SAP Labs India

SAP viewed the mosaic of diversity presented by India as a unique opportunity since the inception of its operations in India. In a milieu where multiple cultures coexist in a single nation, the road is mired with challenges that do not always meet the eye. SAP believes that only an all round development of the society can sustain business development of customers. Towards this end the organization is relentlessly working to transform the geography and meet the challenges. Through a multitude of programs aimed specifically at transforming localities into hubs of intellectual development, we have been quietly bringing a smile on the faces of the deserving yet unfortunate strata of the society. In a vibrant economy that has been growing steadily in the recent years, we see this as an extension of our relationship with India. By empowering the society and developing their skill set, we invest in the belief that a stronger future for the community shall be the reason for a stronger future for SAP too.

SAP Labs Corporate Social Responsibility program in India supports a wide range of projects and activities – from corporate philanthropy to an attempt to bridge the digital divide. The program demonstrates that incorporating community stakeholders into our business network not only supports corporate goals and responsibility, but also encourages nonprofit organizations to promote social change in a positive and sustainable way.

Navjyoti Foundation, Gurgaon – Water Conservation and Awareness Generation
In partnership with Navjyoti Foundation SAP has initiated a project to construct a water conservation structure and generate awareness in the village of Abheypur, Sohna Block, Haryana.

Navjyoti has constructed check-dam, created watershed structures in the villages, installed solar water panels, constructed gabion structure and set up an energy park.

In addition to this, Solar powered ground water pump has been installed in the village Abheypur at Girls primary school which has resulted in:

1. Improved attendance and grades of the girls in the village.

2. Provides source of water for neighboring households.

3. Improved water accessibility for 300 individuals

4. Grey water drainage system has additionally helped the villagers improve accessibility of major village pathway.

The project would be ready for inauguration in August.

ITIHAAS (New Delhi)
We believe that learning is never complete without the knowledge of national history. It is by knowing the past that the present can be better comprehended. With this in mind, the Young Walker Program was launched which organizes walking tours for young children in New Delhi historical monuments and facets that speak of the bygone age. Our intention with this endeavor is to educate the children and imbibe in them the qualities that are required for not only their own future but also the future of the entire nation.

Month of Service, October 2011

Spreading smiles, nurturing creativity, delivering joy to all the nooks and crannies of the society – it was all a part of a day’s work at SAP Labs India in October, which was celebrated, globally, as the Month of Service by SAP. Initiated in 2004, this year Month of Service, had SAP volunteers from over 40 countries targeting to donate 50,000 hours endeavoring to:

• Provide basic needs
• Support education
• Create economic opportunities.

Consonant with this goal, SAP Labs India, which initiated a week of service in 2006, and enhanced it to the month of service in 2010, participated in a bouquet of more than 42 charitable initiatives, across various cities including Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Pune, aimed at flattening the uneven socio-economic terrain of India. The projects, showcased on Charitra, were an eclectic mix and prospective participants had the option of being involved in the ones that interested them. Family members of the employees could also participate in the projects and did so with great enthusiasm. . The urge to serve took on gargantuan proportions and some of the projects included:

• Spending time with the underprivileged children in an orphanage
• Listening to stories at an old age home
• Packing school bags for 1000 underprivileged children
• Packing food boxes for the underprivileged children
• Constructing a playground for children of a primary school in Anekal, a village on the Banerghatta highway
• Building a road to help the villagers of Anekal
• Planting 600 trees at Kumaraswamy Layout, Bangalore
• Playing with differently abled children at the Spastic Society and Gerezim, Bangalore.

The satisfaction of being able to innovate happiness inspired the employees to donate their time to various charitable causes and, in the process, help the world run better together.

Gift an Eye
We have partnered with Rotary Club for Gift an Eye initiative through which employees can opt to donate their Birthday Gift vouchers for cataract surgeries for the needy. We believe in the adage that a stitch in time saves nine.

Braille Enabled Visiting Cards
In the western world, finding a disabled-friendly train station or a restaurant menu in Braille is not uncommon. In India, while this reality is distant, inclusive communication is probably one of the easiest steps to take towards inclusion. Employees can now make a start by brailing their visiting cards, which enables visually-impaired people to read your visiting card and make sense of it.

