Project Jatropha

 What We've Done so Far with Dates

1. We (Adarsha and Apoorva) visited Parivarthana an NGO which works with rural farmers near Hunsur, India to see the work done. (Summer 2007)

2. Adarsha did an extensive research on the biofuel. (July 2006 - Nov 2007)

3. Adarsha came up with the unique idea of introducing Jatropha cultivation in small farmer's land and  convinced Apoorva to join him. (Oct 2007)

4.  We (Adarsha and Apoorva) did the initial project planning and connected with Mr. Rajegowda, Secretary of Parivarthana explaining our vision via telephonic conversations with the help of their parents.(Dec 2007)

5. We (Adarsha and Apoorva) cofounded project Jatropha by establishing their first successful collaboration with Parivarthana. (Feb 2008)

6. We  included Labland Biotechs as a primary collaborator. (June 2008)

7. We conducted meetings and talks in villages to motivate the farmers and Self Help Group (SHG) leaders with the help of Parivarthana staff. ( summer 2008 for Phase I and Dec 2008 for Phase II)

8. We accomplished the careful selection of the first five SHG leaders to participate in phase I with the help of Parivarthana staff. (August 2008)

9.We purchased and distributed 1000 high quality seedlings, using cash prize from winning the California State Spelling Bee Championship by Adarsha, to the participants of Phase I with the help of Parivarthana. (Sept 2008)

10. The Farmer leaders planted the seedlings in project site. (Oct 2008)

11. We ( Adarsha and Apoorva) demonstrated the biofuel extraction of 100 kilograms dry Jatropha seeds to interested farmer leaders from three villages near Hunsur in Labland Biotechs facility under the leadership of Mr. Gopalakrishnan, Biofuel consultant. (Dec 2008)

12. We arranged a tour of Jatropha plantation and Labland Biotechs facility  with us to the farmer leaders from three villages who showed interest in participating in the Phase II. (Dec 2008)

13.We facilitated a conference and Q and A session between Labland Biotechs scientists, field workers of Parivarthana and farmer leaders.( Dec 2008)

14.We  presented the project plan to local high schools and Rotary Club near Hunsur area to motivate and educate the youth and public. (Dec 2008)

15.We held a press conference in Mysore city to spread the news about our project. (Dec 2008)

16.We (Adarsha and Apoorva) distributed the biofuel to the participating farmer leaders with the help of Parivarthana staff. (Jan 2009)

17. Farmers ran successful Biofuel tests using their irrigation pumps. (Jan 2009)

18.This marks the successful completion of Phase I. (Dec 2008)

19. Callie Roberts joined the team (December 2008).

20. Callie came up with the idea of making the project a nonprofit organization to attract donors (December 2008)

21.  She started working on the web site for the project(Dec 2008)

22.We met the financial obligation by collecting funds under Apoorva's leadership from friends and family members for the first installment payment of phase II: $6350. (Jan 2009)

23.We (Adarsha and Apoorva) also met the financial obligations for the purchase of 12,000 seedlings from Labland Biotechs (an additional $1500) by connecting with various environmentalists in India with the help of Dr. Anuradha Rajput, a member of the Advisory Committee. (Feb 2009)

25.We arranged for farmer leaders and Parivarthana field workers to obtain training in the agronomics at Labland Biotechs. (Feb 2009)

 27. Adarsha connected with Wasabi Publicity and obtained a presskit247 free of charge.(Mar 2009)

28. The Project Jatropha team won the 2009 Teen4Planet Earth International Gold Service Award(March 2009)

29. Adarsha and Apoorva won the 2009 International Eco Hero award( April 2009)

30. We involved several farmers  and planted  12,000 Jatropha seedlings for Phase II of Project Jatropha in Thippalapura and Kirijaji Village. (Summer of 2009)

31.  The team has established a successful partnership with Sirona Cares Foundation, an NPO who sponsored our project to attain a nonprofit status. ( Summer 2009)

 32. Callie Launched The Branching Out Movement which is involved in collection of clothing, footwear, books and other essentials for the unfortunate, impoverished kids in Haiti orphanages. (Summer of 2009)

33.Callie collected clothing, footwear, French and English books. (Summer 2009)

34. She also worked as a swim coach and donated her entire earnings towards buying French books for the children of orphanage in Haiti.

