INTERNSHIP – FINAL PRESENTATION

ORGANISATION- EQUITAS DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

TRUST

01-FEB-2021 TO 12-FEB-2021
 INTRODUCTION
• Equitas Development Initiatives Trust (EDIT), the non-profit arm of Equitas Microfinance, registered as a
public charitable trust was established in 2008 to implement innovative approaches to addressing poverty.
In 2009, EDIT partnered with Unitus (Unitus Labs is a USA non-profit focused on reducing global poverty
through economic self-empowerment.), under the Unitus Ultra Poor Initiative, to pilot the Equitas Bird’s
Nest (EBN) programme.
• EBN provides housing, healthcare, food security, education, and dignified livelihoods for pavement-
dwelling populations. Program objectives included moving households off the pavement and into
permanent housing, creating food security and a stable income, providing sustained access to healthcare
and education, and demonstrating that ultra-poor programs could be cost-efficient. Equitas would
contribute 5% of its profit on a quarterly basis to EDIT, along with contributing up to 15% of the Net worth
to create infrastructure to construct schools & hospitals. 2
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 EQUITAS BIRD’S NEST PROGRAM
• EBN is an 18-month pilot programme broken into three distinct phases and focused on providing support and training to 100 pavement
dwellers in five key areas: housing, food security, healthcare, livelihood skills, and supplemental education.
• The primary objective of the intervention was to move households off the pavement and into permanent housing. Secondary objectives
included creating food security and a stable income through engaging in learned livelihood activities, and providing sustained access to
healthcare and education.
• Phase One: The plan was to move participants from the pavements into housing units in nearby slums. EDIT would secure the housing and
pay the rent for the first six months. During this period EDIT would provide skills training and introduce the member to a new livelihood
that could double or triple the household income. At the same time, EDIT would provide the family with food, access to healthcare, and
would begin offering tutoring sessions to help children with schoolwork in the hopes of re-enrolling them in school.
• Phase Two: In phase two, months seven through 12, the household would be expected to take over the responsibility of paying rent and
buying its own food.
• Phase Three: By phase three, months 13 through 18, the household was expected to have become much more financially stable and was
expected to begin paying back the first six months of subsidized rent. By the 19th month, the household would have paid back the first six
months of rent and would then begin paying back the security deposit that EDIT had paid to secure the apartment. 5
 CHALLENGES WHILE SECURING HOUSING
• Securing housing turned out to be an extremely labor intensive process in which each unit took between 9 and 12 weeks to
secure. The first experienced difficulty was finding affordable units within the target slum areas.
• Once a unit was located, problems included charging inflated prices once the landlord knew an organisation was involved,
not wanting families from a lower class moving into their slum, not wanting to sign any contractual agreements with EDIT,
not having a bank account in which to deposit monthly rent cheques from EDIT, and numerous others.
• Once the process of securing a rental unit was finalized, EDIT saw that families were not moving into the housing. After
investigation, the team realized that families feared losing their place on the pavement and the means to their only source of
income: begging. In order to influence the families into leaving the relative security of their pavement location, EDIT had
to establish an alternative livelihood for them. Only once the families gained confidence in their ability to generate an
income from sources other than begging, they would be moved into a rental unit.
• EDIT changed their approach and began conducting the livelihood skills training while the families were still living on the
pavements. Once they began their livelihood activity and saw they could earn a steady income from it, they began to move
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from the streets into the secured rental units.
 OBSERVATION
• The intern observed that the EDIT trust rehabilitated more than 3800 families from pavements to the housing units in the
nearby slums. The slums were densely populated with poor hygienic conditions. Both pucca house and kutcha house with
low affordable rent. The families were given living expenses of Rs. 5000 every month by Equitas trust for their basic needs.
The rent of Rs.1500 for these houses were paid to the landlords. With the remaining amount of Rs.3000 they spend for food,
medical expenses and education fees. Mostly Equitas conduct medical camps for these slums.
• The intern also observed there were poor toilet facilities and the people defecate in open spaces. Mostly the families earn
through running Road side food shops, groceries shops, Rickshaw pullers, Petty Shops, fish markets, sweepers, painting
works, Household servants
• The trainee observed that the assets mostly in the house were blankets, led bulbs, fans, TV, Nokia Mobiles, bicycles, some
kitchen vessels. The families cook food from firewood. The families had Government identity proofs like ration cards,
Aadhar cards, voter ids.
• The intern observed that various skill based training like making candles, Tailoring, Embroidery, masala powder, pickle,
Juice Making, Jam Making Terracotta Jewellery, Household Chemical making like soap oils, Agarbathi, phenyl, detergent,
were offered to women self help groups. After completion of the training, the CSR officers and skill trainers encourage7 the
 OBSERVATION
• The intern observed that pavement dwellers manage to construct makeshift dwellings out of plastic bags and
discarded building materials on unauthorised slum land, hoping that law enforcement does not force them out.
• The intern also observed that many women were begging at traffic stops and street corners, with their children
in tow, and is the primary source of income
• The intern observed that many women from the household had no bank accounts and had no habit of saving
money. The intern also observed that those women were interested to start a small business and in need of
personal loans. These women were in need of money and was rightly helped by Equitas small finance bank
• The intern observed that many women after getting loans from the bank never repay the amount and flee away
to another place. So, to avoid this the Equitas bank and D.A.V Shikshanam had a on demand promisory note
agreement with the women that they had received 10000 rupees and they would repay them in time. If they
repay the loan amount in time the on demand promisory note would be withdrawn.
• The intern also observed that Equitas Development initiative trust has been conducting health camps, in
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association with the local hospitals for the overall health and well-being of the needy community.
 ACTIVITIES-VISIT TO SLUMS
• The intern was given task of conducting survey in and around Perambur
on the livelihood of rehabilitated families who were rescued from
pavements into housing units by Equitas Trust.
• The intern was accompanied by Mrs. Maheshwari, Project co-ordinator of
Equitas Bird’s Nest program. The intern visited Rajiv Gandhi slum in
Ayanavaram. The respondents were 50 families residing in that slum.
• The intern first visited every house in the slum and collected the
background details of the family members through interview questionnaire
like Age, No. of family members, Occupation, Monthly income, No. of
years living in slum, cause of migration, educational status, occupational
status, Income and expenditure status, health status, Assets of the
respondents.
• When surveyed, the families informed that they were migrated from Bus
depot to these housing units by Equitas. Since some of the families were
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having income, Equitas provided 4000 rupees every month for living
expenses. Out of which 1500 for rent and remaining for other expenses.
 SURVEY OUTCOMES

