SVM Monthly Newsletter- October 2022

In This Issue

Blog: SVM’s Open Innovation Model of Rural Development: Better Together | SVM Team on Educational Trip | Meghalaya Students Motivated by Innovative Learning Experiences | SVM Interns Share Their Story

Dear Friends,

Smart Village Movement's model of rural development is unique in the sense that we are not a charity model. We focus on researching rural challenges, learning about the communities' aspirations, and bring technologies and business partners with customized solutions in small pilots that address these gaps. SVM’s successful Open-Innovation model of development, as envisioned by the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business, has successfully piloted critical projects in the Agriculture, Healthcare, Education, and Household sector in Meghalaya. These are now being widely adopted and scaled in Meghalaya and are receiving keen interest in other states as well.

In this month's newsletter, we introduce you to the concept of Open Innovation and how it colors all our work and our mindset with this blog "Better Together" It is in this spirit of collaboration and being open to external ideas that our core team in Meghalaya explored innovative best practices in South India on an exposure visit. You'll also learn how students in Meghalaya are enjoying SVM initiatives in STEM at the Innovation Hub, where they learn to imagine and create in a hands-on environment.

Would you unhesitatingly say that all the smartest people in the world work in your organization? Probably not. Then why do we cling to this misconception and expect our employees to perform all their creative work alone? Open Innovation is basically an alternative to this conventional idea that information has to stay within preset confines. Knowledge is Power is an outdated concept in this digital age. Now, shared knowledge is the REAL power. It’s a mindset, if you will, of being open to sharing and receiving information. As a facilitator and integrator of solutions, SVM rigorously resists creating parallel initiatives and duplicating development projects. Our first instinct is to seek existing resources and expertise and bring them together on our Open-Innovation Platform to co-innovate sustainable and holistic solutions to common challenges that underserved communities face. Every organization has its strengths and Unique Selling Proposition (USP), so we tap into the best in business, bring them into our collaborative ecosystem and help them refine their business model to suit the rural context. This Open Innovation and Co-Innovation is one of the strongest founding principles of Smart Village Movement, second only to Sustainability. Read More

Last month, the SVM Meghalaya Team and our board members visited and presented the SVM model to companies and NGOs in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Coimbatore, and Cochin. It was an excellent experience for the team to meet other dynamic groups and thought leaders from renowned organizations such as T Hub, We Hub, Plant Lipids, Spice Board, Machenn Innovations, NASSCOM, CODISSIA, and more. Smart Village Movement's model is to facilitate sustainable development projects by collaborating and co-innovating solutions to challenges with other corporate partners. In SVM, knowledge-sharing roadshows are one of many ways the team gains exposure to industry best practices and explores possible collaborations. We thank all the organizations who generously welcomed and hosted our team on this educational trip.

When we imagine a school, we see tables, chairs, a writing board, and probably even a computer. But it’s not the same for everyone. There are still many schools in rural areas throughout India where students have never used a computer. “I never saw a computer in my life.” says Damelarisha. Damelarisha Khongsit is 13 yrs old and resides in Diensong village in the Khatarshnong Laitkroh subdivision of the East Khasi Hills district in Meghalaya, India. She is an 8th grader studying at Diensong Upper Primary School. The first time Damelarisha saw a computer was at Innovation Hub, a part of the Trailblazer Lab at Sohrarim Village. She recalls she was amazed to see and use the computer for the first time in her life. As much as she was excited to learn about computers, she was hesitant to open up and ask questions about them. She enrolled and started coming to Innovation Hub in Sohrarim in October 2021. Read more

SVM engaged two bright students from Martin Luther Christian University for a one-month internship. During the internship, Jennyca and Riabakin helped the team in Meghalaya by conducting an impact assessment survey for which they stayed and explored Sohrarim and nearby villages for two weeks. This survey was essential to understand the community’s perception and satisfaction with the project. They also helped with tallying PPHM (Positive Public Healthcare Management) data and promoting Navgurukul’s Meraki Python course among the school’s students. Internships are a great way for young adults and students to explore career opportunities and engage in solving problems in their own communities. The SVM core team ensured that they were involved in a vast number of projects and operations to understand rural development work and culture of SVM. Read More

To learn more about all our projects, please visit our Website and join our SVM Platform

SVM is a not-for-profit society with 80(G) certification and is also registered as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. The tax-deductible contributions go directly to fund rural development and empowerment of village livelihoods in pilot areas.

What is the SVM Platform?

The Smart Village Movement platform provides a digital platform for Governments, Educational Institutions, Business Organizations, and Village Entrepreneurs to come together in a collaborative effort to find innovative solutions in rural communities and build 'Smart Villages'.

Please sign up and access our platform engage with our movement and help us with creative & innovative solutions. Together we are all 'smarter'.

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