Introduction

Working in a remote job fosters a stronger enthusiasm to meet partners and team members face-to-face. The 1.5 day Avni Conference 2024 in Goa provided an opportunity for such interactions, allowing participants to understand each other better and strengthen their bonds. Meeting in person was a significant motivation for many attendees.

Journey and Arrival

I started my journey from Bangalore at 4:00 am on January 20, 2024, amidst a period when flights across India were frequently delayed due to fog in the north. Fortunately, my flight to Goa was on time, and I reached the hotel without any issues.

Day 1

The conference began with ice-breaker, where everyone introduced themselves and shared their favorite foods. I mentioned my fondness for paneer (cottage cheese). The Avni team then presented our accomplishments from 2023. Arjun & Vinay highlighted the most critical achievements and challenges to ensure the discussion remained relevant and valuable for the NGO participants.

NGO Presentations and Feedback

Following this, each NGO showcased their work and how they were utilizing Avni in their programs. They also suggested where they are struggling or where platform can improve. This segment was particularly interesting as it provided ideas for improving program implementation by expanding Avni's scope or modifying its usage.

Evening Activities

We concluded the day around 6:00 pm, followed by a group picture.

Celebrating collaboration and community! Grateful for our dedicated team and inspiring NGO clients who make a difference every day.

The venue had some games like carrom and snooker. Some of us got together to enjoy a game or two. We got to know about a local weekend market and we decided to check it out. This casual time together helped strengthen our connections further. The next morning, I woke up early and went to the beach with a few team members. We enjoyed the beach and visited a nearby fort.

Day 2

Next day, the meeting resumed at 10:00 am, with Vinay and Maha demonstrating features developed in last 12 months. This practical showcase made it easier for clients to understand the features compared to reading documentation. There were a lot of questions and inputs from NGO participants. The session was so engaging that one of the NGO team member continued discussing until 2:00 pm, even though she had planned to leave by 1:30 pm. 😀

Feature showcase and Discussion

The features showcase session was highly appreciated, and participants requested more frequent sessions of this nature. Each NGO provided a list of features they were interested in implementing to streamline their work processes further.

Thank you to all Avni conference participants for making the effort to travel and engage in these productive sessions. Hearing from partners about how Avni is helping them is incredibly motivating and encourages us to continue our good work.