• The respondents were 50 families rescued from pavements to housing units. The intern identified all the
respondents were nuclear families and illiterates. Most of the children were studying in government
school. 30 out of 50 family’s occupation was road side tiffin shop.40 out of 50 houses were pucca
houses (with concrete).
• When surveyed about the cause of migration, all families were migrated by Equitas Trust. The families
did not benefit from any government schemes like housing, finance, employment, childcare and
education. Almost all households had mobile phones, vessels, radio, bicycle and fire wood stove. The
families spend most money on food, clothing, cinema. The families visit Stanley government hospital
nearby only by walking. Every household complained of drainage and mosquitoes.40 out of 50 families
run in debt and many were alcohol addicts.30 out of 50 families send their children to government
schools. These outcomes were forwarded to Mr. John Alex, Project Director.
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 VISIT TO PAVEMENT DWELLERS

• The intern was assigned task of surveying through interview

questionnaire with 10 families residing in pavement in and
around Muthialpet area. The families in the pavement were
funded by Equitas Development Initiatives Trust.
• The intern surveyed their livelihood through interview
questionnaire. The intern collected their personal
background ,reasons for their migration from native place,
situational assessment like if they benefit from any govt
schemes?, if they have any govt identity cards, assets of the
respondents, fuel they use for cooking , how they spend the
most money on, their mode of travel, educational, housing
details, way for income generation. source of drinking
 SURVEY OUTCOMES
• The respondents were 10 families residing in pavement. The families live in the pavement for at least 10
years. The families informed the trainee that they would stay in same place during monsoon period. The
reason of their migration from native place was to earn a living and needed a change in life.
• When asked about the reason for not staying at the house given by the government,9 out of 10 families
responded that they had been here for long time and not willing to move from the present locality.3 out
of 10 families had voter ids. Almost all households had mobile phones, vessels, radio, bicycle and fire
wood stove. The families source of drinking water were from bore wells. The families spend most
money on food, clothing, cinema.
• The families visit Stanley government hospital nearby only by walking. 4 out of 10 families accepted to
live in household units. The intern quickly acknowledged the request and forwarded the details to the
project co-ordinator and in extent forwarded the request to Mr. John Alex, the Program Director.

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 HELPING SLUM WOMEN OPEN A BANK ACCOUNT IN EQUITAS SMALL FINANCE BANK

