Community Relations

MaD (Make a Difference!) is a group of like-minded individuals who want to "make" a "difference" by supporting social organizations and worthy causes. The group has members who are current and ex-members of HCL EAI Services, and was formally initiated in 2003.

In the initial stages, when MaD started the group, the focus and agenda was to support a worthy social cause. With this in mind, MaD decided on the following:

1. Support the education and upbringing of underprivileged children.
2. Take up environmental causes and support such organizations.
3. Support any other cause (natural disasters, relief measures, etc.)

MaD's commitment to supporting children's education

To start with, MaD initiated its support by aligning itself with Child Fund Association (CFA), http://www.cfaindia.com/. CFA is a voluntary organization formed by a group of housewives who wanted to do something for the children on streets and orphaned babies. Through their hard work over the years, they have built a wonderful home that now houses 90+ children. MaD has committed their support to CFA and currently sponsors the education (school fees) for the children every academic year

In 2003 and 2004, MaD did the following activities for CFA:

• Organized a clothes collection drive for the children of CFA.
• Visited the orphanage regularly and spent quality time with the children.
• Organized games and special activities for the children during these visits.
• Committed to sponsor the children's education each academic year.
• Helped children with the purchase of books and stationery.
• Organized gift sales at HCL EAI Services to raise funds.
• Organized parties during festivals like Christmas and Sankranti, with lunch or gifts for the children.
• Subscribed to various children's magazines and newspapers for the children.

In the words of Mrs. Mary Isaac, Founder of CFA, here's what she has to say about MaD's support:

"We at CFA are very grateful to MaD and the members of HCL EAI Services for their generous contribution! This has helped us meet our urgent school expenses and in turn, motivated our children to become responsible and focus on their education and all of a sudden, you can see the determination to do well and pass their exams. The children look forward to your visits and I hope you continue to do that! Thank you all!"

Tsunami Rehabilitation - What was MaD's contribution?

At the time when the tsunami disaster happened, MaD received a tremendous response from the staff of HCL EAI Services. Every employee donated one day's salary (some of them even more!) towards the rehabilitation and support of tsunami victims. MaD coordinated the entire effort through communication with various support and relief organizations. MaD identified SOS - Children's Villages (http://www.sos-childrensvillages.org/), as an organization, who presented their relief efforts to the MaD group.

MaD donated the entire amount to SOS to rebuild one permanent home for a tsunami affected family in the coastal region of South India.

Environment and Society - What's the difference we can make?

In the beginning of 2005, an organization called The Alt.Tech Foundation (www.altechindia.org) approached MaD. They had come up with an interesting initiative. The project aptly titled "Tree for All" aimed at getting corporates and people to help plant trees around Bangalore! The Foundation takes care of all the planting and maintenance for 3 years. All, at the cost of just Rs. 350/- per tree! The areas identified were villages around Bangalore where the villagers would be employed to maintain the trees, thereby providing them with employment.

MaD took up this cause and invited Mr. Rajesh Vorkady - a voluntary worker at the Alt.Tech Foundation to make a presentation for the staff at HCL EAI Services. The group then campaigned and got people to volunteer and sponsor as many trees as they could.

MaD opted to plant 110 trees as a part of Alt.Tech's "Tree for All" campaign and donated Rs. 38,500 towards this cause.

Here's what Rajesh Vorkady from the Alt.Tech Foundation had to say:
"A big thank you from all of us to the MaD group at HCL EAI Services for your contributions.

To answer your queries - the Alt.Tech Foundation will be using your sponsorship amount for the tree-planting and maintaining for three whole years. And any surplus amount generated, will be ploughed back for socio-engineering effort in the related village lands. The location is Agara/ Kaglipura villages on Kanakpura Road, some 25 kms from Bangalore.

The trees are all indigenous varieties like Champaka, Neem, Pongamea, Jamun, Badami, Mahagony, Raintree, Arjuna and Bhendi. We would be delighted, if you will visit these spots.

Thank you once again."