Goa, Feb 2021: Student outreach on sustainability practices and solar power systems featured prominently in the study done by students of B-school Goa Institute of Management(GIM) while working with the villages of Morlem and Harvalem in rural Goa.
As part of the Give Goa Project community outreach programme, students of B-school Goa Institute of Management are working along with the villagers of Morlem and Harvalem located in the hinterlands of Goa to develop a roadmap for sustainable development of the village with specific annual actions and targets over a five-year period.
“The project which is focussed towards creating a sustainability blueprint for the village involves identifying needs of the villagers, community engagement, mapping data, analysis, identifying funding opportunities and more,” explained Prof. Vithal Sukhathankar, Associate Professor and Faculty Guide on the project.
Student outreach initiatives to educate young minds about sustainable practices including judicious use of natural resources, waste segregation, water usage, energy saving methods are at the core of the programme.
Explained, Sonali Sahoo, a student at GIM, “When we met with the local authorities, schoolteachers and villagers in Morlem we realised that children and adults alike were not aware of basic waste segregation practices and awareness on natural resources. Climate change is a global issue which is being addressed across counties. We felt we needed to educate young minds on sustainable living practices and educate children on respecting nature, avoid wastage of any kind, reduce use of plastics and keeping surroundings clean.”
The team working on the Harvalem project received similar findings during their assessments and joined into the efforts. Said,a student, Jonathan Fernandes, “The students were extremely smart and eager to learn and engage but lacked practical knowledge about sustainability.”
Together the teams from GIM planned contests, art sessions and fun interactive workshops for the children in Morlem and Harvalem to drive home the point on sustainability.
Added another student, Shruti Chandra, “The residents were very accepting to the suggestions regarding sustainability practices wholeheartedly. The Panchayat representatives and school authorities especially the headmistress came on board with our plans and offered whole-hearted support to the initiative.”
The students also recommended the creation of a localised grid connected solar power system for the sole purpose of meeting some of the energy needs of the villages and surrounding areas.
Said Michelle Barretto, “The average use of energy in each household in the village is estimated to be relatively low. Power outages are frequent, especially during the monsoons. These two reasons warrant the effectiveness of the proposed idea. As far as profitability is concerned, the initial investment will be fairly high, but it will prove to be lucrative in the long run.
The student lead team discussed the solar project concept with the local panchayats and with Goa Energy Development Agency (GEDA) to discuss the feasibility of solar panel installation on the roof of the Morlem panchayat structure. The students went a step ahead and also contacted dealers and received the cost estimate which was presented to the concerned authorities.
Commissioned by GIM’s Centre for Excellence in Sustainable Development, the programme also documents the current scenario of the village on various parameters like demographics, economic parameters, electricity consumption, water sources and consumption, waste management, natural ecosystem, and other relevant parameters.
Added Prof Ajit Parulekar, Director, GIM, “GIM’s community engagement program aptly named Give Goa Project offers opportunities of holistic learning than complement the institute’s rigorous study programmes. The B-school has always stayed consistent to its mission to nurture leaders for sustainable business of the future. Ethics, values and corporate governance has been at the core of our pedagogy.”
At the end of each year the student group share a hand-over to the next batch of students ensuring continuity. The faculty guide stays constant during the 5-year period.
Demographics of the village of Morlem:
· Wards – 7
· Population – 3528 (Males: 1756 and Females: 1772)
· Houses – 600
· Primary schools – 5
· High School – 1
· The average daily wage is 400 INR. Avg hours of work per day is 8 to 10 hours
· Occupation: Most are engaged in coconut, cashew and areca nut farming. Some are engaged in dairy farming
Demographics of the village of Harvalem:
· Harvalem had a population of 1647. Males constitute 51.8% of the population and females 48.2%
· Alcohol abuse amongst the male members of the communitywas a key issue faced in the community
· Valwanti river is a major water source with purification plants located at Dattwadi (12 mld) and Paroda (40 mld).Other local water sources include 21 to 25 wells(public and private). Ample of water supply with natural streams of water coming down from the hills.
· Illiteracy and school drop-out rate is high. Largely because the population includes migrants coming from low-economic backgrounds.