Description/achievement of initiative
Having a unique postal address (and having post delivered to one's home) enables a citizen to identify him or herself to the authorities and be identified by them also. It helps empower the slum dweller to improve their slum and livelihood. Addressing the Unaddressed (ATU) provides free of charge geocoded postal addresses to slum dwellers. As we do so we survey each dwelling and then compare surveys over time for that dwelling so showing that our work is helping achieve SDG 11.1.
Implementation methodologies
This initiative is carried out in a number of steps:
1. A slum is identified and the stakeholders (community and community representatives) sensitized and assistant workers from the slum identified
2. The streets through the slum and the houses in the slum mapped and each dwelling given its own code.
3. A census is carried out and the database loaded online (to be used by bank for KYC requirements)
4. A series of bank account opening and identify card application events are run and the postal workers trained to deliver mail
5. An assistant worker from the slum is appointed to advise of updates (i.e. when slum dwellers move or new houses built or changed)
6. Volunteer university students carry out annual census and compare information since last census
We will show how we are achieving SDG11.1 by showing over time how the slum has been upgraded under the following headings:
• social protection
• primary health care
• safe water
• safe sanitation
• cooking method
Arrangements for Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer
CAPACITY BUILDING
We have an office in Kolkata with 5 staff currently and they can currently address 1,250 houses per month (15,000 p.a.). From the 2011 census of Kolkata there are 1.4 million people living in urban slums. From our own work to date, we have found are on average between 3 and 4 people per slum household and therefore we will need to address about 400,000 houses to complete the urban area of Kolkata. At current funding rates ($25,000 p.a.) we have the capacity to do just 38% of the work in 10 years and therefore our challenge is to increase our current level of funding. We expect to do that as more organisations and donors see the impact of our work and come on board. We current licence the data we have gathered to local banks and NGOs. As our database size increases we expect more interest from other like minded organisations in licensing and using our data so generating funds to help us scale up our work.
And as we work we will train those organisations from other territories to copy what we do.
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
The technology used by Addressing the Unaddressed (website, mobile phone apps built by GO Code International) belong to Addressing the Unaddressed already as Addressing the Unaddressed owns GO Code International.
We will licence this technology on a perpetual and cost recovery basis to any organisation who wishes to use it for the purpose of achieving any SDG.
Coordination mechanisms/governance structure
Addressing the Unaddressed is a registered charity (CHY 20840) based in Ireland. Addressing the Unaddressed (India) is a section 25 trust company (AC 644252) based in India.
The Irish company has 3 directors and 4 trustees. The Indian company has 3 directors.
The Irish company has no employees (just 2 senior management volunteers). The Indian company has 5 staff and 1 senior management volunteer.
The names of the above are available here http://www.addressingtheunaddressed.org/board-staff-and-supporters
The accounts for both companies are available on the web at http://www.addressingtheunaddressed.org/governance
Partner(s)
Addressing the Unaddressed