[olpc-software] Fwd: A unique opportunity to make an impact

[Ayan Sarkar]

Hi,
My name is Ayan Sarkar and I am a graduate student at MIT. I am part of a
group called Kalpataru that is trying to introduce the $100 laptop to loan
officers at microfinance institutions.

We were runners-up at the MIT $100K business plan competition and this July
we are running our first field tests with Grameen Bank in Bangladesh.

We are looking for people interested in helping us develop targeted
solutions on the $100 laptop platform. If you want to apply your technical
skills to making an impact on the lives of the poor, please consider joining
our group.

Below is a brief outline on who we are and what we are trying to do.

Thanks,
Ayan

Kalpataru
---------
Using low-cost technology to improve the lives of the poor

Who are we?

According to Indian mythology, Kalpataru is a magical tree, which
grants anything a person desires.

Founded by students at the MIT Sloan School of Management, the MIT
Media Lab and the MIT Poverty Action Lab, Kalpataru is a social
enterprise with a simple mission: to apply innovative, low-cost
technology to improve the lives of the poor.

In pursuit of this goal, we feel that we can make the highest impact
by helping improve the effectiveness and sustainability of
Microfinance Institutions (MFIs). To this effect, we have developed
a solution that consists of three key ingredients:
1. The "$100" laptop developed at MIT's world famous Media Lab
2. A suite of easy-to-use microfinance software, services &
peripherals and
3. An innovative microfinance business process optimized for
efficiency

Our solution will double the outreach of MFIs and reduce their
operating costs in half.

What are we doing?

This July, we are running the first pilot of our solution in Dhaka,
Bangladesh in partnership with Dr. Muhammad Yunus of Grameen Bank.
In December, we plan to replicate the pilot at two locations in
India in partnership with ICICI Bank and Unitus.

-- 
Ayan Sarkar
MBA Class of 2007
MIT Sloan School of Management

630.697.1564 | asarkar at sloan.mit.edu | http://mitjournal.blogspot.com
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