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2 ND November, 2009
I was an invited speaker at the IDCA conference in Chicago
I Walked into the conference feeling a we bit intimidated by the High quality of all the attendees. The cumulative energy in the room........was Powerful and Invigorating. The theme of the conference was......How do we alleviate poverty and mitigate clean water,and climate change? What innovative strategies can we use by networking together? I was so IMPRESSED by all the good work people are doing specially in rural India........like providing solar lanterns, clean water, education etc etc......Absolutely mind boggling! People really CARE! Every one there was a true SEVA DAARI! About the speaker's Every one was awesome. They had come from all over the US and India. Every one was very warm and friendly and wanted to Connect. I have connected with so many amazing people. The session started with inaugural address from the Sam Pitroda , the advisor to the Prime Minister of India and the Consul General of India., followed by few speakers My presentation I was one of the early speakers.you will be very proud to know that I was unanimously voted as the most electrifying and passionate speakers..Just like in the Kaiser award presentation.....HOH got a standing ovation when I presented UG Mental health, MV,Pingalwara and the Village Library Movement.Every one clapped. My talk was all pictures....I have learnt from experience that people like Pictures and not impressive words and information.People came up and complimented me. I was one of 2 speakers who was interviewed by TV Asia. CONNECTING with special People I was also approached by a powerful media lady.....Ann Feldman.....founder of Artistic circles....who has .produced national and International documentaries.....one of them ......Emmy nominated TIES.....post 9/11. Ann is a wonderful soul and we connected very well. She loved my presentation. She is planning a visit to SF and would love to connect with our Don Hardy. I Also made a special connection with Dr Rajagopal....a very distinguished Professor of Geography and environmental science from the University of IOWA.He is the founder of ....Winterim abroad study programme....where he takes his students to India for 3_4 weeks.He looks for NGO's in India where his students can mentor.This program is very well structured,funded by IOWa,very popular (as Per the students) The students get special credits,write detailed reports.....some have won awards......has had a very Positive impacts.I told him about HOH MENTORSHIP Program that we want to Start. He was very interested. In fact he is visiting Delhi in 10 days to chk out NGO's....... Dr Raj is a sweet heart.....the most popular professor......his students love him.He looks like a lovable absent minded professor......tall and lanky with a mop of long white curly hair. He is hilarious.....he kept us in splits...with his anecdotes. He will help us structure our program. God willing......it will be great honor for HOH if we can alliance with this distinguished professor. The other project that fascinated me was One laptop per child project.(OLPC.)..founder Satish jha .....who presented his talk from DC via Skype. They have designed special laptops ,7inch SCreen, colourful. It costs only rs8/day....takes less power than Desktops......kids love it.....they can learn outdoors.....the results have been fascinating! OLPC mandate is to reach 250 million Poor children. He is targeting to reach 3 million by end of the year.........WOW! About IDCA...Indian Dev coalition . MY FINAL THOUGHTS ..about the meeting I Think it was a great idea for me to attend...for that I have to thank Jennifer for making this happen. I left with 3 emotions HUMILITY ...felt very small in front of all the power houses there doing amazing work VERY DISTURBED ...by the statistics.... 400 million people in India have not seen a ight bulb! 25% of the people in India dont have clean water Increased mortality in villages due to snake bights..cause there are no toilets or light ... when villages go to the fields ..which is their toilet . VERY INSPIRED .... that people truly CARE ! There is good work being done in the rural areas. the organization TERI... mandate is to light one billion solar lanterns Climate healers mandate ... is to provide solar stoves to village woman and pay them 4cents/hour as an incentive to use them Safe water network....Mr Sewak from India travelled with me to Chicago...He is harvesting rain and ground water ..to provide clean water to the villages The list goes on and on... i came back VERY ENERGIZED, INVIGORATED.and .INSPIRED and very .very humbled .............just keep on going.making a small difference ...no matter what ! ... Nilima