Braille-enabled visiting cards are standard visiting cards with the name of the employee embossed in Braille on it. The brailing is done for a rupee per card and can be done on existing cards using a Brailer, a special machine for the blind.

For this initiative, SAP Labs India has partnered with Esha- a non-profit initiative striving to help the blind in little ways that make a big difference and a team of volunteers spread across the country, who believe in equal opportunities for the blind and work towards the same.

SAP HOPE Child Care Centre
The root for most of the plethora of problems that plague the Indian terrain is the lack of education. We nurture the less fortunate amongst us who have been deprived of care early in their life, for clichéd as it may sound, it remains a fact that a country’s future is the median of the future of its children. At SAP Labs India, we open the windows to the rays of hope for a better day.

The SAP Labs Center of HOPE was set up for this purpose and it continues to bring a smile on the faces of the children. The employees of SAP Labs India have actively dedicated themselves to the cause. The investment of a little time on their part has resulted in a source of radiating hope for many more. A place, within a 5-minute drive from the Bangalore campus, houses 54 children who now lead a life that they could only dream of. From educating them to arranging activities that foster an all round development, we try to make sure that they do not miss out on a healthy upbringing. The children go to a nearby English medium school. The future roadmap entails a transition to vocational training and life skills that shall secure their future too, financially and otherwise.

Navjyoti Foundation, Gurgaon- School Ke Baad School Program
At this center in Gurgaon where 80 children receive after-school care and attention by trained teachers, we continue to provide financial support for the second year running.

Project Lakshya
A pledge to light up 100,000 smiles – Project Lakshya marches on, determined to bridge the digital divide!

Project Lakshya was born out of the desire to help the underprivileged yet the talented section of our country.

Labs India, by end of this year aims to touch 100,000 lives all over India through the project. Till date more than 56,750 lives have been impacted through the 26 labs opened by us which included more than 500 laptops/desktops being donated to deserving NGOs all over the country. Computer labs were opened in the remotest of places and even in the heart of cities where the divide is rampant. This is the walk to digital emancipation – the way through which individuals can afford to become self sufficient. Through these labs completely owned by us and also in association with our partners, our goal is to bond with the society and help secure the future. The mission is strengthened with Shikhar Organization for Social Development joining Labs India to eradicate the digital inequality.

Project Prayas
Nearly 40 lakh children in India are diagnosed with autism. Children with ASD usually exhibit impaired social interaction and communication and have repetitive behavior. Initiated by Mr. V. R Ferose, MD, SAP Labs India, Prayas is a team from CSR group of SAP Labs India, with 14 SLI employees who focus on three main areas- learning and cognition, communication and fun for children with autism. The first workshop was conducted by the team in March, 2011 and focused on pioneering the use of iPads to interact with autistic children and involved ten children and their parents. The second workshop, conducted in April, was aimed at creating awareness about how learning with the help of technology can lessen the difficulties of autistic children. Here the children were encouraged to use apps to further their learning. Prayas has further inaugurated a computer lab, in collaboration with Autism Society of India. The team has also participated, and was appreciated for their work, at the Global Autism Convention, held on May 19-21 at NIMHANS Convention center, Bangalore. Prayas is relentlessly striving to achieve this dream and help the world 'run better' by extending their special support to children with special needs.

SHIKHAR (New Delhi)
In an age where computer literacy is a survival basic, we at SAP Labs have taken up the cudgels to set up computer labs to promote the same. Computer Training Centers have been set up at New Delhi, all over Maharashtra and in Bangalore. Many dignitaries and icons including Virender Sehwag have graced fund raisers specially organized for improving the lives of young girls

The FIRST LEGO League (FLL) is an international program for children aged 9 to 16 that combine a hands-on, interactive robotics competition with a fun- and sports-like atmosphere. Throughout the program, teams have the opportunity to focus on skills such as team building, problem solving, creativity and analytical thinking. SAP wants to foster these values and seeks to recognize and cultivate the innovative spirit of children through its participation in and support of the FLL competition. Employees are encouraged to form teams and mentor children to participate and succeed at this competition.

• Shikhar
• Navjyoti Foundation
• Mobile Creches
• Itihaas
• Hope Foundation

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THE ORGANISATION:

SHIKHAR: ORGANISATION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT (SOSD) was initiated on 13th November 2001.SOSD is a voluntary organization run by a group of professionals, with the objective of providing experiential learning and vocational training programs to empower and develop weaker section of the society, particularly women and children, which results in greater independence leading to more effective, fulfilling lives.




