CAPTION TEXT

Abstract

Short abstract describing the project from background to conclusion. This should be about a paragraph long and cover the main topic of each of the sections from start to finish.

Background

Describe the background of the project. Make sure to cover who, what, why, when and where. This is not the problem statement. It is the background that readers should understand before the problem. Remember that the reader does not know anything about the project, except what you covered in the abstract above.


Rural Youth Volunteers in India is a paired/ twinning program between Lady Irwin College (LIC), University of Delhi and Humboldt State University (HSU), California, which works in collaboration with two local organizations: Environment and Social Research Organization (ESRO) and Grameen evam Pariyavaran Vikas Sansthan (GPVS). The program is supported by the US Mission to India. Both teams are comprised of 8 members, four students from HSU and four students from LIC who are working together for 10 weeks in two rural communities, Daula and Tavelagarhi, with the local NGOs GPVS & ESRO respectively. This page give details a`bout the Product team of Daula village.


Background of Village Daula Daula is located in the western Uttar Pradesh region with the population of 12,743 people (census, 2011). Primary livelihood of villagers is farming. There are some families in the village who are artisans. The village is diverse in terms of socioeconomic class, caste, and religion of its residents. (If we look at the history of Daula weavers (Julaha) community was early settler in the area. 700 hundreds year back one Rajput family from Chittorgarh (Rajasthan) migrated to Daula Village. Now 36 Caste in the area stay together. 300 families are staying in AGRA and 360 families are staying in Daula.)//data taken from CEC report.


Issues/problems/needs of the community As a part of formative research a partnered NGO Centre for Environment Communication CEC conducted a research/survey in Daula to assess the needs, resources, and priorities of the community in relation to social and environmental issues. One of the major finding of this formative research was that there is a problem of waste in this village.


When the rural youth volunteers arrived in Daula, they went in the community to get the full understanding of the waste in the village. For this regular community visits were done to people’s houses, fields, local community centers, religious places, water bodies and there waste dumping sites. Through this team understood what type of waste is found in the community, where is it dumped, are people reusing of upcycling there waste, how people are disposing there waste and many more questions related to waste, people, environment, livelihood. All this was done to triangulate the understanding and knowledge related to waste in Daula. This helped the team to interrelate and link people, waste, livelihood & environment. This led to initiating social entrepreneurial activities in Daula while working on environmental issues. The aim of the team is to encourage a sustainable community in terms of solid waste management by the technique of upcycling waste into something functional and resourceful. During the entire project, team worked closely with community members and seek their participation in bettering their economic and environmental well-being.


Goals and Objectives of the product team at Daula

  • Create sustainable social entrepreneurship opportunities
  • Initiate upcycling of waste within the community
  • Promote sustainability of the project (jobs and product) over subsequent years
  • Use only waste that already exists in the community and not to generate more waste in the process


With these goals and objectives in mind product team started listing possible products and then started prototyping with the core team and community members. This led to creating social entrepreneurial opportunities for the villagers.

Empathy

Our team utilized various methods for collecting information from the community. We spent time listening to the community and their ideas, implemented their feedback and ideas into our prototyping process, and worked to engage them in the prototyping process with limitations based on our safety protocols. We have found that the community has a lot of good ideas and many of them are already in the process of upcycling waste to create products.

Community meetings

Our team conducted various community meetings and events to gauge the communities interest into products that we had brainstormed. We utilized these moments to ask the community for feedback and to assess the need of these products.

