Internship experience
Amazing India
India is a magical country, from all the countries I have visited before, it is the most confusing. Culture, language, traditions and people are different whether you're north, south, west or east. Every day I discover something new, I am a bit like a child, I am very curious about what surrounds me and the environment in which I evolve. The food is so delicious, certainly very spicy but I really love it ! However, before going to India, it is important to inquire because it is very different from the Western countries.
Harike center
My experience at EduCARE India during this first month is very rewarding. First of all, life at the Harike Center. It is a collocation with several people from different countries, working on different projects, with different skills and experiences. Living with this small community irremediably creates links. It is a complex that complements each other and provides a daily basis conducive to the development of ideas and projects. Everyone works to develop the center to get a more comfortable and ergonomic space every day.
Patio / Table / Pace of exchange
 |
Kitchen / Pantry
 |
Figure 1:Harike VIKAS center
Team from June: Gabriel (Canadian), Cora (UK), Ankur the CPC (Indian).
Then, to carry out our projects, the community puts at our disposal means such as a structure with an office or a field to create a small organic farm. It is very important to have a point of inking that serves as a reference point for the community.
The forestry area:
Figure 2: Forestry area
The Harike community
The hospitality of the Punjabi community in Harike is fantastic. People are very happy to receive you and offer you hospitality easily. Their interest for strangers is intense, they are hugely interested in you, your country, your family and your work. Their curiosity is limitless, they can be interested in you all day. They are very receptive to our projects but my opinion is that the main problem lies in the notion of time. When you schedule meetings, visits and work with the community, often people are late or just not there because they wanted to do something else; you have to be flexible and adapt to this polychromic vision of time.
Be a project manager
Being a project manager is a very personal and professional trainer. The management at EduCARE India is totally horizontal, you are your own boss, the success of your projects depends on your commitment and your motivation to complete the objectives set. You have to take many initiatives, sometimes unsuccessful or without results, but you have to keep in mind that "success comes from failures".
I learned a lot during the first month at EduCARE because the potential, the constraints and the problems encountered are totally different from what I usually encounter in my work. I had to juggle between using my knowledge and learning new ones.
Biogas plant project
Initially, I had to learn about the different techniques used, and visit a facility that works in a sustainable way. So I went to Makhu, a village near Harike, where I saw 3 different biogas plants. I gathered as much information as possible from the family about the structure, frequency of use and price. It is essential to carry out this work of intelligence and visualization, it is really very instructive.
Figure 3: Biogas plant in Makhu village
Then he has a research and solution work to implement. I had to understand the objectives of creating a biogas plant in Harike and especially the benefits for the community. I had to contact key people and partners in the realization of my project. I went to Chandigarh, a very pleasant city, in which I went to PEDA (Punjab Energy Development Agency) headquarters. It is a government agency subsidized by the MNRE (Ministry of New and Renewable Energies). I was able to get key contacts for my project. It is therefore essential to move and get in touch with people who are likely to help or to take part in the realization of the projects.
Figure 4: PEDA in Chandigarh
July 2017
Internship experience
Amazing India
India is a truly magical and fascinating country. I discover a lot about this people, their history and also about myself. From my point of view, the Indian people have a share of timidity and extravagance, two very opposite characteristics. When conducting practical work or presentations in front of an Indian group, they are shy and do not dare to interact and ask questions because they do not want to put themselves forward. On the other hand, individually when talking with an Indian, he is very curious and talkative about your intentions, your work, your presence in India and your life in general, but he is also going to talk about his life and of their wishes.
India is immense and its resources are so. During this month I had the opportunity to take a few days to visit famous places. I went to Chandigarh for my project and I took the opportunity to take a weekend. So I visited the city designed by the Franco-Swiss architect Le Corbusier, visited the rock-garden and the rose-garden. I also took a weekend to New Delhi and Agra to visit the Red Fort and the famous Taj Mahal.
Figure 1: The famous Taj Mahal in Agra Figure 2: Picture inside the Red fort in Delhi
Harike center
At Harike VIKAS center, projects are progressing and the interns work to improve the welfare of the center. We repaired the bamboo construction to dry the clothes outdoors, cleaned the material storage areas and create posters of information about the rules of the center as well as deliverables to be sent every week and month. We started to create a small garden in the center with trees, plants but also a small kitchen garden. The promontory of Harike's terrace was cemented to prevent flooding during heavy rains.
Figure 3. Cemented terrace of the Harike VIKAS center
Harike's team has expanded with the arrival of two new interns, Kushbu and Felix. Kushbu is working on a photovoltaic solar panel project while Felix is working on a solar oven project and on the organic farm with me. These are two good elements for the Harike Center.
The Harike community
In Punjab, the economy is based on agriculture. Around Harike, the landscape is extremely flat with fields of rice and maize as far as the eye can see. The Punjabis are very nice people with a sense of hospitality very developed, as can be seen in the Golden Temple for example. The reception is warm and people are very receptive and interested in the projects of EduCARE. However the Punjabi mentality is very surprising, it is focused on music and "thug life". That is to say, people like to be seen and recognized by wearing sophisticated accessories or sophisticated clothes, having a big and pretty car, an inordinate house, a bit the prototype of the American rapper catches the eye. To conclude, I love the Punjabis! My experience in Punjab is fantastic.
Figure 4: Dinner in the community with the Harike team
Be a Project manager
My experience as a project manager this month was very different from the month of June. I went through several feelings like satisfaction, joy, confidence but also frustration, disappointment, anxiety ... I learned to focus on less ambitious goals and I had to rethink my project management. I also realized that it is important to rely on local resources, they have a key role in the success of projects. However sometimes the premises can also be a waste of time, pretending to be able to help on the project and that I learned to my dependences.
Biogas plant project
This project has not really changed. After reflection and discussion with PEDA (Punjab Energy Development Agency), there is no point in building a biogas plant with a digester of less than 4 m3. So I have to rethink the project and start on a new design. Mr B and I met with Mr Raminder Singh, a PEDA member in Amritsar, on Thursday, 3 August. This meeting was very constructive and will be my starting point to reformulate my biogas plant project.
Organic farm project
I was very focused on this project during the month of July. The arrival of Felix greatly contributed to the progress of the project. We planned the various stages of the project together. All in all I am rather pleased with the progress of the project despite some delays in planning. The community of Harike and the forestry department seem very cheerful and interested in our project, that satisfies me. About the vermi-composter, the process is on the way and I already have ideas for the development of vermi-composting in Harike and its surroundings which seem promising.
Figure 4: The area at the beginning Figure 5. The area at the 3rd July
David Swierczynski (France)
Academic Fieldwork and Research Internship,
EduCARE India @ Harike
ViKAAS Dev SEVA Centre / Agriculture Research Centre
No comments:
Post a Comment