There is a demand
The Indian economy has done phenomenally well in the last few years. Till as recently as 2007-08, annual growth was at an unprecedented rate of 9.4%, and despite the current global economic slowdown, a practically unscathed India still promises to deliver at an optimistic rate of growth. The demand for quality goods and services at the Base of the Pyramid is not an entirely new concept. From the remotest villages in Nairobi to the innermost reaches of Chhattisgarh, some of the biggest companies of the world have been catering to the BoP for some decades now.
High quality at low cost
Hindustan Lever Ltd. (HLL) is the largest supplier of FMCG products in this sector. But that alone, in the context of the BoP, is not their biggest achievement. The fact that they supply low cost detergents and hair oil while maintaining the same quality standards that the middle class get, is what makes them a successful BoP player. The same goes for Parle Biscuits. Yet another example is Ratan Tata himself with the launch of the world's cheapest car targeted at people with modest means yet mobile aspirations.
Besides market-specific products, other keys areas being explored at the BoP include:
- Micro-credit - a growing market in India, that not only helps the poor but has made banking more accessible and the business of money-lending more transparent.
- Agriculture - a glowing example is ITC's e-choupal that has helped to eliminate the layers of inefficiency between the farmer and the buyer of agricultural produce
... and now Education
Research stands by the fact that, despite their low incomes, a majority of BoP parents (typically daily wage earners, landless labourers, small enterprise/shop owners) are willing to opt for private education at the primary and secondary level. One that delivers quality with accountability.
The Indian economy has done phenomenally well in the last few years. Till as recently as 2007-08, annual growth was at an unprecedented rate of 9.4%, and despite the current global economic slowdown, a practically unscathed India still promises to deliver at an optimistic rate of growth. The demand for quality goods and services at the Base of the Pyramid is not an entirely new concept. From the remotest villages in Nairobi to the innermost reaches of Chhattisgarh, some of the biggest companies of the world have been catering to the BoP for some decades now.
High quality at low cost
Hindustan Lever Ltd. (HLL) is the largest supplier of FMCG products in this sector. But that alone, in the context of the BoP, is not their biggest achievement. The fact that they supply low cost detergents and hair oil while maintaining the same quality standards that the middle class get, is what makes them a successful BoP player. The same goes for Parle Biscuits. Yet another example is Ratan Tata himself with the launch of the world's cheapest car targeted at people with modest means yet mobile aspirations.
Besides market-specific products, other keys areas being explored at the BoP include:
- Micro-credit - a growing market in India, that not only helps the poor but has made banking more accessible and the business of money-lending more transparent.
- Agriculture - a glowing example is ITC's e-choupal that has helped to eliminate the layers of inefficiency between the farmer and the buyer of agricultural produce
... and now Education
Research stands by the fact that, despite their low incomes, a majority of BoP parents (typically daily wage earners, landless labourers, small enterprise/shop owners) are willing to opt for private education at the primary and secondary level. One that delivers quality with accountability.
Beyond consumers are partners
The CLEF Edu@BoP initiative focuses on creating business partners and innovators, rather than just potential producers or consumers. Although we are not a charity, that does not mean that we aim to merely 'sell' educational products in villages. And that is the Edu@BoP difference - we understand that inorder to be sustainable, we need to co-create. This co-creation is reflected in all our activities - from building schools to running them; from teacher training to parental participation, our approach is to co-create entrepreneurial ventures that benefit us as well as the communities we work in. Ultimately, the goal is to establish schools that are sustainable entities relying on local participation, viable anywhere in India.
Read On>>
What is the BoP?
The Challenge
The CLEF Edu@BoP initiative focuses on creating business partners and innovators, rather than just potential producers or consumers. Although we are not a charity, that does not mean that we aim to merely 'sell' educational products in villages. And that is the Edu@BoP difference - we understand that inorder to be sustainable, we need to co-create. This co-creation is reflected in all our activities - from building schools to running them; from teacher training to parental participation, our approach is to co-create entrepreneurial ventures that benefit us as well as the communities we work in. Ultimately, the goal is to establish schools that are sustainable entities relying on local participation, viable anywhere in India.
Read On>>
What is the BoP?
The Challenge