Posted by Nilima Sabharwal at 8:25:59 PM, EST
I Walked into the conference feeling a we bit intimidated by the High quality of all the attendees. The cumulative energy in the room........was Powerful and Invigorating. The theme of the conference was......How do we alleviate poverty and mitigate clean water,and climate change? What innovative strategies can we use by networking together? I was so IMPRESSED by all the good work people are doing specially in rural India........like providing solar lanterns, clean water, education etc etc......Absolutely mind boggling! People really CARE! Every one there was a true SEVA DAARI! About the speaker's Every one was awesome. They had come from all over the US and India. Every one was very warm and friendly and wanted to Connect. I have connected with so many amazing people. The session started with inaugural address from the Sam Pitroda , the advisor to the Prime Minister of India and the Consul General of India., followed by few speakers My presentation I was one of the early speakers.you will be very proud to know that I was unanimously voted as the most electrifying and passionate speakers..Just like in the Kaiser award presentation.....HOH got a standing ovation when I presented UG Mental health, MV,Pingalwara and the Village Library Movement.Every one clapped. My talk was all pictures....I have learnt from experience that people like Pictures and not impressive words and information.People came up and complimented me. I was one of 2 speakers who was interviewed by TV Asia. CONNECTING with special People I was also approached by a powerful media lady.....Ann Feldman.....founder of Artistic circles....who has .produced national and International documentaries.....one of them ......Emmy nominated TIES.....post 9/11. Ann is a wonderful soul and we connected very well. She loved my presentation. She is planning a visit to SF and would love to connect with our Don Hardy. I Also made a special connection with Dr Rajagopal....a very distinguished Professor of Geography and environmental science from the University of IOWA.He is the founder of ....Winterim abroad study programme....where he takes his students to India for 3_4 weeks.He looks for NGO's in India where his students can mentor.This program is very well structured,funded by IOWa,very popular (as Per the students) The students get special credits,write detailed reports.....some have won awards......has had a very Positive impacts.I told him about HOH MENTORSHIP Program that we want to Start. He was very interested. In fact he is visiting Delhi in 10 days to chk out NGO's....... Dr Raj is a sweet heart.....the most popular professor......his students love him.He looks like a lovable absent minded professor......tall and lanky with a mop of long white curly hair. He is hilarious.....he kept us in splits...with his anecdotes. He will help us structure our program. God willing......it will be great honor for HOH if we can alliance with this distinguished professor. The other project that fascinated me was One laptop per child project.(OLPC.)..founder Satish jha .....who presented his talk from DC via Skype. They have designed special laptops ,7inch SCreen, colourful. It costs only rs8/day....takes less power than Desktops......kids love it.....they can learn outdoors.....the results have been fascinating! OLPC mandate is to reach 250 million Poor children. He is targeting to reach 3 million by end of the year.........WOW! About IDCA...Indian Dev coalition . MY FINAL THOUGHTS ..about the meeting I Think it was a great idea for me to attend...for that I have to thank Jennifer for making this happen. I left with 3 emotions HUMILITY ...felt very small in front of all the power houses there doing amazing work VERY DISTURBED ...by the statistics.... 400 million people in India have not seen a ight bulb! 25% of the people in India dont have clean water Increased mortality in villages due to snake bights..cause there are no toilets or light ... when villages go to the fields ..which is their toilet . VERY INSPIRED .... that people truly CARE ! There is good work being done in the rural areas. the organization TERI... mandate is to light one billion solar lanterns Climate healers mandate ... is to provide solar stoves to village woman and pay them 4cents/hour as an incentive to use them Safe water network....Mr Sewak from India travelled with me to Chicago...He is harvesting rain and ground water ..to provide clean water to the villages The list goes on and on... i came back VERY ENERGIZED, INVIGORATED.and .INSPIRED and very .very humbled .............just keep on going.making a small difference ...no matter what ! ... Nilima
Posted by Nilima Sabharwal at 8:25:59 PM, EST
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