Jasper and I came to SEDS with a single-minded mission - create awareness about the NGO and its initiatives; because to us that's what it seemed to lack. Gradually as we began to spend our time at the farm and understand its workings, we realised that it needed a few repairs internally too. What does that entail, one might ask. Well, it's simple. To run a house, or a company or an NGO, there's one requirment that beats all. Meticulous organisaition or management. And this is what we found lacking. An important aspect that could no longer be ignored. We decided to discuss it with Manil. And she agreed with the loopholes we pointed out. But underlining the problem was only half the work done. An active solution was needed to be put into effect immediately. Jasper came to the rescue with an ingenious plan. He called it the Farm Maintanence Program.
The best answers are most simple. Simple to devise, simple to execute and perhaps simpler to follow. To help SEDS maximise management, Jasper realised that one must first know all the ares that needed conditioning. The following areas seemed to cry out for such polishing -
1) Farm Vehicle Maintenence
2) Generator Maintenence
3) Keys Maintenence
4) Kitchen Maintenence
5) Livestock and kennel Maintenence
6) Driver's Duty Maintenence
7) Store Keeping and Maintenence
8) Swimming Pool Cleaning and Maintenence
9) Overhead Tanks Water Filling and Maintenence
10) Office Cleaning and Maintenence Organize
11) Office/water/coffee/biscuits
12) Medicine/Pills/First-aid Kit Maintenance
13) Guest Room Maintenance
14) Stock keeping of Diesel
15) Watering trees and plants
Once the problem areas were recognised, it was followed up by drawing out charts/forms that detail out everything that these departments must undertake to ascertain smooth functioning. Next, we chose a supervisor to represent each department and oversee its functioning. Once we had the charts ready, a meeting with the staff was called in. Here's a glimpse.
Jasper and Manil, informing the staff about the need of the hour.
Jasper explaining to the staff the current state of affairs at the farm and what needs to be done for improvement. In short, each man and woman was informed of their duties and their role as a SEDS's staff member.
Pallavi, an ex-student of Anand Vidyalyam, and the incharge of guest room maintenence seems to have struck a lighter note.
Roja, incharge of store keeping and maintenence shares her point of view.
The meeting went well. Soon, the supervisors will be handed over the charts outlining their duties. We just hope our endeavour will help streamline such requirements for the future as well.
Photo Courtesy: Disha Kathuria
