I have always been interested in innovative ideas to make a difference in the community around me. Early days of my childhood were spent around the villages in Maharashtra, learning the various ways of living of the rural population in my country. Soon, my family and I shifted to Mumbai, known as one of the fastest and most exciting cities in India. However, even today when I go back to visit my village, I feel more at home.
Over the last few years, mostly in the Maharashtra state, many regions have faced acute drought and very less rainfall which has resulted in loss of agriculture as well as a loss of income for villagers who depended completely on rain fed agriculture. However, my work in the field of environment and climate change brought me face to face with many rural communities who are innovating ideas to cope up with this adversity. From many regions in Maharashtra, to Gujarat, to Bihar, Rajasthan and others, I have come across small businesses or enterprises mostly in the field of hospitality services, that the villagers have adopted as a coping strategy to get back om their feet and create an alternate source of income for themselves. These villages are giving homestay experience by offering their cultural experience and local cuisine to people who visit from different cities as well as other countries. When I started visiting these small businesses my concern was the lack of resources and outreach as well as communication tools for them to out themselves in front of a larger audience. Their lack of knowledge in new technology and how to use for their benefit gave me the idea to make it my cause to start putting these businesses from the remotest parts of my country on the map as a local guide to help them find visibility.
It has proven so far, to increase the number of visitors as well as the income of these villagers as more and more travelers are finding them accessible through the google map. Google maps have been acting as an enabler and a savior for these small business by increasing their outreach.
Google reviews have also proven to be instrumental in creating a cross cultural exchange by attracting foreign nationals to these local communities resulting in an immersion of different cultures and traditions. One of the agro tourism places that I listed on the google map was visited by the Ukrainian Ambassador and a solo woman traveler who had traveled all the way from Switzerland on her motorcycle.
Through my cause I would like to spread a message to the local guides community to focus on new micro and small businesses and enterprises in your countries and communities in order to help reduce instances of poverty as well as help owners of such small businesses to grow.
I am proud to say that my contribution through the medium of Google maps is helping me make a life changing difference to the lives of many from local and marginalized communities in my country.
