Student interns from IMI, Delhi

Two MBA students from the International Management Institute, Delhi are spending a month working for MESH as part of their course requirement for community exposure. Arshiya Singh and Anchit Wadhwa are both studying Human Resources at the institute so we thought it would be best to use their services to get artisan ID cards for the weavers in Bharat Mata Kusht Ashram (BMKA), a leprosy community near Delhi. The cards will entitle the weavers to some benefits that are available from the Government of India including low premium health insurance and a small education grant for their children. This is absolutely their right but it has been difficult to get the ID cards before and I hope the concerted efforts of these two polished young people will be successful.

The leaders in BMKA have also agreed to give us some space in the colony to open a small shop which will be run by someone from the community. It is hoped that Arshiya and Anchit can work with the colony leaders to find the right person for the job and set up the systems for monitoring. Fair Trade Forum – India have funds from an Action Research Project that are allocated to pay the shop assistant’s wages for about a year. Thus, we shall have a real chance to bring to a wider public in a new town, all MESH products as well as those made in the community, and in the process provide a person from the colony with some employment.

7.2.2012