Some Perspective on My Work at ACCESS

I know that I haven’t written too much about the actual work of my internship on this blog, but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t been doing a lot!  My internship has actually kept me quite busy, and has provided some incredible opportunities for practical learning, for personal growth, and for me to contribute to the broader mission of ACCESS Development Services.  ACCESS is an incredibly professional and well run nonprofit organization, currently working with the rural poor on a number of excellent projects. After spending some time learning about the projects, I was able to work with my supervisor to identify a number of specific ways that I can contribute my skills, perspective, and energy to support their work. One of the projects, The National Agriculture Innovation Project, has a blog you can check out here. You might notice how well-designed and easy to navigate it is – we’ve got a great webmaster. (It’s me.)

Within the NAIP project, ACCESS is forming a “Producer Company,” a legal entity owned and operated by poor producers, that helps them to develop business skills, find better markets for their produce, and thus improve their livelihoods.  I’ve been designing the business plan for that very Producer Company. My work has involved a lot of market research, designing surveys, analyzing data, doing financial planning, and so forth. I’ve had the opportunity to visit and spend a lot of time in the villages where the company will operate. I’ve attended farmer trainings and meetings, been invited into villagers homes, and even a village wedding (see my photo, right). I’ve been exposed to, and in a small way shared in, some of the struggles and joys of rural life in India.

Another example of the kind of work that I have been doing is writing case studies, basically narrative reports about the success of the programs at ACCESS. Two of the case studies are posted on the ACCESS blog (link above) if you’d like to see them. I recently learned that one of the studies, after being reviewed by the head office of ACCESS in New Delhi, was so well received that it will be circulated at a national conference! It’s exciting to know that my efforts are spreading awareness and advocating for ACCESS.

The last project that I am working on has more of an academic bent, as I will be presenting the work for credit toward my MBA at Assumption. I am researching and making recommendations about high-growth employment sectors and skill development programs in the Banswara district of south Rajasthan. The district faces significant unemployment and poverty so I am attempting to identify what kinds of investments can bring about change in that area. If my research is successful enough, it may assist ACCESS in planning poverty-reduction programs in the future.

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