Asha Atlanta Project Group Meeting Feb

Old Projects Rehabilitation Centre for Blind Women in Tiruchirappalli District, TN: The institution aims at providing Rehabilitation, vocational training and placement services to adult blind women below the poverty line and from the remote villages. (Sent $11000 in ) Door Step School in Pune, Maharastra: Non-formal education center for children from slums. (Sent $5400 in ) Sahyog - Anusandhan Trust in Maharastra: Community based educational programme for adolescent girls. (Sent $8100 in ) Vanavasi Ashram - Kerala: Non-formal education centers for children of dalits/tribals. (Sent $4250 in 2006) Vivekananda Kendra - Rural development programme in Thoothukkudi district, Tamilnadu: pre-primary school for children of migrant workers. (Sent $1760 in 2006)

Current Projects Nishtha in West Bengal: Providing education to children of sex workers and rehabilitation of women in brothels. (Sent $6500 in ) Gram Mangal in Maharastra: Providing elementary education to tribal and rural children either by sending teachers to homes of students or setting up schools. (Sent $14000 in 2007 including matching donation of $7000) Trinita in West Bengal: Right Based approach towards child labor in kolkata and Bankura. (Sent $2660 in 2007) Prayas (Rajapark integrated school) in Jaipur, Rajasthan: Provides education, health care and nutritional support to mentally challenged, physically disabled and socially deprived children. (Sent $5550 in 2007) Bhagavathula Charitable Trust (BCT) in Andhrapradesh: Formal schools in Vishakhapatnam district. (Sent $5600 in 2007) Jeevan Gnanodaya in Tamilnadu: Providing education to rural, deaf and disabled children. (Sending $7000 in 2008) Approved Projects: Parijat Academy in Assam ($4000) and Viklang Vidyalaya in Bihar ($2100).

New Project Proposals (2008) Hope School by SINSERE, Bihar ($2500 requested): School building construction costs for Musahar community children. R N BASU Girl's high school in WB ($6000 requested): Infrastructure (renovation) costs for a girls' school. Vidyavanam, TN ($ requested): A rural project run by Bhuvana foundation. Humana, UP ($5000 requested): Rehabilitation and education of working and street children in Sahibabad Industrial Area, Ghaziabad. Kalyania, WB ($5500 requested):This project is to support a prayas center for special education and vocational training for children of the deprived in Kalyani, West Bengal. Book Bank, WB ($ requested): Run by Ramakrishna Mission, Narendrapur. Money is being requested for the purchase of books. Anandadhara, WB ($3000 requested): Primary school's educational material, furniture etc. Vidyarambam, TN (minimum $4K): Pre-primary and remedial education

‘Disbursal of funds’ Statistics 2003: Projects supported = 1; Funds disbursed= $ : Projects supported = 2; Funds disbursed= $ : Projects supported = 2; Funds disbursed= $ : Projects supported = 5; Funds disbursed= $ : Projects supported = 7; Funds disbursed= $ We are growing!!! Projects distribution West Bengal Tamilnadu Maharastra Rajasthan Andhrapradesh Uttarpradesh Kerala Assam Bihar

Hope School by SINSERE Bhojpur District, Bihar Reviewer: Padmanava Sen Debasree Asha contact: Ramesh Singh

Project Highlights- Provide basic education to underprivileged kids of Musahar community led by “Society for Integrated Socio-economic & Rural Empowerment” (SINSERE: established 2004) Provide free education, health care and create awareness in the community The literacy rate is as low as 0.7% (compared to 60% in the district) Proposal submitted to Asha: Ramesh Singh (Asha Atlanta volunteer-’06, ‘07)

Funds requested from Asha HeadAmountOne time/ Annual Total Furniture/renovation of one classroom 60,000One time60,000 Teacher salaries24,000Annual24,000 Books/Teaching supplies10,000Annual10,000 Total- 94,000 for ‘07/’08 34,000 for ‘08/’09

Personal View(Reviewer) The literacy rate demands more such projects in the Musahar community The project is rural and grass-root level The amount requested is reasonable for a school of 30 children

Questions/Concerns To understand the role of Government in those areas of Bihar Asha Atlanta already sent a letter of support ($1000 to expedite their FCRA process) To clarify the total number of teachers (2 or 5) and students (30).