35. Apoorva and Adarsha cofounded Project Teak, a sister project of Project Jatropha in which they have distributed 2000 teak and silver oak plants to the participant farmers   in rural India as an added incentive. (July 2009)

36.Adarsha won 2009 Brower Youth award (July 2009)

37.Adarsha and Apoorva underwent seven day agronomic training in Jatropha cultivation to get a firsthand experience. (July 2009)

38.We came up with the idea of A Global Call to Youth, a massive tree planting and environmental education endeavor involving schools from rural India and low income neighborhood schools in Bay area  initially and eventually planning to go global. (Summer of 2009)

39.The team  kick-started the Global Call to Youth by involving three schools in rural India near their project site.We have helped them plant Teak, Pongamia, and Silver Oak in the schools fields. (Summer 2009)

40. Adarsha and Apoorva won the 2009 Barron prize for young heroes.(Aug 2009)

41. Callie designed the logo for Project Jatropha. (Oct 2009)

43. We carefully chose 30 rural schools near our project site for tree planting and environmental education purpose.(Jan-Mar 2010)

52. Under the  co-leadership of Apoorva, tree planting and environmental education in 30 rural schools as a part of Global Call to Youth 2010 took place between April and Sept 2010. We have planted a total of 23,000 forestry saplings involving 30 schools and 300 farmers in 2010.

53.Under the leadership of Apoorva, we launched Adopt a Rural School program in India. Apoorva worked with our advisory committee member, Mr. C . Basavaraju, who is a local social activist to choose the first school in the program. We chose Somana Halli elementary school which is a small school in a village near Hunsur(Aug 2010)

54.She collaborated with Talent School, which is a high school in Hunsur in order to carry out the Ashoka Youth Venture program of Adopt a Rural School.  Talent School acts as an anchor school which  oversees the program progress in our absence.(Aug 2010)

55.We (Adarsha and Apoorva) visited the project site. Through series of group meetings and personal conversations, We have convinced  several farmers from two other neighboring villages to participate in Jatropha cultivation.(Aug 2010)

56. We bought the seeds from the first harvest from Thippalapura village. We transported it to Labland Biotechs where the biodiesel was produced.(Nov 2010)

57. Through Parivarthana, under the leadership of Mr. Rajegowda, the biodiesel was distributed to farmer leaders of neighboring villages.

58. The farmer leaders did successful test runs by using it in their irrigation pumps( Dec 2010).This is a very important milestone for Project Jatropha, as we, the collaborators which includes, Parivarthana, Labland Biotechs, and the farmers have  worked as a team and successfully completed one cycle of Project Jatropha operations which includes. convincing farmers, raising funds,buying and distributing Jatropha seedlings, planting them, taking care of the plants, collecting the seeds and buying back the seeds, producing biodiesel and using it in farm equipments. This completes one full cycle of Project Jatropha.

 57.In California USA, Callie worked with Michelle Lacourciere, Executive Director of Sirona Cares Foundation to plan the Second model for Adopt a Rural School program in Haiti as a part of AYV. She has chosen Eglise de Dieu which is located in L'Azile, Haiti.

 58. For fund raising, for Global Call to Youth program in Haiti, Callie took up a summer job as a Swim coach and  started a pet sitting business   "I Care Pet Care". The funds contributed will be used  to buy fruit saplings for Haiti school. (Summer 2010)

58. Callie prepared pamphlets on information about earthquake and got it translated to Creole in order to help the kids of Haiti understand the science behind earthquake .(summer 2010)

 59.In USA, we have given presentations and interviews to spread the word about our project and climate change at several locations: CA academy of Sciences, Lawrence Hall of Science, Green Festival in San Francisco, Ecocompany TV, Green Screen TV, Cogito.org, EngageHer.org  etc throughout the academic year.(ongoing)