CONNECTING

DREAMS
FOUNDATION
MID-YEAR EVALUATION DOCUMENT

Mayank Agrawal
Executive Member, CDF-SRCC
CONTRIBUTIONS

1. Dream Library Visit

I went to a visit to Smile India Trust, Noida with my team in the month of January. We
were to decide upon the fun activities that we were to do with the children there. We did
this task while in the metro and decided upon the various activities that we can make the
children do. I had suggested the idea of telling them a simple yet with a impactful moral
story of Arabian Nights. We also decided upon making them draw and have them dance
along with us. Upon reaching there we interacted pretty well with the children, I lead the
interactions initially with other teammates taking it up thereon. I also told them the
complete story along with the moral. Then came the drawing and dance part which was
done successfully too. I helped and interacted with them while they were drawing. I
personally like interacting with kids and have the requisite patience and calm for it as
well, so this visit was very helpful for me to gain more experience of such visits with
children, which can be of use for me in future.

2. Candle Vertical (Arpan)

I am a part of team responsible for revamping the Candle Vertical of Project Arpan. We
were to start with research for our product. I individually was responsible for researching
about types of candles, which I did by visiting multiple websites and eventually listing
out my findings in a document. Then we were to research and tap various stakeholders for
our new product. I made database listing out various glass container vendors as well as
candle manufacturers. In order to get a better understanding of things we decided to do
offline visits. We then went to Sadar Bazar, Tilak Bazar and Naya Baanz for the same.
There we found various types of glass containers available and shortlisted a few. We also
got on ground information about different kinds of waxes and scents available in the
market along with their prices. We also tried to convince a few manufacturers if they
could manufacture candles for us. Overall this visit was very fruitful and informative and
gave us in depth knowledge about various aspects of our product. We then decided upon
one glass container vendor which gave the product that we wanted at the cheapest rate,
me being the person of contact for them. We then went to a visit to Mangolpuri Industrial
Area where we contacted a candle manufacturer. He gave us information about the
product and then we discussed partnership with him further along with the cost of each
candle. We also brought in samples to show them to our team. He told us about After this
we were to work upon the packaging of our product. For this we went to Okhla Industrial
Area for a visit. There we contacted few packaging material manufactures. We got to
know information like material to be used, designs available and the prices. We then
decided upon the material as Kappa Board and also finalized the design.

3. Sustainability (Aarogya)
I am a part of team responsible for Sustaining Project Aarogya. Initially we were tasked
to research and tap stakeholders for different components of the project. I individually
was responsible for researching upon packaging material printers. Within sometime the
problem was solved from the end of our existing stakeholder and it was decided to not to
continue further research in this domain. The team was facing a problem that most NGOs
were asking for mails for further information rather than taking forward the conversation
on call. After that was done and the mail draft was approved by the directors, the work of
researching and tapping NGOs resumed. I made a database of prospective NGOs and also
called them for further information.
4. Packaging (New Project)
I am a part of team responsible for deciding the packager and designing a packaging for
the new project products. We were to research upon various vendors for the same and
also come up with a design. I as a part of a sub-team which was responsible for designing
the packaging. The work was done and was redone by incorporating the changes
suggested by the directors.

5. Rivaayat PR
I was the part of Team 1 of Rivaayat PR. There I had suggested an idea of Rivaayat:
One-on-One series, which was implemented as well. Me as a part of sub-team of three
had ideated and worked upon the two posts for the series and the captions. I individually
had written the caption for the second post.

6. CDF PR
I am a part of Team 2 of CDF PR. I individually was responsible for tapping influencers
for Instagram Live of the page. This work was completed by a teammate of mine and an
influencer was decided upon. Then I took the responsibility of a new general post for the
page, I draft for which is also prepare and sent to the team.

7. Socio Bee, SRCC (Aarogya)

I represented Project Aarogya at Social B-Plan competition Socio Bee 9.0 by NSS SRCC.

8. Fundraiser Video Script (New Project

I had personally taken the initiative to work for the script for the fundraiser because of my
fluent Hindi language skills. I had then individually written down one scene for the
fundraiser and helped to join together and also to finalize other scenes of the video.