RN Basu Girls’ High School Howrah, West Bengal Reviewer: Nandita Madhavan Asha contact:Padmanava Sen

Vidyavanam Tamil Nadu Reviewer: Anil Asha contact:

Humana Uttarpradesh Reviewer: Chandan Dasgupta

Background A development organization founded in April Social Development projects on :- Community Development, Environment, HIV / AIDS, Health, Education of adolescent girls, street and working children Across six states of India - Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttrakhand, Delhi, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. Total of 242 employees including 82 female and 160 males. Network of more than 60 animators, who work periodically at the projects Board of Directors

Project details - “Academy for Street and Working Children” Rehabilitation and education of Street and Working Children in Sahibabad Industrial Area, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh To assist 100 street children and their families, to enable these children to acquire their rights to life, health, education and security, and to rehabilitate these children so that they can learn and start to live with confidence and have a good life. The 100 street children get educated to a curriculum equivalent to Grade III. To organize health camps quarterly for these 100 street children. To provide one time supplement meal to these children one time. This can only be provided if they have support from DPEP (District Primary Education Program) To provide stationary and study material to these children. Assist some of these children to get admission in government school for further studies. Total funds requested = Rs (~ Rs. 41 = $ 1)

Monitoring and Reporting Community Mobilizers cum Teachers will meet weekly for half a day where they submit weekly reports, make a plan for the next week and share experiences. The Program Officer will monitor the activities in the Field and at the Learning Centres on a weekly basis. Once a month the Program Officer will meet with the Project Leader Council of Humana People to People India, where he will submit his monthly technical report and financial status. Program Officer will submit a comprehensive quarterly progress report to Asha for Education (Atlanta) Financial status will be submitted every six months or as the partner requires. An annual audited statement will be submitted within three months after the end of the financial year. Project will be implemented for a time period of 2 years one of their ongoing projects "Community Development Project, Virat Nagar" is being funded by " Asha for Education (Silicon Valley).

Concerns New site, so nothing setup yet. How will a site visit be done? Timeline for 2 years has been proposed. What happens after that? Media Coverage – –“We very much encourage the media coverage of such good community development programs initiatives. Whenever we have any big event at our Study Centre we will, in cooperation with Asha for Education (Atlanta), invite media – print media and electronic media – for the coverage. It can be for the official inauguration of the Study Centre, Quarterly Health Camp, quarterly exposure visits by the students to some public place and any other developments. –We will also arrange hording/ sign board mentioning name of program and name of funding partner at the Study Centre.” What’s the view regarding media coverage? Currently children enrolled in schools = 100 males ??

Kalyania Kalyani, West Bengal Reviewer: Sangeeta Dutta Asha contact:Abhyuday Mandal (

Project Highlights- Provide formal and alternative education to children of mostly migrant workers in an urban setup Provide free education and health checkup Main focus is on building a semi permanent structure for the non formal education component and teachers salary.

Funds requested from Asha Headrate07/08 3 rd and 4 th qtr 08/09Total Semi permanent construction on top floor 1,80,000 Salary for existing teachers, ,00060,00090,000 Salary to additional teacher for class ,000 Office , Total- 3,00,000

Personal View School has a good infrastructure as seen from site visit photos. We can give consideration to the teachers salary funding for current year for an amount of Rs1,20,000. Teachers salary to be increased by Rs 500 from Rs 500 to Rs 1000 per month.

Questions/Concerns You can reach me (Sangeeta) at

Bookbank Narendrapur, West Bengal Reviewer: Swati / Padmanava Sen Asha contact:Abhyuday Mandal (

Project Highlights- Provide educational assistance to needy and meritorious students from rural and urban areas through book bank. Led by Rural Development Unit, Ramakrishna Mission Ashram, Narendrapur (established: 1971)

Funds requested from Asha Head06/0707/0808/09Total Cost of Books/ Honorarium1,25,0001,75,0002,00,0003,75,000 for ‘07-’09

Personal View The site visit report includes two letters from headmasters of the schools supported through book bank. Even a part of the funds requested will be useful to them. No infrastructural cost.

Questions/Concerns Proposal submitted in March There were concerns whether the funds would be used to buy any religious books or not. It was clarified in Jan 2008 site visit. The list of books is also provided.

Anandadhara West Bengal Reviewer: Vibhor Jain Asha contact:Abhyuday Mandal (

Vidyarambam Tamilnadu Reviewer: Padmanava Sen Asha contact: Sriram Subramanian(

Project Highlights- Provide pre-primary and remedial educational programs in rural areas for children of agricultural labourers and migrant workers. Led by Vidyarambam trust (established: 2002) Main focus of the group is on basic literacy over 12 districts.

Funds requested from Asha Headrate08/09Total Comprehensive educational programme comprising: 1. Balwadi for children of age group Remedial courses for class Children library for class Village development committee per village Minimum cluster of 5 villages 1,65,000 Total- 1,65,000 (Minm)

Personal View Big project already supported by Asha Cleveland (‘06,’07) Grass root level and funds requested are reasonable.

Questions/Concerns