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Local SMS Community Newsletter for Promotion of Self-Employment

Challenges: 

Project Idea:
It's a Location based Citizen centric Information & knowledge focused Update & alert service through SMS which is free for the members and which is run by a local social entrepreneur. We are trying to provide ‘One Social Assistant cum   Entrepreneur' for every 1000 families.

Qualification of Local Social Entrepreneur (Mobile Journalist)
School-college dropped outs
Opportunity less street wanderer
Socio-politically sadden youths
Financially backwards youths

Reason for the project:
To develop citizens own local-micro media
To amplify citizens voice
To bring them together under a single umbrella to encourage their participation
To update citizens with all latest local happenings on various fronts like social, political, governmental information
To enhance affection and oneness in the society
To empower local school-college dropouts

Scalability:

Self Employment Opportunities to more than 200,000 youths only in India!!!!

Think of opportunities in all developing countries for youths  !!!

Modus operandi:
Step 1: Affiliation with SMSONE
A youth with above mention qualification, having good local contacts in the society, gets affiliated with us. He is advised to start Local SMS Newsletter in his area.
Step 2 : Collection of local citizens data
He starts making members for Local SMS Community newsletter by signing a single page Permission Letter from the mobile users.
75 % of residents & around 25 % of businessman's would be allowed in one Local SMS Community.
This letter confirms members' willingness to accept the social SMS and allow promotional SMS.
Step 3: Database management
He send the entire data to SMSONE HO where the data is sorted according to Name, Gender, Age, DoB, Profession, Pin code etc.
Step 4 : Training
A one day capacity building training is given to him. SMSONE Values, vision, mission is imparted on him.
Step 5: Actual Implementation
He starts sending free SMS to his members as per their requirement.
Same time, he will start finding local advertisers and start earning money.

Types of SMS to Citizens
Only 1 message per week is send to the community. The messages are classified as given below.

A
•  Government 2 Citizens (G2C)
•  Social messages 2 Citizens services
•  Community demand messages: alerts : news : reminders :Custom made
•  Local News - Community generated content
•  Birthday wishes to all members
•  Local happenings like cultural programs, lectures, stage shows, religious shows, programs on National Days etc.
•  Water & Power shutdowns & due dates
•  Telephone bills due dates
•  Municipal taxes & due dates
•  Road/Traffic congestion/ Road closures
•  Local/Municipal/Sate Government /Indian Government important announcements
•  Local Social activities like … Eye Testing, Health checkups & different camps
•  Climate changing alerts
•  Important instructions from the local police
•  Emergency medical aid like blood donations solicited etc.
B
•  Local shopkeepers' ads
•  Local Credit Societies/Co-operative Banks ads/schemes/announcements
•  Discount offers from various shops, hotels and establishments
•  Local Insurance agents
•  Local Car/2 Wheeler dealers/service centers
•  New shop openings
•  Local Real Estates
•  Marriage invitations
C
•  Birthday Wishes of/to/for the budding local leaders
•  Village Administration/Municipal Committees /Local, Assembly and Parliament elections from the candidates of various political parties as well as independent candidates
•  Co-operative Development Society/Co-op Bank/Co-op credit society/ Milk Federation/Sugar Factory and other similar Elections.

Monthly earning for Self Employed Youth
•  He earns 1 Cent/message/member by sending  A type SMS.
•  He earns  3 Cents/message/member by sending B type SMS.
•  He earns  3-5 Cents/message/member by sending C type SMS.

Now multiply above cents by 1000 members & by 5 messages per month.

He sends 1 Social : 4 Promotional SMS to earn $ 100-200/month.

Money + Prestige:

The 10-12th failed, school college dropout who was wandering on the streets here and there, now earns handsome money per month. And as a mobile Journalist, community starts respecting him.

So he gets money plus social respect through this idea.

