Page 36 - CIJ May 2024 Digital Edition

INDUSTRY TALK

CAERE India

The Story of

Transforming

Spaces & Lives

“Places like Uganda and Nairobi though

not as developed in those days, was
immaculately clean, including the roads
and petrol pumps. Competing companies from

Germany and China would not only build the infrastructure
but also maintain them in what was then called post-contract
maintenance in civil, electrical, and housekeeping areas. I used to
watch those guys in their uniforms cleaning everything nicely and
fixing stuff. This beautiful picture remained in my eyes. Little did

I realise then, that this would become my career one day”, says
Christopher Blessing, Managing Director, CAERE India, a 25-year-
old facility management company. Here are the excerpts captured

during a candid conversation with Editor Mohana M.

“ t was one of those days, when a not so clean petrol pump at
Begumpet, Hyderabad, caught my sight. Having just returned to India
after my stint in HR, I took time out to converse with the owner on
the maintenance of the petrol pump. And there he began… ‘Oh, it
Iis a big headache!’
To my surprise, I instantly volunteered to solve the owner’s
problem. “Allow me to make your petrol pump a model,
and you introduce me to IOCL.” This was the beginning
of CAERE (Corporate Aesthetic Refurbishing
Enterprise).
I went around ‘bastis’ locating young boys to
do the cleaning job. The best I could get were
a few unemployed youths with speaking &
hearing challenges. I pledged my earnings
from overseas to get a loan and invested
in a Maruti van, modified the vehicle to
fit in a couple of cleaning machines and
ladders. Four boys and me, doubling up
as supervisor and driver, completed our

MAY 2024•Clean India Journal
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