How tired do you get if you have to go to school then fetch litres of water and carry it miles home? Is it difficult to go shopping but not be able to read the ingredients within or price of anything? Do you get embarrassed if you only have one outfit to wear day in, day out, for special occasions and for work, and how do you wash it? What’s it like to hear your baby cry with hunger but have nothing to feed her?
How does it feel to have a job you know is making people’s lives better?
Vodafone’s World of Difference programme is giving me the chance to contribute to solutions to some of these provocative questions.
Over four months I will be working with Jeevika Trust to nourish the crucial initiatives in livelihood development that have helped over 100,000 people in Indian villages. This is Jeevika’s second year partnering with Vodafone and we couldn’t be happier about it.
During my placement, I will be working towards three goals:
- I will be establishing a knowledge base of socio-economic and appropriate technology data to feed our growth on the ground.
- We’ll also be collaborating with top universities and sharing our findings with you and with our worldwide partners as part of our on-going mission to further the philosophy of Practising Schumacher through Buddhist Economics.
- Lastly, I will be bolstering our reputation as ‘Hampton Wick’s own International Charity’ with a website upgrade and community outreach at local schools, businesses and events.
If you want a dose of the feel good factor too, you should volunteer with us! If you have experience in IT, PR, business, academia or simply have a hankering to help change the world, I’m only an email away on becky@jeevika.org.uk.
Or you can always keep in the loop with my journey here on the blog and consider donating:
Many thanks to Vodafone and their World of Difference programme for making this placement possible! We look forward to making a world of difference with you.
Vodafone image courtesy of Afternoon Voice.
