A team comprising of 12 IBM employees from nine different countries (France, Canada, Sweden, Brazil, USA, Australia, Slovakia, Germany and Spain) will work on these projects over a six month period with one month being spent on location, said a press release.

The team will focus on developing sustainable solutions for the rapidly growing city, which is currently among the fastest growing urban centres in India. Specifically, the teams will work with NGOs on four key projects; including conceptualizing a solid waste management system and formulating new strategies for the handloom sector.

As part of the deployment, the IBM team will also focus on developing innovative youth empowerment programs and will work to promote the budding micro-enterprise sector.

“The 16th deployment of a CSC team to India demonstrates IBM's commitment to India and to the growth markets. Through the Corporate Service Corps program, we leverage some of IBM’s best talent and expertise to drive social innovation,” said Mamtha Sharma, Manager - Corporate Citizenship & Community Affairs, IBM India/South Asia.

“The projects at Cochin highlight our commitment to accelerate and enhance the operations of NGO’s and public agencies. Working closely with the community is also a great learning experience for the individual and provides a canvas for many innovations,” he conluded.