Looking back on your career and time at ArchTam, what’s one moment or experience that really affirmed your purpose or values — something that made you stop and think, ‘this is why I do what I do’?

I can’t pinpoint one defining moment but rather reflect on the journey — where my career has taken me and the incredible people I’ve worked alongside. I’m inspired by connecting with others, clearing the path to help them succeed and solving problems to support collective progress.  

I’ve enjoyed a career where I’ve grown personally and professionally, made possible by supportive workplaces and my parents, who’ve helped me balance work and family life.

I’ve been involved in encouraging and inspiring the next generation. The real “this is why I do what I do” moments come when students tell me they’re inspired to pursue engineering or mining after we connect at industry events. What drives me is helping others see the many career opportunities this sector offers — and empowering them to choose their own path.

Tell us about your career journey.

I studied Mining Engineering and Commerce in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia in the mid-nineties, a wild, fun time with a strong sense of family. We all moved there straight from high school, living and studying in the heart of the mining world. Most holidays were spent gaining experience on sites across the Goldfields.

After graduating, I spent five years in operations at WMC Mt Keith nickel mine in the Northern Goldfields, then up to Hamersley Irons Yandi mine in the Pilbara.

When I had my first child, I returned to Perth and transitioned to consulting. It was the right move — exciting projects, the ability to be home every night and opportunities to travel overseas, including to Russia and Colombia!

My move to ArchTam and infrastructure consulting was driven by a desire to broaden my   experience and skills. After 25 years in it, I wanted to stay connected to the mining sector, while broadening my perspective by working in a space that supports it in new ways. ArchTam’s commitment to delivering a better world really resonated with my personal values.

Tell us about yourself outside of work.

I’m a mother of two vivacious and dynamic teenagers! They are my world, and I’ve loved witnessing them find their way in the world.

Outside of family, I’m passionate about volunteering, particularly when it comes to educating and inspiring high school students about the wide-ranging career opportunities in the resources sector. There’s an awareness gap between the hundreds of roles available, and how essential mining is to our everyday lives.

For over a decade, I’ve been involved with the not-for-profit Get Into Resources, serving as Chair since 2021. Our committee runs events that help students connect with the industry. I also volunteer with the National Association of Women in Operations. We’re focused on achieving gender balance at all levels of operations. We create opportunities for our members to learn, share insights and build connections across organisations, all with a shared vision of inclusive, diverse workplaces.

How do you see your role evolving in the next few years, especially with how the industry is changing?

I envisage in my role at ArchTam that I’ll continue to provide support to the teammates around me, in step with the changing needs of our industry.  While our client base and projects may shift toward different commodities or expanding portfolios, the basic core skills like technical expertise, collaboration and strategic insight will remain essential.  

Our Resources + Industry team plays a critical role in supporting clients across the full project lifecycle, from concept studies through to detailed design.

There is huge potential for growth in renewable energy and decarbonisation. Western Australia is on the cusp of major transformation, and we’ll need resilient, sustainable infrastructure to support that, from power and water to transport, defence, schools and hospitals. I’m excited to contribute to solutions that will serve communities and industries for decades to come.

What kind of legacy do you hope to leave — in your team, in the work you deliver or in the culture you help shape?

I hope to leave a legacy of fostering a team culture where people feel a genuine sense of belonging, connection and support. To me, a high-performing team is one that communicates openly, shares knowledge, builds each other up, tackles challenges together and celebrates the wins.

At the core, we’re all human and our need to belong is a fundamental psychological motivator.

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Eric’s lifelong passion for nature and the environment has shaped his career path. From childhood adventures like hiking and running through the woods, his appreciation for nature has only deepened. With extensive experience across various industries, including automotive, petroleum, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, steel, textiles and solid waste, Eric has integrated diverse teams spanning various engineering disciplines. As a result, he proudly calls himself a ‘Jack of all trades.’ His ability to collaborate with diverse teams and adapt to different roles makes him a versatile and invaluable asset.

Currently Eric is working on a number of landfill leachate management and treatment projects, a direct lithium extraction (DLE) front-end loading design (FEL-2) and wastewater upgrades at a nutritional supplement manufacturer.  Whether working on engineering or environmental aspects of these diverse projects, Eric’s dedication to preserving the environment and his love for the outdoors continue to inspire his work and life.

Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry

As a child, I loved taking things apart to see how they worked and then putting them back together. Usually, I was successful, and they still worked. This interest along with my love for nature encouraged me to pursue a career in engineering, with a particular focus on water-related fields.