We held a community meeting to introduce 10 products and gauge what products the community were interested in. We presented information on compost, melting plastic into tiles, creating plastic string and rope, newspaper pen, bags from upcycled cloth, clipboard, plastic storage boxes, and a jewelry stand. We invited multiple community members and only men showed up. We held a second meeting in which we intentionally invited only women to get an accurate representation of the community’s interest. We gave each person in attendance 2 votes in which they could use to help us determine the what products were the most popular. This process helped us understand what products we were going to start prototyping. Compost/organic waste product gained the most votes in both sessions, with up cycled feed bag second, and plastics third. A few weeks later we took 8 prototyped products to the weekly Monday market in the village to gain feedback, asses interest, and find price points for these products. The products out of plastics were, a jewelry stand and bag, melted plastic into a tile and block, a lamp, plastic string from bottles, and a clipboard. We also took a newspaper pen, a grocery bag from upcycled cloth, and a sample of vermicompost from the local vermicompost farmer. This place of engagement was vital in helping us narrow down our 8 products to 4 products we would continue to prototype.After the meetings and market, we found that compost was still the most popular. We realized that compost is not a viable product for us to sell. We visited a local vermicompost farmer and asked if they would be willing to lead a training session in the future. We then moved to hold a training with them and the farmer who trained them. This training focused on the process of vermicomposting and its benefits and the harmful effects of pesticides. These trainings were vital in engaging the community in the process of making and using their own organic compost and becoming aware of the resources they have in their community.

Community Walks

During the brainstorming and prototyping phase of our project we spent time walking in the community, visiting various ponds, and local entrepreneurs. During our first visit to Daula, we visited many homes and observed that many people are already upcyling products for their own benefit such as cots, mats, bowls, hanging decorations, and more. This showed that the village has an understanding of waste management and up cycling. We observed that most of the waste gets dumped into the local ponds and clogs the drains, thus polluting the water in the village. The team went on a tour of the community to visit the local ponds, and observe the types of waste that pollute and dry up the ponds. We observed that a majority of the waste in the ponds includes; chip bags, polybags, and plastic bottles. This observation narrowed down our research as to what we could do with these types of waste to create a product. After initial research, the product teamed moved forward to focus on plastics to create a product. Based on the criteria that was determined for product and observations made in the community, we decided to go out into the community to collect plastic from people’s homes and religious places. We spent 6 days going into the community via e-rickshaw, with a speaker for announcement, to ask people to donate plastic and unwanted cloths. In this time, we also visited religious places in the village to encourage them to spread awareness on waste management and collecting plastic.

Literature Review

I think we might skip this just this time... feel free to wait until I arrive to complete the literature review subsection. Introduce the literature review briefly and then use heading and subheadings for topics. This should focus on information… NO PLAGIARISM! [1] Copy and paste from this Practivistas India/literature review template.

Definition

Problem statement

The objective of this project is to create sustainable social entrepreneurship opportunities, initiate up cycling of waste within the community, promote sustainability of the project (jobs and product) over subsequent years, spread awareness about environmental issues and solutions, with a focus on waste management, and use only waste that already exists in the community and not to generate more waste in the process. We aim to encourage a sustainable community in terms of solid waste management by the technique of upcycling waste into something functional and resourceful. Throughout this project, we work closely with community members and seek their participation in bettering their economic and environmental well-being.

Criteria

The following criteria, constraints, and weights, were brainstormed and decided upon by the product team. They were decided upon after spending time in the community listening and observing community members.

Criteria Constraints Weight (0-10)
Durability & Strength At least as strong/durable as existing similar products, if not more. 7
Cost/Affordability Costs to complete the reasonability within the budget. Startup costs should be as low as possible, as well as running costs, or at ;east affordable for a large majority of the community. 8
Safety End result should at least be as safe as existing similar products/process if not safer. 10
Aesthetic/Branding Visually & tactically pleasant to at least 70% of consumers. 6
Beneficial to Community Follows the basic standard of sustainability. Does not invalidate any existing jobs. Uses mostly, if not all, raw materials made from waste. Bolsters local economy. 8
Novelty/Desirable/Useful Is novel and people find it useful 7
Accessible Accessible to a vast majority of community members, independent of social stratification (i.e., socioeconomic status, religion, caste, gender) 8

Ideation

Describe your ideation process. Include some images of your process, and include community ideation as well. You do not need photos of everything. Feel free to describe in words, and summarize/generalize repetitive processes.

Prototyping

Describe your various processes for prototyping for function and desire. You will need to make some executive decisions on what to include and what not to include. It is important that the major prototyping tracks are described, including the ones that ended in 'failure'.

