Last year GTech, a strategic grouping of over 175 IT and IT enabled services companies in Kerala, had started a focus group solely for corporate social responsibility. On July 13, the focus group, SEEK (Support, Empower, Educate - Kerala), is all set to launch a project to support the education and overall development of 25 boys. “SEEK is trying to synergise various companies to work together on a common platform, especially those small and medium scale IT firms who, even if they have the interest, do not have adequate resources to lend a helping hand,” says P. Vijayakumar, CEO, Testhouse India, who is spearheading the focus group.
The boys who have been identified for the pilot project are all students of plus one, who hail from coastal areas of the district. The boys are associated with Don Bosco Boys’ Home, Manvila, an institution that helps school dropouts finish their education and find a place for them in mainstream society. The 25 were selected by the Home from a camp for children from economically backward families that was held in May.
GTech proposes to support the boys through 25 volunteers, selected from among the techies who work at Technopark. “It’s not just a goodwill gesture or a short sponsorship programme. We are focussing on the long term goal of providing support to the boys till they secure employment,” says Renjith Ramanujam, chief executive officer, GTech.
The volunteers will help the boys with academics, English education, computer training, soft skills and so on. “Ultimately, we hope to help the boys find jobs in Technopark,” says Renjith. Five lakh a year is needed for the sponsorship and many companies have already stepped up for the cause.
That CSR is a major part of techie life is a given, especially considering the popularity of CSR activities such as blood donation drives, organising meals and clothes for the destitute and so on that happen at Technopark. Renjith says: “There are 40,000 plus people working at Technopark. What we aim at is mobilising each and every person working on campus to lend a helping hand.”
As such, Renjith says that a large scale mentoring programme is also in the works. “We have n number of volunteers and we are currently in the process of identifying mentors. We want it to be an inclusive effort where not only the individual but his family members and friends too become involved in lending a helping hand.”
A get-together of GTech’s team and the students is being organised at Don Bosco, Manvila, today (July 13) at 3 p.m.