Mission:
"To help the deprived sections develop and realize their capacities and potential with sensitivity to their dignity, self-dependence and cultural values, in order to lead more satisfying and enriching lives”.








Aims and Objectives of the SOSD:

• To empower the under-privileged section of the society, mainly women, by providing them education and vocational training so that they become self-dependent.
• The role of society is to inspire and motivate women to realize their human dignity and develop their own capabilities and then to provide them necessary support and help in the form of information, advise and finances.

Program facilitated by SOSD:
At present the technical cooperation program focuses on:-

• Community development and Health
• Women’s education programs via condensed courses
• Vocational Training & Career Guidance
• Promote cultural and moral values
• Environment protection related program
• Adventure sports Promotional programs
• Income Generation Program
• Computer Literacy

Other than the program mentioned above Shikhar also participated in Projects, championed by the corporate social responsibility initiative of SAP Labs India, such as Project Ishita to promote computer skills of the underprivileged women and Prayag Project to promote employability.

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THE ORGANISATION:

Navjyoti India Foundation, an NGO founded by Dr. Kiran Bedi, has been working with under-served communities ever since its inception in 1987. Presently, the organization works in Resettlement Colonies of the North West Part of Delhi namely Bawana and Jahangirpuri, and an urbanized rural area called Kerala and Villages in Gurgaon District, Sohna Block, Haryana.

THE MISSION:
Empower the women of India by providing them with a better future and the country with a better tomorrow.










THE VISION:
Close to 70% of India still resides in rural and semi urban areas. It is in rural India that a vast potential of talent and untapped creative and intellectual energy lies. If this group of people is not empowered, the nation as a whole cannot flourish and develop. Since women stand at the fore front of most activities of rural lives, the most important intervention was to initiate active participation of women in the decision making policies. The rural development initiatives of Navjyoti India Foundation saw the light of the day with Women’s Panchayat at Bhondsi in 1996.


THE WORK:
Education, Women Empowerment and Vocational Training have been the primary areas of intervention by the organization in these communities. Besides, health care, environment interventions and community participation are also run for promoting integrated community development services.
The organization has been working to improve the under-served communities by invigorating and assisting children, youth and women to become self reliant.



ACHIEVEMENTS:
At present Navjyoti’s scope of work spans across 30 villages in Sohna block. Every month close to 400 women are being empowered, 100 children educated, countless families are being touched and smiles shared.

SAP Labs has been associated with Navjyoti India Foundation since 3 years and is providing financial support for education program- “school ke baad school” for the children in the villages of Haryana. SAP Labs has facilitated an encouraging environment for 150 children to learn and pursue education and other activities in order to ensure high retention and low dropout rates.

SLI has also partnered with Navjyoti by assisting in the building of a Gabion structure in Abheypur, one of the villages of Sohna Block, Gurgaon District, Haryana.

SAP Labs India's continuous support has an impact on over 3500 lives and has helped in making a difference in the lives of the beneficiaries.

The Operations team of SLI has also setup a computer lab for the kids of this NGO to enable appropriate exposure to the digital world.

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THE ORGANISATION:

Background of Mobile Creches-Over four decades ago Mobile Creches (MC) came into being with the first crèche, at a construction site, for the children of migrant construction workers. Thus started a movement in the arena of Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) and MC has been at its forefront, ever since.

THE WORK:
Since 1969 MC has been providing health and childcare services to children at construction sites and urban slums in Delhi (NCR). MC channeled its energies into working closely with the urban slum communities in Delhi NCR, expanding its training initiatives through the entire Hindi speaking belt and partnering with big real estate developers to create crèches at their sites. Advocacy efforts for changes in policy, laws and program, have always been a distinguishing feature of MC. In the last 5 years, policy advocacy with networks at the national level has been matched by grass root mobilization at the State level, in Delhi, to bring about change in the health and developmental status of the young child.



VISION:
Mobile Creches focuses on children under-6 years in both urban slums and construction sites. In a backdrop of uncertain wages, lack of family support systems for childcare and poor provisions of potable water, sanitation and health care, MC intervenes to ensure the holistic development of the young children with a special focus on children below 3 years of age.