During my graduate studies, I conducted extensive research on Onondaga Lake in Syracuse, New York, which is often identified as one of the most polluted lakes in the United States. My research focused on the release of phosphorus from sediments, which leads to algal blooms among other related concerns. The excessive phosphorus and other hazardous substances (such as mercury, lead, cadmium, chromium, nickel, benzene, and pesticides) present in Onondaga Lake were due to historical industrial pollution.

This experience, over 30 years ago, laid the foundation for my career during which I’ve combined my mechanical curiosity about how things work (engineering and manufacturing) with my passion for nature and environmental protection. Ultimately, I found a fulfilling career in engineering that aligns with both my technical interests and my commitment to preserving the environment.

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why?

For the past 17-18 years at ArchTam, I have been working with a nutritional supplement firm in West Michigan, primarily focusing on their wastewater facility. Increased manufacturing facility production and changing wastewater streams put stress on the wastewater treatment facility. This requires continual reevaluation, improvements and upgrades to the wastewater systems to ensure environmental compliance.  The current treatment process includes equalization of high strength wastewater followed by dissolved air flotation (DAF), biological treatment, clarification, filtration and UV disinfection prior to a surface water discharge.  

Over the years, I’ve collaborated with many of the client’s staff, becoming a steadfast presence and a vital repository of institutional knowledge. My extensive experience has empowered me to support the current team in planning and implementing system upgrades and process improvements. By leveraging my deep understanding of the client’s wastewater treatment system and operations, I’ve helped ensure the ongoing efficiency and effectiveness of their wastewater management.

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.

One of the main products of this West Michigan-based nutritional supplement company is infant formula. During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, when West Michigan was largely shut down, I was responsible for an ongoing project at this facility that needed to be completed. Since the production of infant formula was deemed essential, the facility was allowed to continue operating.

I vividly remember those days, driving to the facility daily to oversee the construction of a new wastewater equalization tank. The typically very busy highways were almost empty, but our work had to continue to ensure the uninterrupted production of this essential product. This experience stands out to me as a significant effort to keep things moving and support the essential needs of people during a challenging time.

Share a piece of career advice.

Don’t be afraid to try new things. Every experience is a learning opportunity, and you never know where it might lead you or how it could shape your career.

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Colin Rossetti is a seasoned engineering leader with over thirty-three years of experience across the mining and industrial sectors. He joined ArchTam nearly 23 years ago as a senior electrical engineer and served in multiple technical roles gaining practical experience in power electronic systems, safety systems, shaft haulage systems, and rail traction power engineering before stepping into leadership roles. In his current role overseeing resources and industrial teams, Colin drives strategic business initiatives, provides project governance and mentors future leaders. In his spare time, Colin can be found bushwalking or volunteering at his local Repair Cafe where everyday items are fixed and put back into good use.

Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry.

When I joined the industry in the early 1990s in North West Queensland, the choices for me were clear. I could follow in my family’s footsteps and be a sugar cane farmer, or study at university to pursue a professional career. Mining was a well-understood industry where I grew up, so I had a strong understanding of its value, how it supported communities and contributed to the economy. That broader impact, along with the interesting technical challenges, really solidified my interest in engineering as a career.

I was fortunate to get my start as a graduate and student intern at Mount Isa Mines in North West Queensland. I was working in research and development supporting automation projects for underground equipment — essentially making large underground loaders semi-autonomous or remote-controlled. It sounded really cool, and it was great fun for a couple of years before I moved on to different roles in operations and maintenance in the underground mines.

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why?

There have been a lot of great projects over the years, but the one that always stands out to me is the George Fisher Mine Expansion project, which I worked on between 2011–2012. I was the project manager for the underground mine expansion in North West Queensland, and what made it so memorable was the fantastic client team, a successful engineering delivery, and it also aligned with my niche interest in shaft haulage systems.

In my role, I led our teams in delivering the engineering design for the underground expansion, covering all the key fixed plant components — materials handling, dewatering, ventilation, communications, power, water, and the shaft haulage system itself. This included a 1,000-meter-deep haulage shaft, a new head frame, winder, and full integration of all the equipment and service facilities. It was a great example of our team’s expertise in ANZ, showcasing our strengths and capabilities in this specialized area.

