UNLEASHLAB 2017 : Following my passion
My name is Nisha and I am from India.
My passion for the social development sector led me from a Test Engineer in a corporate setting to a Technology Manager in a for profit social enterprise. I design, plan, execute and implement mobile solutions that automate processes. I have been working in the water and sanitation sector for a little over two years. I cut my teeth at Next Drop as a growth hacker and moved on to Sara Plast Pvt. where I manage and implement solutions to long standing social issues.
Growing up in India has given me a first hand exposure to the problems faced by developing nations. Every day as I drive to work, I cross the Mula-Mutha River, which emanates an unavoidable stench on account of pollution by untreated effluents and domestic sewage. Very often I see street kids running around the banks unaware of the dark untold story of the river and being exposed to harmful and carcinogenic toxins, which will have long-term effect on their health. We as a society need to take a stand for us. This has been one of the driving forces for me to work towards creating sustainable solutions in the water sector.
In India ~ 70% of the sewage generated flows untreated into the water bodies. The existing treatment plants are running over capacity and cannot meet the ever increasing demand of the expanding urban population. I wish to work towards bringing advanced technologies to India that can help manage and treat sewage. I also wish to work towards creating new policies or solutions that can enhance the efficiency of the current methods of faecal sludge management.
One of the biggest challenges a country like India faces , is the lack of awareness on sanitation issues. The Swachh Bharat mission launched by Prime Minister Modi,aims to make India open defecation free by 2019. Even with multiple programs run across the country and million of toilets built. We are still far from our targets, due to lack of regular awareness campaigns, the toilets built are not maintained and some have even been converted to store houses. I also wish to create technology-friendly educational solutions and help change the way people think about sanitation.
At UNLEASH I wish to meet or partner with like-minded individuals. I wish to understand current trends , technology on a global platform. I wish to learn about different innovations in the sanitation space and understand what made them successful. I am keen on finding a mentor who could help me potentially take my ideas to the next level.
