I heard
about the Social Sabbatical program and instantly knew this is a challenge that
I will love. Although I adapt fairly well to change, I get very jittery and
nervous when there are a lot of unknowns in a project or task. The Social
Sabbatical Program challenges exactly this - where you work with a client from
another country, on a problem statement that you have no prior experience in ,with
team mates from 12 different nations whom you have never met.While it sounds
daunting there is a shiver of excitement even while I write this!
When I
applied for the program I did not know which location I will be going to. The
2014-15 SoSa program was to be based out of 7 locations - Mumbai, Beijing,
Istanbul, Cape Town, Manila, Bogota and East Africa. I didn't really expect to
get shortlisted - we had to write three essays- to explain our intent for
applying to the program, what we hope to gain from it and what we bring back
to SAP from this experience. I was pleasantly surprised when I got through and was thrilled that my location of work is Manila ( closer home , similar
temperatures as in Bangalore ).
Last
week we were introduced to our clients and my client is Messy Bessy. Messy
Bessy is a manufacturer and wholesaler of natural, biodegradable household
cleaners with the primary goal of employing, training and educating
disadvantaged (formerly abused, trafficked, out-of-school, impoverished) young
adults. It is a fusion of addressing a need for a greener lifestyle and a
cleaner environment and helping these young adults out of their victim complex
and leading them into a life that they choose to live. Messy Bessy has the
cutest logo which is a painting by the founder Krie Reyes-Lopez. The
painting depicts a woman from a simpler, less industrialized era – when
household cleaners were still made from the kitchen, and not made of chemicals.
 |
| Messy Bessy Logo |
My team
mates in this assignment are Dirk-Jan Sligenberg from Netherlands and Vince Lu
from China. Dirk-Jan happened to be in India - working very close to where I
live. We met up for coffee and enjoyed a nice chat. What are the odds that of
sub team of 3- selected for the same client in the Social Sabbatical - that one
of your teammates happens to be visiting so close to where you live! It s like
the universe is giving out a sign to go bond!
Looking forward to more such meets and the assignment with Messy Bessy.
P.S: I
love saying Messy-Bessy. There is a playfulness to the word- a nice feel on the
tongue while you say it.