The client was well-informed and set our teams up for success and that made all the difference. The project went so well that after completion the client’s project manager and I co-wrote a technical paper about the design and implementation of the shaft system. We had the privilege of presenting our paper together at an international conference in Sweden in 2015. It was a unique experience and something I’m still proud of. I’ve stayed in close contact with that project manager, even as he’s moved on to different organizations, which speaks to how well we worked together.

Another thing that made this project special was its location. George Fisher Mine is only about 20 kilometers from Mount Isa, where I started my career. So, when we were going through project reviews and risk assessments, I found myself sitting across from people I had worked with since the beginning of my career. That was hilarious — and really rewarding. We had open discussions, sorted through concerns smoothly, and built something that has been a successful piece of infrastructure for that operation ever since.

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.

I’d look at this in two different ways.

First, there’s the direct impact on mining operations — helping them become more profitable, more efficient, and more sustainable. That, in turn, benefits the surrounding communities. Take Mount Isa Mines, for example. Like many mining companies, they’re major supporters of regional initiatives, including the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS). When I was living in Mount Isa, I attended a few fundraising functions for the RFDS, and it was clear just how much of their funding came from the mining industry. It makes sense — providing emergency medical services to remote mining operations is a key part of the Flying Doctor’s mission. By supporting these mining companies and ensuring their long-term viability, we’re also enabling them to continue their philanthropy, which is a big deal for the communities that rely on these services.

The second aspect is the minerals themselves. The George Fisher Mine, for instance, is a zinc operation, and this commodity, and others like copper, are becoming increasingly important — especially for the energy transition. Many of our projects in recent years have been centered around these critical minerals. Our clients see a bright future in mining them, but the challenge is that these resources are getting harder to access. The higher-grade and accessible deposits have largely been mined, so companies now must scale up their operations while dealing with lower ore grades.

That’s where our work comes in. Across projects like George Fisher and beyond, we’ve focused on improving outcomes in reliability, safety, efficiency, and overall operational performance. The goal is to help mining companies extract these essential resources in a way that’s both economically and environmentally sustainable. It’s a continuous effort, and that project was just one step in that broader journey.

Share a piece of career advice.

I always say be the first to volunteer for something. If someone asks for help with a task, especially if it’s a bit challenging or outside your comfort zone, step up. Even if you don’t feel fully ready, just go for it. You’ll learn a lot, and in many cases, you’ll become a trailblazer in that area, gaining experience that others might miss. Plus, your employer and colleagues will take notice!

I’ve almost always said yes to opportunities that have come my way, and it’s served me well. I’d encourage early professionals to do the same — don’t be afraid of the outcome. Especially early in your career, the stakes of trying something new aren’t as high as you might think. Even if things don’t go perfectly, the experience itself is valuable. The more challenges you take on, the more you’ll grow.

So my advice? Say yes. Be positive, take on the challenge. You never know where it might lead, and that’s half the fun.

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Neil Dennis is based in Melbourne, Australia and has over 40 years of experience in project management, design and commissioning on a wide range of industrial projects spanning the petroleum, gas, mining, defense, water and wastewater, and food industries. He has undertaken lead roles in plant safety analysis, audits, and investigations, as well as the development of safe work standards and regulations.

Neil is passionate about improving industry safety standards. He has held the prestigious position of Chair of the Australia and New Zealand Standards committee for explosive atmosphere standards. He is also now the Chair of the International Electrotechnical Commission sub-committee. He applies his extensive knowledge of explosive protection to ensure safer workplaces for employees and communities globally.

Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry.

My parents operated a family industrial electrical services business and from a young age, I was involved in electrical engineering. By the time I graduated from university, the family business had wrapped up, so I struck out on my own and stumbled into petroleum refining with Shell in Geelong, Australia. From there, I started with a small consulting firm working with other petroleum industry sites in Melbourne.

Working in the petroleum industry kicked off my technical passion, and I began noticing problems with how Australian standards for explosion protection were written. I started conversing with the standards writing bodies to identify issues and propose solutions, which were often accepted. One thing led to another, one contact led to another, and one problem solved led to another to be solved. My inspiration has been to improve industry safety standards and understanding.

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why?

I have worked on many projects with so many highlights that it’s difficult to pick a favorite. The great thing about my specialty is I’m involved in a vast range of projects, from aviation fuel to zinc production.