• The intern was assigned task of helping slum women and physically challenged women in loan process by filling their loan
applications, collecting and verifying their identity proofs, photographs, signatures and issuing loan instalment cards.
• The intern learnt that DAV Shikshanam (associates with DAV(Dayanand Anglo Vedic) Group of schools), Arya Samaj Charitable
Foundation (ASCF) and Equitas Development Initiatives Trust have launched a micro-entrepreneurial loan assistance program’ called
COVID-Samrakshan'.
• The intern collected the personal details of the beneficiaries, Aadhar number, Ration card, Total household income, Loan amount, IFSC
code of bank account details, Repayment frequency (Weekly/Fortnight/Monthly), Religion, Community, physically challenged (None,
Differently abled/Blind/Both) signature.
• The objective of this initiative is to enable small entrepreneurs primarily women who were impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic to
restart their small-scale businesses. Six women small-entrepreneurs were provided financial assistance of Rs.60,000 as the 1st phase of
disbursement. The intern learnt that this program would be highly useful for community development at grassroots level as these
women micro entrepreneurs are the only bread winners of their family and generally don't get financial support or loans easily.
• The unique features of the program include, 30% waive-off of the loan amount if 70% is paid on time, bi-monthly re-payment option
and a zero-balance savings account in Equitas Bank to instil in them, the habit of saving money. The women occupation was mainly
running road side tiffin shops, Flower shops, Fish stalls etc. 13
HELPING SLUM WOMEN OPEN A BANK ACCOUNT & LOANS IN EQUITAS SMALL FINANCE BANK
 TO VOLUNTEER EYE CAMPS ORGANIZED BY V.T. EYE HOSPITAL SPONSORED BY EQUITAS

• The intern was assigned the task of volunteering the eye

camp organized by V.T Eye hospital. EDIT would
conduct health camps, in association with the local
hospitals for the overall health and well-being of the
needy community.
• EDIT had appointed CSR Managers and CSR officers
who oversee the Health camp activities. The
methodology for holding a medical camp follows a
similar pattern across all branches.
• The intern observed that 42 people attended the Eye
camp conducted by V.T. Eye hospital. The intern
observed that 10 people were diagnosed with cataract
and was advised to visit the hospital for the follow ups.
NUMBER OF EYE CAMPS- STATE WISE(2019- 2020)

STATE NO. OF SCREENED NO. OF SPECTACLES

REFERRALS GIVEN

Tamilnadu 1,39,130 15,304 8,053

Maharashtra 86,108 8,180 164
Gujarat 51,081 4,725 259
Karnataka 10,432 835 465
Rajasthan 4,932 377 -
Haryana 327 25 - 893
Madhya Pradesh 2,411 229 567

Total 2,94,421 29,675 9,508

 JOY OF GIVING

• To volunteer and celebrate joy of giving with the children from

Korukkupet by giving them biscuits, fruits and eggs. To believe in
power of giving and the happiness that spread from giving it back to
the society.
• The intern learnt that Joy of Giving is not about charity, it is about
collective responsibility of all the businesses to work collaboratively
for betterment of communities. The intern learnt that all employees
from different verticals come together to share their knowledge, skills
and experiences to make these initiatives effective and successful.
• The intern personally learnt that lives would be fulfilling when people
give and share, and that great inner joy comes from helping others to
better their lives. The intern learnt that true joy lies in the act of
giving without an expectation of receiving something in return. The
act of giving kindles self-esteem and brings happiness. The intern also
learnt that the joy of giving lasts longer than the joy of getting.
 LEARNINGS

• The 11 days of Internship exposed the intern to deeply understand the livelihoods of slum community settings in North
Chennai. Through this internship, the intern was able to develop the understanding about the concept of livelihood. The intern
learnt that livelihood comprises people, their capabilities and their means of living, including food, income and assets.
• The intern learnt the programs in Equitas Development Initiative trust that benefits the ultra-poor and to know the various
strategies in implementing those programs. The intern took this as an excellent opportunity to see how the theories learned in
classes are integrated into the practical world. The intern gained practical experience and completed independent tasks at times
that benefit the organization and worked under the guidance of licensed social workers.
• The intern learnt to evaluate the clients’ needs by surveying through interview questionnaires. The intern learnt the skill of
patience and active listening, perform multi-tasking when communicating with slum households who were illiterates.
• The intern learnt about the responsibility and roles of the social worker in empowering women and make them inclusive (to
create an environment of belonging for everyone) in the society. The intern learnt how to service the society without any
discrimination based on gender, sex, religion, caste etc.
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 LEARNINGS

• Another important learning in this internship is when the intern represents an organization, basic motto should be individual-
concerned that means the concern should be with the welfare of project beneficiaries rather than the profit and publicity of
organization. So, whether the organization remains in future or not, development should not be back stepped.
• The intern learnt the role of organization in developmental process. The intern learnt to practice the communication and
teamwork skills.
• The intern neither visited the slum nor interacted with slum people earlier. This internship provided the intern an opportunity to
meet new people and practice networking skills.
• During internship, it was observed that unless and until people become active or want to develop their existing conditions, no
development can be possible by the outsiders. They need to understand the basic objectives, goals and how this project will
help them to improve their future.
• Changes can be brought by them, not by the NGO workers only. This internship was a life time experience for the intern to
learn how to work hard to empower the needy and endeavours towards the overall wellbeing of society, bring a smile and a ray
of hope on the faces of millions of needy people across the globe.
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 THANK
YOU!
S.PRADEEP
1801721049059
Phone
7904018468
Email
pradeep8.subramanian@gmail.com