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Welcome to the world of kanthari!

Since 2009, over 40 social initiatives have been set up by kantharis the world over, each of

which is making a difference.

Our mission

To provide an incubator and spring board for visionaries who are able to transform concepts

and conventions, by offering specially developed, high quality and relevant leadership

training.

Concept

Through intensive training, Kanthari International equips participants with all the techniques,

methods and ideas they need to start up and run effective, relevant social projects all over

the world.Why kanthari?

A kanthari is a plant that grows wild in every backyard of Kerala, a small but very spicy chili

with a number of medicinal values. A kanthariis also a symbol for those who have the guts

to challenge harmful traditions and the status quo, who have fire in their belly and a lot of

innovative ideas to make a positive difference. For us a kanthariwill become the symbol of a

new type of leader a leader from the margins of society.

Reaching out to kantharis

Our aim is to reach out and develop potential social leaders from the margins of society. The

intake is based on their talent, dreams and the major adversity (Pinching point) they have

overcome in life. Our aim is to hone those kantharis who have gained strength from their

adversities and, through our innovative curriculumand being a part of a target group, similar

to themselves, are intrinsically driven to create ethical social change.

http://www.kanthari.org/programs/curriculum/http://www.kanthari.org/programs/curriculum/

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Mosquito/insect trapper

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A day at kanthari

Contributed by Poonam Vaidya

The Lake that Inspired Social Innovation

During the kanthari leadership course, the participants follow a very hands on Curriculum. In a session last week, the yellow kanthari,the inventor, was brought into focus. The 22 participants were divided into 5 groups and made to work on five different projects thatwould help them with challenges that are faced on the kanthari campus. The groups worked on the following projects, which theypresented in front of Ted Moallem and Paul DSouza, two inventors who were visiting kanthari.

Mosquito TrapperThis is an invention to get rid of the pesky mosquitoes. The group came up with three different solutions. 1. a container, like a box, withan entry and exit. Inside the inventors placed rotting fruit juice, which apparently attracts mosquitos. The mosquitos would enter andbe trapped in the box. 2. An empty bottle that is split in half horizontally in the middle. It would consist of a mixture of brown sugar,yeast and would not only trap, but also kill the mosquitoes. The participants added a black plastic bag to this invention., as black iscommonly known to attract mosquitoes. 3. Prevention: keeping mosquitoes away by growing certain plants like tulsi.

De-weeding the Lake

On the previous day, the students in this group actually went into the lake and removed lotus roots. Lotus roots are at the base of thelake and some of the leaves float on the surface of the water. The participants in this group wanted to find a way to eliminate theselotus weeds, in order to ensure they dont grow back again. The plants not only spread like wildfire but also have a negativeimpact tothe water quality of the lake. The plants absorb sunlight and cause an increase of the water temperature. The plants also createstagnant areas with low oxygen levels underneath the leaves which impacts fish and other wildlife. The participants created two waysof eliminating these weeds. One was by using a spaghetti scooping method by having a device with hooks, like a fork. The participants

would use this to scoop out the spaghetti-like roots from under the surface of the lake. The second idea was to use a robotic-shapedhand to replicate the grasping motion of the human hand. The robotic hand would be able to extend to the bottom of the lake and graband pull out the lotus weeds.

The wheelchair lift

The wheelchair lift was designed to help George, a kanthari participant who due to an accident became bound to a wheelchair, to getup and down the hill so he can visit the lake. Functioning on the principles of a cable car , the machine helps someone in a wheelchairlift himself or herself up with the help of a pulley. Using the help of chain-links, the person on the wheelchair would be able then, withthe semblance of a cable car, to propel himself or herself forward, to or from the lake.

Blind Beacon

The participants in this group envisioned a device to track the direction of the shore of the lake. It was designed to enable a blindperson to swim freely, without any worries about finding back to the shore. Using the same system that helps you locate a car amidst

many other cars, the participants proposed two parts of this device, a receiver and a transmitter. The receiver would be waterproofedand kept with the swimmer, who would be able to check his or her way back by way of vibration, beeps, and other noises that would bemade by the transmitter when the swimmer moved around and pointed to the direction where the transmitter was placed.

Hydrolic lift

A hydrolic lift would use the combination of water and a pulley system to save electricity. The person would enter the lift, and theweight of the person would displace the water and buoy the lift upwards. As one liter of water is also equal to one kilogram, theinventors suggested that there also be a pump to add around five litres more of water, so that the person can be pushed up. Therewould be a system to lock the lift, so that the person could reach the floor he wanted to, and also a pulley system, which would help theperson while going down. The participants also added that similar lifts have been successfully implemented in London, in the RoyalPalace.

Ted and Paul provided valuable feedback to the project ideas of the participants.

It was agreed that one of the mosquito trappers would be implemented, and prototypes of the other projects would be made to testwhether each and every one could be implemented on the campus.

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The motive of the instituteMud walls(used from the site) brickwork,filler slabsFor differntly abled people, but built inthe normal way making them adjust to

the normal conditions.Self sustainable /eco friendly campusWater recyclingSolar- water heatingBiogas plant

Running water (taken from the lake) inchannels around the building to

prevent ants from entering.

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Kanthari/ international institute for social entrepreneurs

Located at trivandrum,kerala