One of the most technically satisfying but environmentally demanding projects involved a Victorian paper mill. The paper production process usually results in toxic and flammable gases that are unique to their industry. The local safety regulators issued a notice to the paper mill to properly address the explosion safety issues, or face shutdown. There was a lack of proper guidance and recommendations for the facility. Following careful analysis, I resolved the safety issues, and the regulatory notice was withdrawn before the final report was completed. The paper mill continued to operate, and the results ensured a safer working environment for the staff.

The project also required a thorough investigation of the papermaking processes and the gases’ properties. The paper mill posed complex challenges but the satisfaction of delivering such positive safety outcomes made the project a highlight of my career.

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.

Safety is a focus of my work, and my involvement in the Australian and international standard committees positively impacts the well-being of individuals and the wider community.

Many people associate safety issues with petroleum fuels and gases like liquified petroleum gas or hydrogen. However, the more significant safety risks often come from common materials such as sugar and flour which can create large explosions when mishandled in manufacturing plants.

For example, I was engaged to undertake a hazardous area audit for a printing company in Melbourne where the levels of flammable vapor were so high that they presented a significant toxicity risk to the workers as well as an explosion risk. We used advanced computational fluid dynamics modeling to identify the cause of the problem and refine the solution. The result was a far safer work environment for many employees, one that promptly reduced headaches amongst staff members and should improve long-term health outcomes.

Share a piece of career advice. 

Never let a chance go by. I didn’t set out to end up where I am the pathway here was never mapped in any career advice forum and there was no training in my field of expertise when I started. Events happened, and I took each opportunity not knowing what would be next but making sure that what was done, was done well.

The other piece of advice: no one is an expert on their own. You need other experts who think like you, and understand and believe in you, and a good team to help you learn. Sometimes this means educating a competitor, but the market is big enough for both of you to survive, and you will be known as a leader, not a follower.

Opal Paper Mill – Victoria

Adelaide airport jet fuel storage

Mondelez Scoresby confectionary manufacture

No. 1 Maribyrnong Berth – Melbourne

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How would you like a total stranger coming into your home and asking you invasive personal questions about your life? Think about that question for a minute before reading on.

Much of my time, like others’, was spent on my laptop in an air-conditioned café or at The Hive (Pollinate Headquarters, also our accommodation). My group and I decided early on that the way we could make the most impact was not to maximize time on the ground in communities, but to minimize it. The best outcome was to spend as little time infiltrating these peoples’ homes as necessary to deliver high-quality, insightful advice in our report on the TamRas water purifier.

There’s an element of naivety to the view that these disadvantaged people would be grateful for our presence, especially foreigners with whom they are unfamiliar. Yes, there may be an element of excitement upon entrance particularly in the kids; however, there were cases of frustration too. If they don’t see positive outcomes linked to our visits, then who could blame them?

Thus, our focus became minimizing disruption while acquiring the information we required to help Pollinate better serve these communities in the future. What community visits did I personally make?

• A pre-survey visit to get a feel for the communities — Cobra community (less than two hours)
• Initial survey roll-out visit — New Horizons community (two hours)
• Water sampling visit 1 — Manyata community (0.5 hours)
• Water sampling visit 2 — Light community (0.5 hours)

Of the 11 fellowship days, I spent no more than five hours on the ground in Bangalore’s informal urban settlements. Other fellows’ community contact time would have ranged from equal to perhaps double or even more — this variation was due to project requirements, delegation of work and personal preferences. During my brief visits, I still felt I had gained a sufficient understanding and feel for community life from my first-hand experiences and while hearing others recount theirs.

All up, it’s been saddening to deepen my understanding of the quality of life many people lack. On the flip side, most people said they were happy — they have a strong social fabric in their communities and lead a physically engaging life — arguably their lives are more aligned with how humans have evolved over millennia to live; food for thought. I must say I was also filled with some hope that things could improve for these communities. Contrary to my initial thoughts, most of these communities, at least in Bangalore, are composed of economic migrants who are there by choice (a heavily constrained choice) instilled a sense of hope. Hope that with rain and/or more egalitarian government policy for India’s regions, they might possibly return to their preferred homes and lifestyles.

In relation to my group’s project, we got some water sample results back. Of the communities tested, most exceeded the allowable calcium and magnesium concentration (however, not a significant health concern). Most notably, one community suffered E. coli contamination, which would be mitigated by the TamRas product. A further benefit of TamRas is that regardless of water quality at the source, the product helps to mitigate the risks of contaminating drinking water by poor hygiene and sanitation practices. It achieves this simply through adequate contact time with copper, the product’s purifying component.

