Anudip is impacting lives through digital inclusion

Summary

In this conversation, Scott Harrison, CEO of charity: water, interviews Deepak Basu, CEO of the Adept Foundation, an organization dedicated to empowering marginalized youth and women through education and training. The foundation uses technology to provide job skills and support local employment, helping communities overcome the challenges of urban migration and poverty. Deepak shares inspiring stories, such as one of a disabled woman who gained the courage to leave societal stigma behind. The foundation is expanding internationally, now opening centers in New Orleans to support at-risk populations, including those recovering from addiction and homelessness.

Takeaways

• 😀 Scott Harrison, CEO of charity:water, introduces the series showcasing organizations using Cisco technology to impact communities.
• 😀 Cisco's pledge is to impact 1 billion lives by 2025, and organizations like Anedapt Foundation are working to make this a reality.
• 😀 Deepak Basu, CEO of Anedapt Foundation, shares how their mission focuses on empowering at-risk youth and women through education and training.
• 😀 Anedapt Foundation, founded 12 years ago, is based in India and helps marginalized people with computer, job, and English skills.
• 😀 The foundation trains approximately 30,000 people annually, aiming to equip them with skills for local job opportunities.
• 😀 One of the biggest challenges Anedapt faces is urban migration, with people leaving villages for cities due to limited job opportunities.
• 😀 Anedapt addresses this challenge by using technology to offer scalable training and local job opportunities.
• 😀 The foundation incorporates data analytics and social media-based learning methods to improve student outcomes and employer engagement.
• 😀 A particularly inspiring story involves a disabled young woman named Don Quixote, who found courage through Anedapt's programs.
• 😀 Anedapt's impact is expanding internationally, with centers in New Orleans focused on helping at-risk individuals, including parolees and homeless youth.
• 😀 The foundation's work in New Orleans includes training individuals coming out of drug addiction, parolees, and homeless youth at risk of trafficking.

Q & A

What is the main mission of the Adept Foundation?

The Adept Foundation's mission is to empower at-risk youth and women by providing them with education and training to lift themselves and their communities out of poverty.

How does the Adept Foundation train people in skills for employment?

The Adept Foundation trains individuals in computer skills, job skills, and English skills, working closely with employers to secure interviews and job placements. They train about 6,000 to 7,000 people every quarter, amounting to roughly 30,000 people per year.

What is the biggest challenge faced by the Adept Foundation?

The biggest challenge is urban migration, where people leave rural villages due to lack of job opportunities, resulting in overcrowded cities, pollution, and slums. The foundation aims to provide local job opportunities to mitigate this migration.

How does the Adept Foundation integrate technology into its work?

The foundation leverages technology, including data analytics, to track student progress, industry trends, and employer hiring patterns. They are also moving towards using social media platforms to enhance their teaching methods.

Can you share a story that highlights the impact of the Adept Foundation's work?

One story involves a young disabled woman named Don Quixote, who went through the foundation's program. Despite her disability, she found courage through the training and was able to speak at a board meeting, expressing how the foundation gave her the courage to overcome societal stigmas and live independently.

What inspired the Adept Foundation's expansion to New Orleans?

The founders, who came to the U.S. as immigrants, wanted to give back to the country that had supported them. They chose New Orleans for their first U.S.-based centers because of the high levels of risk and need in the community, including issues like addiction, incarceration, and homelessness.

What specific programs does the Adept Foundation run in New Orleans?

The foundation operates three centers in New Orleans: one focused on helping individuals recovering from drug addiction, another working with parolees and probationers to help them reenter the workforce, and a third serving homeless youth at risk of trafficking.

How does the foundation support people coming out of drug addiction in New Orleans?

The foundation provides vocational training for individuals recovering from drug addiction, preparing them for careers in fields like computer technology to help them reenter the job market and rebuild their lives.

What type of partnership does the Adept Foundation have with the New Orleans Sheriff's Office?

The foundation collaborates with the New Orleans Sheriff's Office to provide training and job placement support for parolees and probationers, helping them reintegrate into society and start new lives.

How does the Adept Foundation help homeless youth in New Orleans?

The foundation assists homeless youth, especially those at risk of being trafficked, by providing them with education, training, and support to help them transition into stable employment and life situations.