SIC | EXCHANGE | AGILE
Tomodachi
Company name
Tomodachi
Category
Agile project
Project Type
0 - 1
Date
Dec, 2023
Executive summary
Tomodachi is a platform designed to bridge the gap between rural job seekers and employment opportunities. Launched in Tunikala Thanda, it started with just five users but has since grown to 66 active users within a month. The platform facilitates access to job opportunities, career news, and essential contacts, empowering villagers to explore jobs beyond agriculture. The platform’s features, including job posts, career advice, and community engagement tools, have made a tangible impact, including one confirmed job placement at Muthoot Finance. With significant user growth, increased engagement, and positive feedback, Tomodachi is transforming rural job connectivity, and its success has sparked demand for expansion in surrounding villages.
Problem statement
In Tunikala Thanda, a lack of job awareness and career guidance limits the potential of many residents. Despite being educated, many villagers continue to work in farming, a job they don’t always enjoy or wish to pursue. The desire for government jobs is prevalent, but many lack the qualifications and proper guidance to secure such positions.
Problem statement
Additionally, the income generated from farming is insufficient, and other career options remain unexplored. Job-related information is often passed informally through conversations, such as from auto-rickshaw drivers, but not everyone hears about these opportunities. Thus, there is a pressing need for a system that offers better access to job information, guidance, and diverse livelihood options for the residents of Tunikala Thanda.
Goals and Objectives
- Increase job awareness in rural areas, particularly in Tunikala Thanda.
- Provide career guidance and qualifications for securing better job opportunities, including government jobs.
- Facilitate job connections by offering a platform for local businesses and employers to connect with job seekers.
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- Promote alternative livelihoods beyond agriculture, reducing dependency on farming.
- Foster a community-based approach where locals engage in discussions, share opportunities, and support each other’s career aspirations.
Our role in execution
Address the villager's problem about lack of awareness about nearby job recruitment. Bridge the gap between the job seekers in the village with the nearby recruiters (banks, post office, hospitals, shop vendors)
“
Executing the GRIPP project has been a rewarding journey, demonstrating how structured support transforms grassroots innovations. Working with seven innovators, we could refine products and boosted few sales by bridging gaps with new networks. This initiative reinforced the power of collaboration in driving sustainable impact, and I am proud to have played a pivotal role in it”
Rama-Program Manager
Learnings & Failures
Learning:
- Community engagement through local events like group discussions and feedback surveys significantly boosts user participation.
- Real-time job updates were vital in connecting villagers to employment opportunities, leading to tangible outcomes, such as confirmed job placements.
- Word-of-mouth promotion helped expand the platform’s reach to nearby villages, proving the effectiveness of organic growth
Failures:
- Initial engagement was slow, and it took time for the villagers to trust and adopt the platform.
- Information gaps still persist, as some villagers remain unaware of the app’s full potential, indicating a need for further education and outreach.
Potential Impact created
The GRIPP project supported seven grassroots innovators in India by providing essential tools, resources, and networks to scale their solutions, helping them refine products, improve market access, and enhance business operations. By facilitating dealership partnerships, resulting in a 10% sales increase for innovations like the Groundnut Digger and Paddy Transplanter, while also establishing structured after-sales services to ensure sustainability.
Two key innovations—the Snow Remover and Paddy Transplanter—underwent significant design enhancements to improve efficiency and usability. By creating new market opportunities and strengthening business operations, GRIPP laid the foundation for the long-term growth of grassroots entrepreneurs, ultimately driving progress in rural communities.
Explore More Insights
Access the full report, related blogs, and press releases to dive deeper into the impact and execution of this project.
Empowering Success
and Well-Being
Lives Impacted
Lives Impacted
Lives Impacted
Lives Impacted
Our Project Team
Internal Team
Prathyusha
Project Lead
Rama
Program Manager