We were able to deliver a framework through which to categorize communities by health priority and saleability to help focus Pollinate’s efforts in future. We also formulated insights and advice from our dealings with community members and Pollinate’s sales team. We endorsed the TamRas water purifier to enter Pollinate’s product suite for sale and identified further work for future fellows.

In all, we felt we achieved our problem statement, which for us and Pollinate was to, “understand the water lifecycle of urban informal settlements to improve community wellbeing in India.”

Take a look back at my first blog post about this trip.

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My first few days in Bangalore were spent acclimating and familiarizing myself with the hustle and bustle of this vibrant city and the cheerful and motivated group of fellows with whom I’m sharing the experience of Pollinate Group’s 50^th fellowship program.

By Wednesday, May 23, we had advanced our understanding of Pollinate’s operations and the nuance behind its mission: “To empower women to lead their communities out of poverty.”

It was now time to get going on our project briefs — the main benefit that we are to provide to Pollinate Group during our fellowship. Our ArchTam team are spread across the four projects:

Me (Gareth): Tam Ras Water purifier (a new water-treatment product developed in Bangalore)

Ed: Cashless transactions — mobile money

Juliette and Sam: Poverty Index

Suzanne: Data Validation Study — Salesforce

I was thanking my lucky stars that I got my first choice in the water-purification project. Why? Because poor-quality drinking water is the source of many illnesses and sometimes death, particularly in children under five years old. In addition, much of my time working for ArchTam has been spent under the stewardship of our ANZ Technical Director for Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment, Peter Hillis, so I felt I could make more impact through this project!

The self-defined problem statement of our project is: “How might we understand the water life cycle of our community members to improve their well-being?”

This will involve an options assessment of the Tam Ras purifier and other water-treatment products against varying needs identified across the slum communities of Bangalore.

We’re still fine-tuning our approach based on what is realistically achievable in our community dealings — these will form the basis for understanding the needs of the communities Pollinate Group helps. The overwhelming sentiment from our visits (we have visited two communities at time of writing) is the friendliness of the people, particularly the kids. Most of the families would best be described as economic migrants coming from rural regions for better work opportunities due to the growth of Bangalore and the drought in their home communities, which has been hampering their ability to make a living.

Thus far, developing our survey has been our priority. We have spent some painstaking hours writing our survey questions, which must maintain their precision through translation into the local dialect(s), mostly Kannada, but some Hindi. We have some local fellows to thank for doing an amazing job in this department — they’re also great people! Today, we piloted our survey in a particularly urban community with success — vindicating our back and forth in developing our questions.

Stay tuned for what happens next. My second blog will be published soon.

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The business model of Pollinate Group is based on providing access to life-improving products such as solar lights, water purifiers and cooktop stoves to communities within India and Nepal with limited access to clean water, and little or no access to electricity. Local women are provided with the tools, skills and products to sell to families within their communities and the products can be paid for over several months to increase affordability. In addition to directly impacting the lives of local women and their communities within India and Nepal, Pollinate Group also engages with volunteers from across the globe, exposing them to the projects and initiatives of the organization. One of the aims of the volunteering program is to inspire participants to continue to work on tackling global issues, such as limited access to essential services, once they return to their day-to-day lives.

As one of the five participants in a two-week service trip in India, I am in Bengaluru working with Pollinate Group to collect data on the demographics and aspirations of the communities. This information will help Pollinate Group identify the potential to increase or modify their product range, with a view to improving the living conditions of people within the migrant communities of Bengaluru.

Our approach to data collection is to meet with residents living in the slum communities of Bengaluru and invite them to talk about their current needs, as well as their aspirations and the hurdles they face. Where possible, the conversations lead to an understanding of the individual, acknowledging their past as well as their present situation. The vast majority of people we talk to used to be farmers in their native land; however, lack of rain has led to crops failing and been the impetus for their migration off the land into the slum communities of Bengaluru. Now, most people work in construction and as housekeepers, their eyes set firmly on the future, with the shared goal of providing their children with a good education.

A day in the life of one of Bengaluru’s residents

Met Nagaraj, a farmer from Manthralaya, who has moved to one of the slum communities within Bengaluru. The rains have been arriving at the wrong time for the crops so he has come to the city along with his wife to work in construction. On the days when there is work available, they earn 400 and 300 rupees each. Nagaraj gets up at 3 a.m. to collect water and likes the climate of Bengaluru, which is cooler than his hometown. His community of approximately 100 homes shares three solar fans. There is no toilet and no electricity. A railway line marks the edge of their settlement, where he has lived for five years.

