Pollinate India International Fellowship Program

Many Indians, particularly internal migrates, live in informal settlements. Such settlements typically have no essential service delivery for water, energy, or communications, with residents having no land ownership rights. Such settlements are often in locations subject to high-risks of disasters, or permanent threat of relocation.

Pollinate Group India has been working with female residents of informal settlements for many years to improve quality of life for them and their families. This focuses on empowering local women, Suryamukhis, through the development of entrepreneurship skills and providing long-term coaching. Suryamukhis are supported to build micro-businesses that operate in their communities and sell a range of products appropriate for residents. These are typically local-cost domestic items for energy and water that are more cost effective and can improve health and wellbeing.

The Pollinate Student Fellowship supports students to learn about Pollinates approach through a 28-day immersive program focused on Pollinates work. Students are introduced to Pollinate, its approaches, and Bengaluru India where the program is based. Through community visits and consultations, students will work with Pollinates staff on a small project individually or in teams addressing pressing social and environmental challenges. The work completed is presented back to Pollinate at the end of the program to fed into their operations or planning.

The Pollinate program draws on all disciplines and backgrounds. This includes engineering and technology, business and economics, international studies, development and aid, urban planning, design, and communication. No specific background is required.

Through workshops, fieldwork, and mentorship sessions, students will develop skills in leadership, innovation, and social entrepreneurship. Students will deepen their understanding of cultural diversity working across rural and urban settings in India. Through the program students will develop skills and knowledge to work in complex and transdisciplinary contexts to work with others to achieve positive social impact and be a global citizen.

Students are required to:

• be accepted onto the Pollinate India Student Fellowship Program. • complete pre-departure requirements specified by Pollinate India and ANU Global Programs, including pre-departure briefings, online modules, and any travel, safety and risk requirements. • be able to complete the 28-day program in Bengaluru India.

Students interested in the program should first submit an EOI or application to Pollinate India via https://pollinategroup.org/student-fellowship-program/

The final submission for the project will consistent of an individual reflection on each students time on the Pollinate program. This can be either a written report (5 pages maximum) or a 20-min discussion. This is completed alongside submitted the presentation provided to Pollinate Group while on the program which is considered the shareable artefact for your project. The presentation can be either individual or group, following the approach used on the program.

Guiding questions

The reflection should cover:

1. your role within your immersive experience including perceived benefits and negatives (if any) for yourself, the partner organisation, and any community members or organisations involved, and how this was supported or hindered through the approach(es) used.

2. how did your immersive program links to the Australian aid and/or development sector, and a critique of these relationships and their applications and implications. Which stakeholders were present on the program, did you see aid or development best practice being incorporated or not, and how did the program and/or its approach(es) support or hinder local development aspirations.

3. a reflection on your discipline background or studies. What elements of this were appropriate for the program or did you draw on most during your immersive experience. Where there any major gaps in your background for taking part in the program.

Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) New Colombo Plan Mobility Grants are available for eligible students. If a student applies to Pollinate, that information will be shared with the ANU to automatically assess students’ NCP eligibility (which is primary based on being a domestic study and not having received two previous NCP mobility grants while studying).

Students will be working with marginalised communities in India. Students are supported through this by Pollinate and the ANU, but students should reach out to ANU support services or staff at any time if they need further or specific support.

Image credit : Roxanne Desgagnés