Achievements:

• Reached 750,000 children
• Trained 6000 childcare workers
• Runs 600 daycare centers
• Co-founded networks, led campaigns
• Activated 60 anganwadi centers
• Provides inputs to National Policy for Children; RG Crèche Scheme; X, XI FYPs; NREG Act (crèche clause)

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THE ORGANISATION:

ITIHAAS (I Think I Have A Solution) is a non-profit consultation and service organization aiming to accelerate social change by providing strategic support to non-profit organizations in fundraising, program design and planning, human resource management, technology adoption and management. Initiated in 2006, ITIHAAS consists of a group of young professionals with varied backgrounds and a good understanding of the need of the citizen.

Mission of ITIHAAS:
To accelerate social change by helping non-profit organizations strategize core functions and program implementation at the grass-root level and by facilitating mutually profitable relationships between social organizations through collaboration and networking.









ITIHAAS Vision:
To bring into the realm of educational structure our tangible and intangible heritage, traditions and legacies as sources of learning. To ensure that every child is transformed into an inheritor of the past and can apply collective knowledge to problems faced by society.








ITIHAAS Programs:

ITIHAAS Study Tour Program
The ITIHAAS study tours are our flagship program. ITIHAAS co-ordinates walk with over 150 school children from NCR to various places where tradition and heritage live.

ITIHAAS Student Internship Program
ITIHAAS offers an internship program to students of age 14 years and above.

ITIHAAS for children with special needs
Inclusive education has always been an area of core concern while developing ITIHAAS pedagogy. A program for children with special needs endeavors to develop heritage activities for them.

ITIHAAS Resource Centre
A specialized resource centre dealing with development and documentation of activities, rhymes and stories has been institutionalized.


Current Project - The ITIHAAS YOUNG WALKER PROGRAM - A BACKGROUND.
The ITIHAAS WALKS program began in September 2004, with 6 schools and 1200 children. The program now reaches out to 93 schools and over 15,000 children every year.

ITIHAAS's Young Walker Program was initiated in 2007, in 80 member schools, with the firm belief that it is never too early to start imbibing and absorbing the culture around us. This program is targeted at children in the age groups of 4 to 6 years and 7 to 10 years. The Young Walker program looks at making young children the repositories of oral tradition and getting them to be active participants in the process of social change with a clear perspective and understanding about their past.

The program is an on-going one and continues all year round, from April to March. During the month of June we close actual walks as this is our month for research and content development. Support in this area will ensure that we encourage more children from the primary schools to enter into the ITIHAAS fold. Reaching out to this age group is essential to sensitize them at an early age.

The Young Walker program is an out of school learning program. It takes children out, into the city to walk through areas, monuments, spaces which speak of our past. During these walks the children meet with true carriers of tradition. The program is interactive, multi-disciplinary and actively uses the tools of story- telling to restore oral tradition.

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HOPE FOUNDATION- A RAY OF HAPPINESS

THE ORGANISATION:
HOPE foundation has been working with communities in need, since 1991. It is a registered organization that works closely with individuals, corporate entities and the government. The organization focuses on education, training and health.






THE WORK:
From early 2001, SAP Labs India has supported the work of HOPE by helping construct and run a school for children affected by the Gujarat earthquake. The English medium school in Bhuj continues to impact lives and has 350 children at present. The partnership has been extended to computer training centers in Bangalore, a post-tsunami school in Tharangambadi, an orphanage in New Delhi and a home for street children near the SLI campus, in Bangalore. HOPE encourages volunteerism and this has resulted in volunteers from SLI frequenting HOPE sites, on a regular basis.



MISSION:
HOPE's emphasis is on helping children complete the 10th standard, acquire a skill and then choose between college or a career (or both). Through its vocational training initiatives HOPE provides young men and women with skills that allow them to find jobs in the field of computers, in retail sector or as masons, electricians etc. HOPE also seeks to reduce maternal, neonatal child morbidity and mortality rates through the increased use of key health services and practices.





THE ACHIEVEMENTS:
When disasters strike, HOPE is quick to provide initial relief but prefers adopting a long-term perspective that facilitates the rebuilding of communities, through the establishment of schools, vocational training centers, community halls and the launch of interest free micro-finance programs.

HOPE now seeks to strengthen (and expand) its presence in 25 towns and cities across the country providing diversified service all around for the homeless children.