The main goal for prototyping products was to determine a marketable product for social entrepreneurship that reduced, recused and recycled the community wastes. After observing the community for the first two weeks, the team decided to focus mainly on organic waste, plastic, newspaper and used clothe. Processes for prototyping of the products included: community feedback, brainstorming, online research, trial and error and group assessment. The finalize product that was most suitable for social entrepreneurship for the Daula village was the Seed Pen, also known as newspaper pen. Listed below are descriptions and photos of different prototypes that were produced throughout the project.

Seed Pen

Describe what you were trying to prototype, what questions you were hoping to answer, include photos in a gallery as shown below. Also, do not forget that all photos should have a very unique name, e.g.

Seed pen, which was originally called newspaper pen, was a product prototype that was initially created by a student who was also doing an internship in the Daula. Unfortunately, he only participated during the brainstorming process. The newspaper pen was inspired from the local men who kept their pens in their shirt pocket. It replaces the typical pen that has a plastic top, bottom and body with a newspaper body and leaving only the pen refill as plastic. The team added vegetable seeds at the end of the pen and aesthetics was improved by the addition of wool and colors, hence seed pen. The seed pen is a marketable product that also spreads awareness about reducing plastic. [explain more about awareness?]

Molding and Melting of Plastic Bags

Describe what you were trying to prototype, what questions you were hoping to answer, include photos in a gallery as shown below. Also, do not forget that all photos should have a very unique name, e.g.

During our community walks, we saw plastic bags of various types and sizes were one of the many wastes that was polluting sidewalks, drains, ponds and landfills. We also found that plastic bags are being distributed by all the shopkeepers. As a result, we converted clean polyethelene plastic bags into different shapes through the method of melting and molding. We prototype two methods of melting, frying and baking and locally handcrafted wooden mold was used. The plastic bags that are used during this process are only waste plastic. Through this simple method, the community will be able to reduce and recycle the floating plastic bags within the village.

Below are the results of melting and molding plastic bags:

Blocks and Tiles

Blocks and tiles were the first prototypes that were produced. They are simple in shape and required minimal materials during the melting process. These shapes can easily be tested, such as gluing two shapes together.

Below is the list of findings based on the two melting methods:

  • Frying and baking methods both resulted with the mold shape, smooth surfaces and vibrant colors similar to the plastic bag.
  • Frying method produced tiles and blocks that were oiler and denser tiles.
  • Baking method produced tiles that were harder, lighter in weight and less oil.
  • It was easier to fry than bake plastics.

Clipboard

Clipboard was a high demand product prototype due to the lack of plastic clipboards in Daula. Students typically use cardboard-based clipboard that gets damaged during rainy season.

[Image]

!!!!!Needs more content. Two experiments were successfully done on frying plastics and molding it to clipboards. Below are the findings:

  • 1st Test: less plastic bags, flexible board, dark color, easy to install the clip
  • 2nd Test: more plastic bags, harder board, bright color

Two failed experiments were done on baking plastics for all of the following reasons:

  • Not enough plastic
  • lack of electricity during baking process
  • cooled to quickly
  • not enough pressure during pressing of the mold

Gardening Pot

Triangular and square shaped gardening pots were also produced. !!!!!Needs more content.

[image]

Grocery Bag

Another way to reduce the plastic bags within the village is to promote the use of reusable grocery bag. Waste clothes are used to make these grocery bags.

Describe the results of each of the prototypes.

Plastic Stringer

PET bottles are difficult to recycle at home (CITE)

Describe the results of each of the prototypes.

Vermicompost

Describe what you were trying to prototype, what questions you were hoping to answer, include photos in a gallery as shown below. Also, do not forget that all photos should have a very unique name, e.g. [image] Describe the results of each of the prototypes.

Others

Describe what you were trying to prototype, what questions you were hoping to answer, include photos in a gallery as shown below. Also, do not forget that all photos should have a very unique name, e.g. Communityname_Prototypename_1.jpg.

  • These products were eliminated in the process due to the lack of resources and interest, appropriateness of the location and sensitivity of time (program)
  • Plastic extruder, jewelry stand and box,

Describe the results of each of the prototypes.

