runs a successful clothes boutique and a general store in her village Chandwak, near Jaunpur. Rehana is also the National Winner (North) in the recently concluded Citi Micro Entrepreneur Awards.

Rehana was aided in her progress by the NGO, Nazir Art Seva Samiti, which helped her in getting an initial loan and guidance for setting up a tailoring unit. While providing her with marketing opportunities to expand her reach, the NGO also helped her obtain a second seed capital when Rehana decided to set up a general store in her house. The support provided by the NGO and Rehana’s own determination has changed her life as well as improved lives of others around her.

Presently, Rehana has 5 employees, 3 at her tailoring unit and 2 at the store. She has borne educational expenses for some who have started their own enterprise. She also provides free training to needy women at her boutique and later on engages some of them in the work.

The work done by these NGOs in uplifting the lot of the underprivileged and affording them entrepreneurship opportunities is highly commendable. This is one of the several stories of successful micro entrepreneurs who have been helped by local NGOs to achieve social and economic empowerment. Click here to read the other inspiring tales of struggle and success.

Link Courtesy: Arvind Singh. Thanks a ton!
Image Courtesy: Citi Micro Entrepreneur Awards Brochure

14,000 employees. 40 locations across India. 23,375 hours of community service clocked. This has been the success story of Sankalp – the employee self actualization program at Hindustan Unilever Ltd. In order to mark 75 years of its existence in India, the company decided to devote 1 hour for each day of the 75 years in October 2007. One year later it has surpassed that goal.

HUL Sankalp is a program that allows the employee to register and get associated to a cause or NGO. The back-end support was provided by indianngos.com which was responsible for checking the authenticity of its partner NGOs and for tracking the employee’s commitment. Sapna Agarwal reports in Business Standard:

The programme has now gone beyond the cities to touch lives of people in the rural districts like that of Wad/ Jawahar. Here HUL Mumbai employees travelled 130 km to create awareness on hand wash and hygiene. Similarly, employees have also started involving their family members.

Nair added: “An employee, Crystelle Ellis along with her family clocked over 600 hours of voluntary service at the Little Sisters of the Poor, an old age home in Kolkata. Their activities included cooking, cleaning, serving, washing, helping the invalid to groom themselves and move about apart from helping with office work.”

Such initiatives reconfirm the belief that every person has an innate desire to do good and to give back to the society. They just need the right platform and the initial push. After this, in all probability, they will surprise themselves.

Read the complete article here.