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When Aakarsh Shamanur was 10, he asked his grandfather what he wanted to be when he grew up.
"Don't start big by demolishing buildings," he said, per Quartz.
So the 34-year-old Indian architect went on to earn a master's degree in urban management and development from the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies at Erasmus University in the Netherlands, where he worked on projects with a special focus on developing countries in the Global South.
After that, Shamanur worked with a clean-tech consultancy where he was solar-powering music concerts in Europe.
His extensive work on solar-powered solutions was what drove Shamanur to adopt a similar approach to the Indian context, especially with street vendors.
"I believe that a lot of people migrate from rural to urban areas in search of livelihood and one of the easiest ways to start an entrepreneurial journey is to become a street vendor," Shamanur tells the Express.
So he founded BePolite (polite meaning "portable light"), an initiative where he's working with street vendors across India to improve their livelihoods through solar-powered lights and solutions based on the internet of things.
The solar lamps consist of a 3-watt LED bulb, battery bank, and a solar panel.
They
Selected Grant News Headlines
A customized collection of grant news from foundations and the federal government from around the Web.
Haril Kazindra and wife Andrea are the co-founders of Musana, a community development NGO that runs 19 social enterprises across Uganda.Musana has offices in Denver and London and employs 700 staff,...more
Foundation: Lilly Endowment
All In Kosciusko exists to promote and accelerate the economic and community development already happening across the county.Concerns about economic diversification, talent retention and quality of...more
The Bill Gatton Foundation supports K-12 and higher education, health, and community development in Kentucky, Upper East Tennessee, and Southwest Virginia.Large education grants include $13.5 million...more
Local organizations win $9 million for new affordable housing, social services.Connecticut's Community Investment Fund grants come amid a deluge of cuts to federal funding.The fund was established in...more
Foundation: Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation
Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation has proudly supported Bread & Broth for the past 10 years.In 2024, the Community Foundation was able to introduce the mission of Bread and Broth to a donor who is...more
Foundation: Latino Community Foundation
Latino Community Foundation Awards $3.88M in Grants Across California and Nevada.NewsBreak: Latino Community Foundation awards $3,000,000 in grants across California andNevada.Newsbreak: $1.5 million...more
Alejandro Betancourt Lopez rejects traditional corporate social responsibility models that separate business operations from community impact.Rather than limiting community engagement to corporate...more
Thoughtful giving isn't just about making a donation, it's about creating meaningful impact.Community foundations exist to connect generosity with need, ensuring that charitable giving is both...more
Kareem Thomas most recently served as Chief Credit and Lending Administration Officer at Reinvestment Fund.Bhavani Daryanani has more than 20 years of experience in the sector, bringing deep...more
SECU Foundation has been named a recipient of the 2024 Carolinas Credit Union Foundation Hero Award for Partner in Philanthropy.The SECU Foundation promotes local community development in North...more
Community Building News from...
Wells Fargo Foundation
New Hampshire Charitable Foundation
Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas
Dallas Foundation
Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation
Greater Washington Community Foundation
Rhode Island Foundation
Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta
California Community Foundation
Arizona Community Foundation
Social Entrepreneurship
Spotlight
When it Comes to Social Enterprises, Failure is the Best Platform for Innovation
In the world of social enterprises, failure is a cringe-worthy moment nobody wants to talk about. But, social entrepreneurs can benefit from their failures.