9. Voice Over for Fundraiser video (New Project)

I had given out my entry for the voice over of the fundraiser video of our new project.
Ideas
1. Demand Avenues (Arpan)
• A large quantity of incense sticks are used at the sites of last rites of all religions. And
also it is to be noted that during such processions the best quality of all materials are
used by the family of the deceased, so product can a hit at such places if sell it there.
This avenue was completely missed by the team.
• Setting up stalls outside particular places of worship at times of particular festivals,
like outside Mosques during Eid, outside Churches during Christmas and Easter and
outside Durgamata Temple during Navratra can make the sales of the product high.
This avenue should be explored by the team

2. Diversification (Arpan)
• Use of essential oils is on the rise. A lot of people look towards aromatherapy. That is
why a product that was looked upon by the team was essential oil itself.
• Another product could be making Pooja Sets consisting of the incense sticks, cones
and other pooja samagri like roli, chandan, lacha, dry rice, etc. We can also include an
Aarti Sangrah (compilation) and Pooja Vidhi (procedure) with it. This can make our
product a hit during festivals especially Diwali wherein demand of such sets is very
high.
• Another product which can be manufactured is Mosquito coil. After some research I
had found out that in retail mode of this product it would not be feasible for us.
However, going for white labelling of this product can be done, as our material has
the USP of being smoke free and fragrant, which is not usually found in existing
mosquito coils. This will result in additional revenue for the project without much
deliberations.

3. Olympiad
• For any examinations of this sort it is really important to have awareness about these
among the prospective examinees. This can be done by organizing events in particular
schools and also having the campus ambassador programme for the Olympiad. We
have the brand of SRCC associated with it, which can leverage this for the purpose of
getting a high number of registrations, which can be done crating awareness about it.
• Popular platforms like Mettle (used by Christ University), Pearson (used by NMIMS)
can be used for the purpose of conducting exams. These platforms also provide the
feature of video proctoring, which is a must for any online exam.

4. CDF
• A common ‘Work Update Sheet’ should be prepared by all the teams working in
different tasks. This sheet should entail the members working in each task and also its
updates. I feel this as a necessity for our organisation. Directors expecting all team
members to know about all the work done in all other tasks by just listening to the
updates in FBMs and through the informal chat group is a bit unrealistic, according to
me. By doing so a common string would run across the organisation connecting all
members together as one unit and not as task specific teams. The major benefit this
would give would in the form of new ideas from outside of the task specific team
right at the moment and not just at FBMs and also the usage of various resources and
contacts available with the members as and when required. The main benefit this
 implementation would bring in would be Motivation Mayanamong team members
who have been non complaint with their work and have been slacking through it,
because when we human beings see our peers working, we develop the urge to work
so as to reach their level if not more.
• Regularity on the part of directors has been a concern for me as a part of CDF-SRCC.
There are days when we are neither asked nor given any updates about the tasks along
with days with too much hectic workload and update seeking. When the work is done
regularly the quality and efficiency gets improved. This aspect of the organisation can
be improved.
Preferences

Core Team Preferences

1. Project Arpan
2. Project Aarogya
3. Ranthambore Project

I choose Arpan as my first preference for the primary reason of the work that I had done for
the Candle Vertical. Out of all the tasks that I were assigned, the one that I liked the most was
the Candle Vertical. I feel a certain connection with this task and am ready to work for it day
and night and already have done a lot of work for it. Apart from this, according to me this
project has the most entrepreneurial aspect to it out the four, which being the other reason I
choose it as my first preference.
Vision: Going forward I would first of all look up to expanding the demand avenues of the
project and then look for diversification. Extensive marketing is a must here.

I choose Aarogya as my second preference because I sensitize with gender issues a lot. And I
see Aarogya as the perfect platform for helping out women for not just their menstrual
hygiene but also other issues that they face every day. Being part of this project I’ll be able to
bring about real changes in the lives of women who need it the most, this is what drives me
towards this project. I would mention that presence of Candle Vertical is the sole reason
Aarogya is not my first preference.
Vision: I would take up the project as not just an reseller of sanitary pads but as a platform to
help out women in general. Take up their grievances, undertake self-defence classes, teach
them gender equality and so on.

Ranthambore Project is my third priority because I feel that selling products like we have
there is something I can do pretty well. Also me belonging from Rajasthan and having a
home in proximity to Ranthambore can be something that can be utilized for the project.
However, I have not done any actual work for the project and do not have the entire
experience to judge which results in me raking it third.
Vision: Due to a lot of such products already present in the market I would first of all take up
extensive marketing for the product and highlight the waste utilization that this project does.