Day 15 Friday 24th Nov

Submitted by Alex Finnegan on January 5, 2007 - 10:39.

Dear Blog,

I wake up, aware that today is Blog day, I am more of a wiki man myself (http://ouseburn.pbwiki.com/). The project visit element of our learning journey is now over and today is the first day of the International Conference on Social Entrepreneurship in India, but we have a few hours this morning to explore Mumbai.

I just went for a walk there with Sean Coughan and "jumped" the local train from Chembur Station. As it arrives the crowds on the platform pull back. The packed train is a sea of heads and before the train really slows young men leap off, running before they hit the ground.

As the train stops the carriages empty, Indian men pouring out as human streams on their way to work. There is a sublime moment of realisation and as the tide turns we complete our part in this hectic ballet. I sense my cue and run at full pelt towards the door-less darkness of the already packed carriage.

Then we are packed in this travelling mosh-pit like kindling sticks. I notice the lack of any animosity or grief and applaud the foresight of installing dozens of roof fans to ease our baking brains. Sean is closer to the open door, but not too close. The local paper had an article this morning about the numbers that die every week falling off these local trains. Thankfully here are separate carriages for women and children, I am glad I am stuck here in the middle away from the open doors.

This train trip to Kurla, a local district of old Bombay, is a great distraction for me as yesterday's travel gave me the headspace to contemplate what we have seen on this trip. In my quiet moments I think on my 2 year-old son and then immediately I think on the hungry, sickly construction workers kids, I am having difficulty resolving these worlds. I don't want to believe the vulgar fractions. I have lunch alone in the restaurant, the waiters gather round staring, they think these tears are over the curry, but it's a lovely curry.

The Conference starts and I take my seat with the other UnLtd Participants around the inner table at the Tata Institute of Social Science http://www.tiss.edu/ the Indian Participants around the outer table. UnLtd Ventures Director Sarah Dodds opens the conference and passes the mic to Dr Alex Nicolls who sets out the Academic approach, and the research currently undertaken at the Skoll Institute (http://www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/skoll).

Dr Nicholls goes on to outline the various ways of measuring social impact, talking of the importance of networks and of the apparent contradiction of social entrepreneurial models.

Free market model of Entrepreneur as primarily a business champion
Vs
Social justice as a nexus of public and private enterprise

Next up, Professor Anil Gupta Indian Institute of Management, (http://www.iimahd.ernet.in/~anilg/) who brought the philosophical approach.

At one point Professor Gupta askes the seated conference "who is the perfect stranger?" nobody knew. I buzzed in- "Santa Clause", but I was wrong on this occasion.

Then comes Stan Thekaekara of Just Change (http://www.justchangeindia.com/), Accord and Oxfam India, presenting the practical approach. Condensing 30 years of experiences in to 30 minutes of inspirational social justice stories.

"In a Land of plenty, it is a gross injustice that the people can be hungry."

However, the crumbs from the table are not enough for Stan, he is determined to get a slice of the bigger pie for the people.

Ghandian teaching has run as a thread through many of the testimonies we have heard on this trip. As a designer the most powerful Ghandian statement I have heard so far is that: Only production by the masses, not mass production can relieve global poverty. Or as Stan would put it: "Pre-Distribution not Re-Distribution." - Profound change is needed.

Stan believes he can change the World, and I believe him.

Later, I write in my journal about the change makers we have met on our Journey and of how I must:
Get Angry like Mrs Hema (http://www.apd-india.org/)
Committed to Global Change like Stan (http://www.justchangeindia.com/)
Have the positive energy of Vishal (http://www.dreamadream.org/dreams/avs/home/about)
And the community spirit of the Adavasi (http://www.adivasi.net/)

I have an elephant called Ganesh in my bag, he can move the immovable. Stan and Ganesh have got me thinking, I believe I can change the world too.

The journey is the destination.

Peace, Health and the time to enjoy it.

Lots of Love -Alex xx
india