An NGO incubated by NSRCEL where volunteers help rural children with quality vernacular education easily available at every child’s fingertips | Photo Credit: special arrangement
Previously, social impact ventures and entrepreneurs encountered numerous challenges. The startup incubator NSRCEL at IIM-Bengaluru has to date incubated over 100 social impact ventures, ranging from transforming coconut leaves into straws to enhancing the educational outcomes of students in rural Karnataka.
Saji Varghese, founder of Sunbird Straws, the world’s first premium multi-layered drinking straws made from dried coconut and pandanus leaves who has been supported by NSRCEL’s Impact Orbit programme has been manufacturing straws that are entirely biodegradable and eco-friendly.
Mr. Varghese, who also works as a professor in a private college in Bengaluru, said, “The inspiration to create these straws struck me when I observed numerous dry coconut leaves scattered on the ground on the college campus. Every year, a coconut tree naturally sheds up to six leaves, and the disposal of these leaves poses a challenge, leading to their burning. Therefore, in 2017, I resolved to develop an environmentally friendly product utilising coconut leaves.”
“Crafted through a process free from chemicals, the patented multi-layered straw boasts natural anti-fungal properties and hydrophobic outer and inner walls. Fully biodegradable, these straws can be utilised in any beverage for a duration of up to three hours,” he said, adding that the average selling price of a straw is ₹1.50 and so far, the company has replaced three million plastic straws by selling it to the hospitality sector.
The NSRCEL has also been incubating a non profit organisation ‘Sitara Akka’ which has been founded by a group of young volunteers to help rural children with quality vernacular education easily available at every child’s fingertips.
Shriya Shankar, one of the founders of Sitara Akka, said, “I used to visit an orphanage close to my residence to teach students there. During my visit, I recognsed that despite my limited knowledge, I could make a positive impact on these students’ academics. With the SSLC Board examination just three months away, I took the initiative to assemble a group of friends interested in teaching crucial concepts to these children.”
Ms. Shankar recognised that a mere three months were insufficient to address the complex issue they aimed to solve, realsing it extended beyond academic challenges. The students’ performance was influenced by various factors such as their upbringing, schooling, and environment. A significant obstacle was language barrier. Although the children had a basic grasp of English, they struggled to comprehend more intricate sentences.
“Hence, what initially started as a three-month project evolved into a fully-fledged NGO. At present, we are reaching children’s homes across all 31 districts of Karnataka, catering to 10th graders. Our team of mentors, who can enroll with us, assist children by employing “Kanglish,” a method where we explain concepts in Kannada while writing in English to overcome the language barrier. Leveraging platforms like WhatsApp and YouTube, our YouTube series initiated in January 2021 has successfully reached learners from diverse regions of the state,” she explained.
For the past four years, Sitara Akka team has been delivering accessible and inclusive education to 32,000 children via YouTube with the assistance of 150 volunteers, reaching an additional 4,500 children through WhatsApp.
“As the Social Entrepreneurship vertical at NSRCEL, we have successfully incubated over 100 ventures. Initiated in 2017, this vertical stands as a notable achievement, not just for us but for the entire ecosystem,” said Anand Sri Ganesh, CEO of NSRCEL.
