Creating possibilities

"Will you be job seekers or will you be job creators?" University of Delhi Sri Ram College of Commerce President P.C. Jain asked us today.

As leader of a college of economics in a bustling Indian city, he strives to push his hard-working students to become job creators. He even proposed in his introduction speech that when students enter the university they remain throughout their college career as those who will be job creators, not take direction from others but rather finding their own route. Possibly, he said, these students would not be allowed to graduate without creating their own business.

In a country of 1.2 billion, with 35% of Indians surviving on extreme poverty (less than $1 a day), more job creation can be a solution to alleviate hardship. Both Supriya, of Free the Slaves, and the group of students we met with today take a more empowering long-term approach to aiding those in need.

Today we met the College of Commerce's SIFE team. SIFE, Students In Free Enterprise, is an international non-profit that prompts students to get creative in helping their own communities. The team just placed second at India's national SIFE competition for their project in helping local rickshaw drivers get loans to buy their own vehicle. Rickshaws act like taxis but the drivers peddle passengers around all day for a low cost. (And, yes! I mean peddle like a bike in extreme Delhi heat!)

Before the rickshaw drivers had to rent the vehicle from contractors who were often exploitative. Now, their day to day costs are minimized and they have a constant promise of income. A long-term improvement.