The Deshpande Foundation is the family foundation of Gururaj ("Desh")
and Jaishree Deshpande. Founded in 1996, it is a leading philanthropic
foundation in Massachusetts and India in the areas of innovation,
entrepreneurship and international development. The Deshpande
Foundation is currently accepting applications for its unique Sandbox
Fellowship located in and around Hubli, India. This is a year-long
program for dynamic young professionals or post-graduate school
candidates who have experience working in on-the-ground development
and/or social entrepreneurship and are seeking an extended experience
working on these issues.
The Foundation is currently advertising for three specific and
different opportunities: a Fellowship with an alternative educational
NGO, a summer Fellowship for a Public Health Project and a Fellowship
with an agricultural training NGO, all in India. The Fellow will work
with one of these NGOs, but s/he will be sponsored and supported by
the Deshpande Foundation. The educational NGO runs a school in the
Montessorie style, with a focus on active, joyful, and relevant
learning. The agricultural training NGO creates livelihood
opportunities through community-managed integrated farming systems for
fifty families living below the poverty line.
Altnerative Education Project Overview: This NGO has a
Montessorie-style school in a town called Sirsi, which is about three
hours outside of Hubli. Though the school isn't rich in capital by
most standards, their staff is uncommonly committed and provides an
excellent resource rich network. There are currently 13-15 students
per class, but 26 students are in preschool right now, which indicates
that the school will grow rapidly. This NGO needs a Fellow to help
them with big picture curriculum development for the 1st-6th grades.
They are looking for a motivated person to design and implement
lessons in a creative, connected manner.
Skills needed:
Elementary curriculum development
Commitment to active, joyful learning
Knowledge of the Montessorie method is a plus
Ability to live in a rural—though supportive—environment
Deliverables:
Development / design of curriculum and syllabus for 1st – 6th standards
Demonstrated buy-in from Chandana about lesson plan content / style to
ensure success
Implementation of lessons, with the start of an established feedback system.
Agricultural Training Project Overview:
This NGO has a training center in Surashettykopa which is community
owned—they help to manage it. The training center is about a way of
life, and aims to produce simple yet transformative experience for
improving local quality of life regarding hygiene, farming, and
relevant technology. A key part of this experience is the curriculum
used to train and educate people, and they seek a Fellow to develop
that curriculum and to develop a corresponding set of materials.
Skills needed:
Background in educational curriculum development
Communications (methods of transferring info to a heterogenous mix of people)
Media knowledge and creativity
Deliverables:
A proven curriculum (based on standardized training and relevant
agricultural practices) that is flexible yet effective. The curriculum
will include directive feedback from farmers.
Material development to support the curriculum: videos; booklets; lectures.
Summer Public Health Project Overview:
Description of NGO:
The Best Practices Research & Education Foundation (BPF) began in
1999. It aims to document, innovate and disseminate best practices in
the fields of development, governance and gender. It aims to conduct
innovative action research in partnership with practitioners and
implementing agencies of the state and civil society. Through
participatory monitoring, evaluation and documentation techniques, it
aims to build a strong knowledge base and provide policy input based
on gaps identified, best practices and processes documented and
recommendations from the field.
In 2005, BPF initiated a grassroots branch, Best Practices
Foundation-Dharwad, which serves as an incubation site and testing
ground to experiment with new ideas and innovations that will empower
the poor. BPF-Dharwad has emerged out of several years of engagement
in the Dharwad area and each staff has grassroots experience of 20-30
years.The key work areas of BPF are documentation, innovation and
dissemination of best practices in the fields of development,
governance and gender.
Health Activities address the health security of quarry workers. Most
women have bronchial problems due to inhaling of stone dust. This
year, about 10 women and 5 men have severe bronchial problems, and
they have already spent about Rs. 3000 on treatment and have also lost
about 15 days of wages. Two women had abortions in their 4th month
pregnancy. None of the workers use masks and no one has knowledge of
insurance schemes that can help in case of accidents. Going to quarry
work is inevitable for the laborers, as they do not have any option
for alternate livelihood opportunities. No preventative measures have
been taken, and quarry owners typically ignore the health
problems that the workers face.
Deliverables:
·Design and establishment of a monitoring and evaluation system for
BPF's work with quarry workers in Mandihal village
* Establishment of a baseline for impact assessment, which includes
but is not limited to:
o Assessing the current health status of the target population
o Assessing current environmental health conditions in the area
The Deshpande Foundation offers these fellows a modest stipend,
healthcare provisions, Kannada language training, housing for the
duration of the fellowship and round-trip airfare upon completion of
the fellowship.