When the unpredictable rains do arrive, Nagaraj returns home for up to three months to help tend the land and harvest cotton. He takes with him solar lamps purchased from Pollinate Group and leaves them with his native village. His three children have remained there and are at school in Years 6, 7 and 12. During school holidays, they come to Bengaluru to visit.

Tinsel lines the rafters of Nagaraj’s home. His wife’s bangles hang from nails and utensils are arranged in order of height. Our translator relays my description of the challenges faced by farmers in Australia. He recognizes the story; he knows it by heart.

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The last week and a half has been exceptionally busy. Since my last post, I’ve been allocated my project and dove head first into the challenge. My project, the Poverty Index Study, looks to identify feasible methods to measure the level of poverty in the urban slums that Pollinate services. Measuring poverty sheds light on the demographic serviced, measuring social impact, and is a metric used to apply for philanthropic grants.

When our group of four was initially allocated the project, we began with a design-thinking workshop. Given the overall project needed to be completed in a fortnight, it was important to work quickly and effectively. We spent time defining the real problem and coming up with the problem statement, “How might we quantify poverty within communities to support future initiatives to improve the quality of life for community members?”

To go about this, we spent the rest of last week venturing out to different urban slum communities and asking households about their quality of life and a list of their household possessions, which is a strong statistical indicator of their likelihood and levels of poverty. As part of this exercise, we managed to collect 50 sets of data from a whole range of households. Even before we’ll get around to analyzing the data later this week, it was clear that there was a range of poverty in differing communities. As an example, some households were using a candle for light, others solar, and some even had power from the grid.

Gathering all this data meant getting an opportunity to talk with a range of people and households. It was a humbling experience as I learned that most people were migrants from rural India, where drought has plagued the agricultural industry for a long time. We discussed the hardships of uprooting their former lives in search for work in the city, usually as construction workers and other unskilled labor, and leaving their families behind to move to a booming city with a rapidly growing population, but a severe lack of infrastructure. What surprised me the most was that in spite of this, they were so open and honest with complete strangers about their challenges and aspirations. It was clear that they were also proud of what they had built for themselves.

In the next few days, we will present our project findings in a report and template; but until then there’s plenty more data crunching to do!

Take a look back at my first blog post about this trip.

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I recently travelled to Bangalore to begin a two-week adventure with Pollinate Group, a social enterprise based in Australia, Nepal and India that sell products (e.g. mosquito nets, water filters and solar lights and fans) to local communities that have social impacts, such as helping to improve people’s health and wellbeing, and in the process train local entrepreneurs to sell these products.

My journey began after a long red-eye flight, when I joined the other professional fellows to check out the area, Indiranagar, a trendy and upcoming suburb of Bangalore. We explored the streets, tried local foods and visited a local brewery for a Bangalore Sunday session.

My initial thoughts about Bangalore were very different from my expectations; the place wasn’t as busy with people and traffic as I was expecting and there also weren’t as many historic buildings. I soon learned that Bangalore was a relatively new city, with a thriving tech hub considered to be the ‘Silicon Valley of India’. Within the city, the streets were full of restaurants, cafes, shops and bars, with many dedicated green spaces.

My program, which was the fiftieth for Pollinate, started with a half-day introduction to Pollinate Group as a company, and all things logistics and safety. After, we went on our first visit to an urban slum community, which was an experience that I was personally very interested in and a big opportunity that drew me toward the program.

The urban slum, called New Horizons, was located half an hour outside the city with two hundred families living in the community. Even though we were debriefed for this trip, it was still very confronting to see the housing conditions up close and in person. The lack of sanitation and running water was a stark reminder of the poor living conditions that many communities face. Despite the conditions, the people were very friendly and were happy to answer questions about their family, life in the Bangalore and future ambitions.

Over the next few days, I will visit other communities to assist with our program’s projects. For the next two weeks, I hope to gain a greater understanding about the challenges faced by this community, as well as to understand more about poverty and its cycles, and learn more about the social enterprise model.

I am fortunate to be one of five employees that ArchTam sponsored to be part of the professional fellow. The fellowship is a two-week intensive program that teaches the fellows about the social-enterprise model and Indian culture, while allowing us to work on a mini-project to address the company’s problems and needs.

Stay tuned for what happens next. My second blog will be published soon.

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