 Uniqueness of Model
•  Offer Self-employment to the 10-12th Failed - undergraduate youths without any huge investment.
•  Develop a unique media, fruits of which would be shared by all self employed youths.
•  Distribute lifelong benefit to self employed youths for one time work.
•  Integrate mobile users of all operators.
•  Run a location based SMS newsletter.
•  Update members through Local News & Happenings speedily.
•  Customize SMS services as per the community demands, like emphasis on Spiritual, political or cultural alerts.
•  Catch at-source /origin where maximum numbers comes together. i.e. Schools, Political Parties, Spiritual Groups, Agricultural Forums etc.
•  Connect entire family with the world.
•  Create oneness, affiliation in the Local Community using SMS services.

Project Details
Project video: 
Project Assessment
Financial support: 
No
Sustainability Model: 
Its a self sustainable model.The growth engine lies with the local community leader (mobile Journalist).More he involves in social activities,more he will be introduced to the prospective advertisers,more he will earn.So the youth serves the community genuinely.This model will work in all developing countries.Just consider example of my country: INDIAIndia has 290 Million mobile users & expect to reach 500 Million by 2010.Now , we connect every 1000 mobile user with 1 enemployed youth.Considering this,   we can offer self employment opportunities to more than 200,000 unemployed youths of India.Now consider entire scope in developing countries.Every youth earns US$ 100-200/month, How much Social Networth this project will generate.... cant imagine?...it is in Billions.
Expertise needed: 
Marketing/Media Expertise: <p>Since we are developing a very innovative concept of Local Micro-Media, we do not get assistance in terms of one who understands media-community-ICT relations.</p><p>We are making unemployed youths as media tycoons, so we reuire expertise at grassroot level also.</p>
Project goals: 
July 2006: Almighty  influxes idea to me.  Launched Pilot projectupto  July 2007 :Pilot project periodAug 2007: Commercial LaunchNov 2007: Manthan Award 2007 for best Innovative Idea &amp; eContent in India 2007. Amongst  top 30 in IndiaJuly 2008: Clinton Global Initiatives &amp; Microsoft's YES Fund Award 2008 for   Best ICT Business Plan in India worth $ 2000 (YES: Youth Employment Summit Inc.) Amongst Top 5 in IndiaSept 08: One amongst 14 Social Entrepreneurship selected by Social Impact International (USA-India)  for social entrepreneurship mentoring.  Feb 2009 : NASSCOM Foundation's Social Innovation Honors  for Best Social Innovation. Topped in India in &#39;For Profit&#39; category. Amongst top 3 in India.Mar 2009: Launched in Andhra Pradesh Apr 2009: Launching in Tamilnadu, KarnatakaNow, 325+ local communities  are successfuly operational in 25 districts, 75+ blocks in the state of Maharashtra giving self employment opportunities to more than 350 youths.
Identified Obstacles: 
•  Politicians see this united and amplified voice of a community as a potential threat and may destroy the model if gets loosely bound.•  The &#39;mentality&#39; of unemployed youths.

Thankful to all of U !!!

Dear Friends,I am grateful to everyone of U for voting for SMSONE-Local SMS Community Newsletter Project.We have entered TOP 15 list in the N2Y4 Mobile Innovation Challenge of NetSquared & TechSoup.orgI thanks NASSCOM Foundations entire team under the leadership of Ms Rufina Fernandis for helping me for this tough competition.Regards
Ravi Ghate
SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR
 
(National Youth Awardee by Govt of India 05-06)
(Manthan Award 07)
(Clinton Global Initiative's YES FUND Award 08)
(NASSCOM Social Innovation Honour Award 09) Founder - President: Mobile Media Association
Founder - Managing Trustee : Desh. Balasaheb Bharade Institute of IT,Pune
Founder - President : SMSONE Media Services Pvt Ltd
 
A 211, Parmar Trade Centre, Sadhu Vaswani Chowk, Pune Station, Pune 411 001 (MS)
 
Phone: +91 20 2605 20 20 SMS Personal Mobile:: + 91 98225 22 333  
Web: www.SMSOne.in E-Mail: smsoneindia@gmail.com, ravighate@gmail.com

We got to know more of

We got to know more of Ravi's project after he won the NASSCOM Social Innovation Honours. On further  interractions, it was felt that though his concept of using SMS service in the community was quiet simple,  its impact was HUGE!!!! Ravi has got clear vision on the expansion and sustanability of this project, which is really impressive. Ravi wishng you good luck in all your future endeveours.

