PHOOL
Model & Strategy
PHOOL (meaning flower in Hindi) is a for-profit Indian enterprise that employs at-risk women from vulnerable Dalit communities to upcycle floral waste into high-margin products such as incense, organic compost, and a biodegradable alternative to Styrofoam. PHOOL collects more than 4 tons of floral waste every day from temples in Uttar Pradesh in an effort to divert this toxic waste from the Ganges, ultimately improving the river’s health. HelpUsGreen’s mission is to employ 51,000 marginalized and at-risk women by 2025, proving them with training, a bank account, health insurance—and above all, treating them with dignity, respect, and providing healthier, predictable livelihoods that were never before attainable.
PHOOL (formerly HelpUsGreen) is led by founder and CEO Ankit Agrawal. Prior to founding PHOOL, Ankit worked at Symantec Corporation as an automation scientist and has 17 research papers and a Patent. His interest in sustainability stems from the research he did for Waste tyre pyrolysis. Ankit received his Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Engineering from PICT, Pune followed by a Master in Innovation Management from SIBM, Pune.
Impact
To date, PHOOL has employed nearly 200 women, who have upcycled over 2,500 metric tons of floral waste and helped to offset more than 275 kilograms of pesticide residue from the Ganges.
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It has indeed been a powerful journey with @StanfordSeed, one that has helped us declutter, step by step. We'd like… https://t.co/z1mmid6PZh
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Meet Shabana, a sister who took up motherhood for her younger siblings at the young age of 21. This #MothersDay,… https://t.co/oDQYAHtGDh
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THANK YOU @jnovogratz for your ever-constant support for Phool. It's often easy to forget about one's strengths in… https://t.co/HTrG4sbmCP
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We are proud to announce that we have won the Grand Prize at the Asia Social Innovation Award 2020 for our Florafoa… https://t.co/xU9hNICVLo
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Thank you @cleanganganmcg for the opportunity to be a part of the project that is saving the lifeline of millions o… https://t.co/RS7S532YTc
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This Holi is just a bit more special for us. Reviving the lost tradition of making Gulaal from flowers, your suppor… https://t.co/0YIEgrPw5V
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Writer or Wrestler. Worrier or Warrior. Wise or Wild. In all that Women do, Women are equal. On the International… https://t.co/yq47QmVcSP
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A great interview by @TOIIndiaNews with Ankit Agarwal sharing his story about the inception of the revolutionary id… https://t.co/B29BZ5nGft
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Flowercycling, our unique technology for transforming floral waste into a revolutionary organic alternative to leat… https://t.co/ZzRE2OkgHA
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We were in conversation with World’s premier Fashion & Lifestyle magazine- @vervemagazine on our ground-breaking wo… https://t.co/1cqnEwOCIY
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We are honoured to announce that we have won The Best Innovation in Vegan Fashion Award for FLEATHER in Circular De… https://t.co/xZTtoSZdM3
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It was extremely gratifying to hear Mr. Surojit Shome, CEO, DBS Bank India, share our story with such generosity on… https://t.co/M3uRJb9BwC
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We were privileged to present Florafoam and Fleather to Hon'ble Union Minister @HRDMinistry @mygovindia, Shri… https://t.co/Nv886eqCuA
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We feel grateful to have won the prestigious India Innovation Growth Programme Award 2019 arranged by @IndiaDST,… https://t.co/Oj2VfOQgSS
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The God of Cricket himself helping us do our bit for the environment on #WorldEnvironmentDay !! What more could we… https://t.co/l362p4ezeh
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RT @deespeak: Inspiring effort from a @unenvironment #YoungChamps finalist! An innovative way to protect the #Ganga from pollution - @HelpU…