The World Today If earth’s population was 100, there would be: 52 females and 48 males 6 people would possess 59% of the entire world's wealth – all 6 would be from the US 80 would live in substandard housing  70 would be unable to read 50 would suffer from malnutrition  1 (yes, only one) would have a college education 1 would own a computer

Literacy Rates Worldwide Source: UNICEF 1999

Literacy – Where Does India Stand ? Source: Calculated from census data Total Population vs. Illiterate Population 8 times the population of Canada

Social Disparity Literacy rate (%) Source: Indian 2001 Census data Variation in Literacy Rates

The Vicious Cycle Lack of Education Dependence Poverty

Why Education ? Awareness of Rights Ability to Exercise Civic Rights Improved Access to Opportunities Economic Mobility Improve Gender Equality Overall Development

Is there hope ?

Can We do something… …to make a DIFFERENCE ? HOW ? ?

Asha in Hindi and in many regional languages means ‘Hope’ The hope that we want to bring into the life of every child What Does Asha Mean ?

“To catalyze socio-economic change through education for the underprivileged children in India” Our Mission

Asha – An Introduction ‘Asha for Education’ is a non-profit organization Asha hopes to provide education for under- privileged children in India Run entirely by volunteers Contributions go entirely to beneficiaries, since Asha has no operational overheads Asha supports socio-economic change

Projects have sustainable performance Use of alternate teaching methods Projects visited on a regular basis Has no political or religious affiliations Social, political or national development – starts with education of children Money raised through fundraisers to help groups involved in children's education Asha – An Introduction Asha supports socio-economic change

Evolving vision of Asha Implications  Every child in 700,000 villages of India to be in school and learning before India's 100 year independence day mark.  Calls for constructive cooperation at a very large scale between NGOs, Govt, Corporations, and Individuals.  Connecting to the peaceful independence movement of the past is a unique strategy to inspire and unite people across diverse boundaries.  Every Independence day becomes a checkpoint to measure against that goal.  Requires use of Technology as a key lever.

Education Matrix A unique perspective through collective learning in Asha from over 200 Asha projects

Asha – Some Facts Started in the USA in UC Berkeley in chapters in India, USA, Canada, Europe and Australia with active volunteers 400 projects in 24 states in India sponsored by total disbursements of over US$5 million to date In 2003 Asha chapters raised and disbursed close to $1.3 million to over 200 projects

Asha – Our Achievements Number of unique projects In ‘000 USD Year on Year Performance Number of projects financed and percentage of funds disbursed to funds raised is on the rise

Recognition Asha received 4 Star Rating (69.8/70) from Charity Navigator (USA)

2002 Magsaysay Award Emergent Leadership Sandeep Pandey, co-founder of Asha for Education, was awarded the 2002 Ramon Magsaysay Award for the "empowering example of his commitment to the transformation of India's marginalized poor".

Asha for Education Canada Chapter “To catalyze socio-economic change through education for the underprivileged children in India” Our Mission Canada Chapter of ‘Asha for Education’ was founded in July 2004 by a group of highly motivated Indo-Canadian professionals It has since grown to include 55 active members in Toronto, Montreal, Kingston, Ottawa, Edmonton and Vancouver Objectives: Raise funds through Indo- Canadian cultural exchanges, fundraising events, corporate partnership and voluntary donations

Project Monitoring Monitoring done by Asha volunteers Projects provide detailed funding proposals, finance statements, progress reports and correspond on management issues Projects monitored for –reduction in dropout rate –commitment to socio-economic change in the region –increase in number of students –improvement in facilities

Asha Canada - Prospective Projects Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM) Viveka Tribal Center (Location: Saragur, KARNATAKA) Established in 1984 by a group of young medical doctors Main initiatives - Health and Education for marginalized rural and tribal children and youth Provides free education, medical and community services Helping tribal youth fit into the mainstream while retaining pride in, and contact with, their tribal heritage Actively seeking new teaching staff and training methods to improve quality of education and outcome of success among students

Asha Canada - Prospective Projects Society for the Educational and Economic Development (SEED) (Location: Sriperumbudur, TAMIL NADU) This project aims to educate children of prisoners, terminally-ill patients, murder victims, and prostitutes SEED provides board, lodging, clothing and education of 271 children of ages 3-18 years They provide both standard education and vocational training

Asha Canada - Prospective Projects Project SANGAMAM (Location: Thiruvallur district, TAMIL NADU) The project would impact about 400 children at three Primary schools Goals To provide an acceptable educational environment that is conducive to and promotes learning To provide a motivated and trained group of teachers that cater to these children To provide uniforms, notebooks, textbooks, slates, stationery for students

Asha Canada - Prospective Projects SUPPORT- A- CHILD This program makes it possible for an individual to sponsor the cost of education or total living expense for one underprivileged child in India The aim is to support this child financially till he/she completes college or vocational education and is able to support himself/herself Asha's role is to find a suitable education project run by a non-profit organization in India which targets children who are unable to pursue education due to lack of funds Asha endeavors to find sponsors for the children in this project and facilitates linking sponsors with individual children Asha follows through by disbursing and monitoring the sponsors' funds by working with both sponsors and the projects in India to obtain regular progress reports of the children and build strong sponsor-child communication

Pictures from Past ASHA Projects Before AshaAfter Asha

When we dream alone it is only a dream When we dream together it is no longer a dream It is the beginning of a Reality Instead of this more of this The Hope

Asha Canada - Contact Details More Information: Asha for Education: Asha Canada: Corporate Relations : Vijay Sappani Tel: (416)