Gouri Raverkar

NASSCOM Foundation

 

 

Best wishes from SHARP Satara

Best wishes from SHARP Satara

ss Jayadri

Best Luck Ravi Ji...

My Best wishes to Ravi ji and this project.

Best wishes from SHARP Sangli

Best wishes from SHARP Sangli

SS Marathe

Anand here

Welwishes

Good for farmers

This is excellent idea to provide consultancy to farmers through mobile smses..

All the Best....

We will win

We will surely win this challenge as we have won Clinton Global Award

Best Luck SMSone

Best Luck Best Luck SMSone

Smaone-Great change in media

Smsone has brought great change in media especially in rural region. There is a large information drift in rural and urban areas due to lack of infrastructural setup in rural area. Smsone pans this information on the mobiles of the rural masses very friendly and affectionately. All the best for this mission.

Vijayee Bhav!!!

Vijayee Bhav!!!!

Vishwas

MICRO MEDIA

sach this is micro Media Raviji i meet u innovative Ieda for   developing   Self Employed Youth

In search of New Ideas...always...

I know Ravi from childhood.

He is always in search of new ideas which helps community.

Best Luck

Sachin Medhekar

Good

Dear Ravi

 Well done, this very good idea

SMS Newsletter service

I am really glad to see this project in the gallery, I was pretty much impressed by Ravi Ghate's entrepreneurship and did an article on his SMS Newsletter which can be read here.

Using succesfully from 1 yr

We are using SMS Newsletter to inform our 1200 community members from last 1 yr.

Best Luck

Every Indian should vote for this project.

Every Indian should vote for this project.

Very Good

Ravi Sir

U  promote SMS based Free Newsletter in every small locality to alert, inform, update local citizens with social, political, cultural, governmental information.

Good

Dear Ravi

 Well done, this very good idea

Micrro Media

sach this is micro Media Raviji i meet u

innovative Ieda for   developing   Self Employed Youth

SMS ONE Is Very Good

Ravi Sir u r Idea is very good i am join this project

Good Work.  Well

Good Work.   Well done.

 

Sreehari N

SMS Newsletter service

Hi

 

I am really glad to see this project in the gallery, I was pretty much impressed by Ravi Ghate's entrepreneurship and did an article on his SMS Newsletter which can be read here.

http://www.techgoss.com/Story/200S12-SMS-Community-Newsletter--Serving-Mankind-Smartly.aspx

 

all the best for this competition Ravi

 

Suneetha

all the best to mr ghate for his efforts

Am anuradha parekh working at IIMA. I have recently written a case study on the SMSONE project and am really happy the way its making a difference in the lives of lakhs of citizens in our country India.  Mr ghate is a go-getter and i wish him all the best for his future endeavors.

We are proud to associate with SMS One

Congratulations Ravi.   We hope that your work on empowering rural youth is recognised world over.

we have studied this model and have found it not only to be innovative, but scalable and sustainable.   After Ravi won the NASSCOM Foundation Social Innovation Honour,  we  partnered to help him scale this concept to other parts of the country and engage youth.   After a successful implementation in Maharashtra, Ravi is now scaling this up in other southern states.

We wish him the very best and sincerely hope that others recognise this innovation and vote for him too.

Cheers Ravi - aur lage raho!!

Rufina.

CEO - NASSCOM Foundation.

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