HYDERABAD: Over the last few years, there has been a boom in the organic foods market in Hyderabad. Dedicated stores and fancy supermarkets have sprouted across the city and the competition is stiff. But there is one store, rather bazaar, in Jubilee Hills that stands out. Run by children who learn experientially, The Swachh Organic Bazaar in Jubilee Hills is bustling with good vibes and brisk business. Right from picking and weighing the vegetables to accurately billing the products, the kids manage everything on the ground.
This bazaar is a brainchild of Suparna Bajaj and Pooja Raina, who had founded it in 2017. Pooja, who is also their mentor, shares that the Swachh Organic Bazaar was basically a homeschooling centre for children. “We realised that these kids needed more hands-on experience. The idea focuses on learning as well as giving them a sense of independence, which will help them earn a livelihood in future. It’s all about gaining knowledge that can be applied and at their pace. We gathered all of them and found out who is best at what; we assigned tasks to them accordingly,” she says.
These kids enjoy assisting customers as it helps them learn a lot. The bazaar sells fresh organic fruits and vegetables. The shop sells all the organic products right from rice, pulses, cold-pressed oils, homemade snacks to baked goods, as well as sustainable cutlery. At the start of every week, they put out a list of products or a catalogue for customers to know what’s on sale. The store has a considerable number of conscious customers, who place their orders on WhatsApp or over a call.
Every Monday, the children make a list of orders placed and send it to farmers, who deliver the goods by Wednesday. On Thursday, the kids cross-check the delivery with the orders, weigh the vegetables and pack them order-wise.
From taking orders to delivering them, these youngsters manage everything perfectly, says Suparna. “They are getting hands-on experience in business management in an enjoyable and creative way. This entire activity is not only fun and exciting but also a mental exercise. To make the bills, they draw columns on paper, write the customer’s name, the items and their quantity ordered and finally add up the total cost,” she says.
This is not all. The children have also learnt to bake a wide range of bread and other items as a part of their home science curriculum. To mark its presence across Hyderabad, the bazaar had recently launched a mini-organic store on wheels, which goes around the twin cities to sell organic food items. The products include farm produce and bakery items. Reach the store at 6303647478.