Tests

Describe testing results or culminations events such as a fair. You may need to make multiple subsections here using the three equal signs on either side of the subsection name. This will include lots of photos, which may be in gallery format or using the image code and switching between left and right orientations.

Seed Pen

Event Description Photos
Men Community Engagement [[B1]]
Daulatest1.jpg
Women Community Engagement [[B2]] [[Image:|thumb]]
Market Feedback [[B3]]
Daulatest3.jpg
Educational Fair Feedback [[B4]]
Daulatest4.jpg
other 1 [[B5]] [[Image:|thumb]]
other 2 [[B6]] [[Image:|thumb]]

Timeline

Introduce the timeline and include a table of the timeline. Briefly describe what you did each day. Alternatively, this could be a link to a google spreadsheet as long as it is one that will not go away (i.e. it should probably be shared via Meenal or Lonny.

Conclusion

Describe your tangible findings.

Daula village is a very large village in terms of population as well as area. It has various culture, caste and religious dynamics. Solid waste management is one of the need which is not recognised by the community as important to be worked on a whole community. But our core team of Lady Irwin college students and Humboldt State University students with the support of the local NGO, GPVS is able to penetrate within the community and work on the issue with the people of the community itself. Now the team is moving towards the sustainability of the project, by finding the social entrepreneurs who can create the products of clipboard, plant pot or paper pen by not only making the use of the waste that is already present in their homes, but also by selling and earning from the product which they create, to boost their economy, therefore our core team of community members is now the lead and the team of HSU and LIC is playing the role of a facilitator. The project intends to end with a fair where community members will demonstrate their project to the community, with the children and the youth demonstrating the products which they have created using the waste in their home and taking the lead. In future Dr. Amod is interested in taking forward the project in the village.


Instructions

This is how to make, use and/or maintain it. The step by step how to template {{How to}} is most likely best for this part as shown below:

NOTE- the raw material used in all the products should we maximum waste

NOTE- how to clean products

1. Pen Things required- newspaper, glue, seed, pen refills, wool (to decorate) Steps-

2. Plastic pot

Things required - • Things required for frying- oven/ gas stove, cooking refined oil (Dalda Sunflower refined oil recommended), frying pan/ oven utensil, gloved/ oven mate, wooden spatula, thermometer • material for frying- plastic polybags • molds- different shape of pot molds (here we used square and triangle mold for making pot

dimensions of molds- Steps-

3. Clipboard Things required- same materials as required for plastic pot + clips for clipboard Mold- clopboard shape mold

Dimensions of clopboard mold- Steps-

4. Cloth/ grocery bag Things required- cloth, thread, stitching machine, zipper or buttons Dimensions Steps-

5. Plastic stringer machine Things required- Steps-


File:IMAGENAME.JPG
How to Do Something

Troubleshooting

This is only how to troubleshoot basic operation. For complex issues, the solution might just say contact ________. In addition, this might not be relevant to your project... if that is the case, just delete this section. It should be a table in this format:

Problem Suggestion
Example issue Example solution or suggestion
Does not turn on Make sure it is plugged in
Another issue Et cetera

Discussion

As a product team, we learned valuable lessons throughout this project.

Lessons learned

Describe your collective lessons learned in the project.... most likely in a numbered bullet format as shown below:

  1. Importance of safety protocols when melting of plastic
  2. Importance of research before and during the prototyping process
  3. Using each other’s strengths and skill sets to accomplish a goal
  4. Importance of accountability when the team splits up to work on a project
  5. Setting goals with timelines to complete
  6. Merging of ideas and prototypes can lead to something better
  7. We are our toughest critique
  8. Team attitudes and feelings can influence the quality of work
  9. Hands on experience is an opportunity to learn
  10. Listen to the community & include everyone

Next steps

Discuss any next steps for the project as it goes on into the future.

Team

Introduce team member name in the following format:

References

Template:Reflist

Make sure to include other relevant categories at the bottom, e.g. [[Category:Rainater]], [[Category:Upcycling]], etc.

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