During the Victorian Era, British coffee houses called Cafés were famous for their “University wits” and scholars who would gather around to discuss the society and its development, art and culture. So, when Dr. Valentine Gandhi created a group that aimed at issues of socio-economic relevance, he simply called it The Development Café.

A world free of poverty, with equal emphasis and contribution from both men and women is what Dr. Gandhi envisioned when he created the group. “I realized that many people in the social development field were unable to use the power of internet to its fullest,” he says and adds, “So I decided to connect those who have the resources, like jobs and research fellowships, with those who need them.” This open ended system of communication has especially helped out the student community, who throng the group to seek help on thesis and projects they work on. The group offers job postings and knowledge sharing free of cost, which is particularly welcomed by members from developing countries.

This successful group has been listed in the global poverty networks list hosted by the UNDP – International Poverty Centre, under the Internet and Communication Technologies for Development Section. “My group is an extension of my personality as its motto says – Bridging Grassroots with Policy. Yahoo! indeed has been a very useful tool in advancing my group from a bunch of students to the top development professionals and policy makers group across the globe.”

If you want to share an interesting story of your Yahoo! Group, please mail it to us at groups@yahoo-inc.com. Stay tuned for our next coverage.

Thanks,
Diti
Yahoo! Groups India