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A Class Act: BALM's 1st Orientation with IFMR Class of 2007
Breaking barriers, opening opportunities, working together
Head & Heart: 40+ MBA student mix hard headed strategy with conscience
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BALM was kick started on 6th July 2007 with its first batch of students from IFMR's MBA Program. The first part of the three-day orientation program got off to a good start with the Banyan and BALM team getting acquainted with the students over breakfast.
Quite surprisingly (it seems to us, the insiders), most of these graduates were unaware of the role an NGO plays in the Development Sector and how it is related to Financial Services and Financial Management. The orientation, therefore, helped, apart from providing a background on The Banyan and the aim of their course, make clear in following discourses the above mentioned relationships. The talks were combined with hands-on experience on the workings of an NGO by giving them a guided tour of The Banyan's various centres.
The first stop was at Adaikalam, the Transit Care Center in Chennai. This was followed by an expedition to the Kovalam Protected Community where the students were introduced to the various facilities provided for the marginalized and innovations such as the Social Enterprise Wing of The Banyan that aims at self sustenance.
The talks given by prominent professionals from the Development Sector and co-related areas such as Media, Management and Medicine helped highlight the need to expand and grow an organizational set up with strong management processes and systems in Fundraising, Public Relations, Social Marketing and Brand Building in place. These were lapped up with much enthusiasm from the students as they popped up with ideas and social projects spontaneously. Already, some of their ideas are in the process of implementation.
The days started off quite early in the morning stretching on till evening. Apart from regular tea breaks, shuttling back and forth down the scenic East Coast Road, and making friends, the intensive talks were interspersed with informal interactive sessions through which The Banyan and BALM team received positive feedback and hints of eagerness from the students to get to work on devising cost-effective measures and other strategies.
The last day was signed off with a visit to the Kovalam beach where Chaitali, a social worker at The Banyan, known for her capacity to do a jig anytime anywhere, accosted the students with an impromptu dance and cajoled the students to join in, which they enthusiastically did. And converted their fun-dance into a fund-dance and used their marketing skills to motivate the gawking onlookers into donating Rs. 150 to The Banyan for their efforts!
The three-day orientation program was a success. It had the right dosage of talk, first-hand experience and fun to promise the students an exciting year with BALM. It got off with a bang and left the students clear as to the role they are due to play in the Development Sector.
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The fresh IFMR talent arrives |
Full house |
Welcome Message by BALM faculty |
Orientation by BALM Co-ordinator |
Thought provoking discussions |
Pensive Team Banyan |
The Social Divide Quandary |
The impassioned Have Nots |
The Have Nots present their Point of View |
Us & Them - The Haves take a stand |
The Haves Under Fire! |
Hard-hitting, inspiring CSR wrap-up - driving the message home |
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