1. ashanet.org/centralnj
An action group for
BASIC EDUCATION
in India
Title Slide
- It is a non-profit organization, where 100% of the donations and proceeds go towards benefiting little kids in India
ashanet.org/centralnj

2. 2001
1901
1951
India Literacy Rate
Literacy Rate in India

3. THE VICIOUS CYCLE Lack of Education Poverty Child Labor
Why Emphase on the need for education??
-Lack of education is the root cause of poverty and child labour
-There are many charitable orgs that provide food/clothing/shelter, education gets neglected, hence we focus on ed
-By providing food, you feed a child for a day, by providing ed, you feed her/him for life
Child Labor

4. SOME LESSER KNOWN FACTS
More that 90% rural parents believe education is very important for their children
In rural India sending a child to school on a regular basis requires a great deal of effort
-The rural parents too very clearly understand the need for educating the children
-The problem is, access to schools is not easy, atmosphere in schools is not conducive, teachers are uninterested
-Hence parents loose faith in schools and send their children to work

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

6. Lack of education - Where does it take a child?
Child Exploitation
Child labor
Population explosion
Unsanitary conditions
Lower standard of living
Talking points
Low primary education directly leads to several social ills.
Exploitation that manifests itself in the form of forced labor with low or no compensation, unsanitary living and working conditions, child prostitution
Often this leads to drug abuse and dependence on hard drugs from an early age
They are driven off the mainstream from which they hardly ever, if at all, recover
They lack any chance of coming out of the situation they find themselves in. They lose all “Hope” or “Asha”, as we call it in India.

7. How?
Can we do something…
…to make a difference?

8. Our Mission
To catalyze socio-economic change through education for the underprivileged children in India
Talking points
Asha’s mission, therefore, is to support education for under………….

9. Asha (“Hope”) Non-profit ZERO overhead organization
Run entirely by volunteers
Non-political
Non-religious
Volunteers work closely with
education projects
About Asha
It’s strengths zero overhead, non hierarchical, chapters functioning independently, volunteers work closely with projects rather than just raising funds

10. Asha is a Non-profit zero overhead organization
Asha (“Hope”)
Asha works with NGOs in India
Education projects
Women’s issues, health care, environment etc.
Asha members
Provide financial support
Actively involved in projects
-The rural parents too very clearly understand the need for educating the children
-The problem is, access to schools is not easy, atmosphere in schools is not conducive, teachers are uninterested
-Hence parents loose faith in schools and send their children to work
Asha is a Non-profit zero overhead organization

11. TYPES OF PROJECTS Formal schools Urban/Rural children
Evening schools Street children
Vocational training centers Sexually exploited
Orphanage homes Tribal population
Mobile laboratories Migrant laborers
Support A Child
Formal schools Urban/Rural children
Evening schools Street children
Vocational training centers Sexually exploited
Orphanage homes Tribal population
Mobile laboratories Migrant laborers
Support A Child
TYPES OF PROJECTS
Formal schools Urban/Rural children
Evening schools Street children
Vocational training centers Support A Child
Orphanage homes Tribal children
Mobile laboratories Migrant laborers
How DO we help kids in India?
- Asha’s involvement in projects is at various levels, as is listed here.
Each dot here represents an Asha project location
As you can see, the dots are fairly widespread all across India

13. Asha Projects: Basic Criteria
Must improve the general welfare of the community with basic education as a major component
Non-sectarian groups which do not have any political or religious agenda
Do not discriminate on the basis of caste, religion or sex
Small, yet, deserving projects that find it difficult to obtain funds from elsewhere
Talking points
Asha does not support any particular political or religious group, and the projects it funds cannot have any such agenda
Asha also does not support projects that discriminate on the basis of religion, caste or sex.
The projects supported by Asha tend to be small in size (with a typical annual budget of $7,500 supporting about 100 children) Typically, these projects are not supported by the government, or other large funding agencies.
Typically these projects provide support to schools that do not have adequate facilities.
The purpose of Asha is to help these rudimentary projects get off the ground and build credibility in and motivate the community

14. Central NJ Over 1000 active volunteers in over 40 chapters About Asha
What began as a small crusade by 3 members at Univ of Berkeley in CA in 1991, has now evolved into a strong organization with numerous chapters worldwide.
It’s strengths zero overhead/flat ,where chapters functioning independently,. The volunteers work very closely with projects rather than just raising funds.
Central NJ

15. CENTRAL NJ CHAPTER ‘Asha’ known and accepted in New Jersey
Continued support from our patrons and well-wishers.
We have committed volunteers from diverse backgrounds
Immense potential in this region -looking to grow and expand
Central NJ chapter
Was formed in 1998
The backbone of our chapter is its many volunteers who are altruistically working towards realisation of Asha’s goals.
Showing the world that we are a diverse open group and are trying to attract volunteers

16. ACHIEVEMENTS Asha Global Central NJ Funds Raised $1.13 M $1.04 M
Over 600 projects supported since inception in 1991
Central NJ
$25,000 net amount raised in 2002
SURBAHAAR
TV/Radio/Newspaper coverage
Publicity campaign targeted over 10,000 Indians in NJ/NY
Very successful event
Currently involved with 6 projects
Central NJ chapter
Showing the world that we are a diverse open group and are trying to attract volunteers

17. Asha Central NJ Projects
Guria, Varanasi(UP)
(Children of Women in Prostitution)
Asha Central NJ Projects
Save the Children’s Home
Calcutta
(Girls Orphanage)
Vasundhara,
Sindhudurg(Maharashtra)
Science on Wheels Project
Seva Chakkra Orphanage, Chennai
(Orphanage)
Usha Kiran Eye Hospital, (Karnataka)
(Eye Exams and Correctional
Surgeries of School Children)
Rehab Centre for Women
Tiruchirapalli(TN)
(Education/Vocational : Blind Girls

18. CENTRAL NJ PROJECTS Save The Children Home West Bengal
Guria, Education for
children of commercial sex workers
Uttar Pradesh
Seva Chakkra
Orphanage School
Tamil Nadu
Central NJ projects : some of which are:
STCH : Home for 170 orphan girls in Thakurpukur, WB
SCOS: Orphanage located in the heart of Chennai, TN
Guria : Our latest undertaking, where we are helping the org build a school for the children of WIP operating in Varanasi, UP
Vasundhara : Science on Wheels project – located in the Konkan region of Maharashtra
Vasundhara,
Science Education
Maharashtra

19. YOU and Asha Support a Project Volunteer Sponsor events Publicize
How people can help us
-Will ask them to join our mailing list and learn more about us
Publicize
Support a Project

20. Our Hearts, Their Minds, One Hope
Less of this …
MORE of this …

21. Contact Us
Web:
Postal: Asha For Education P.O Box 285 New Brunswick, NJ 08903
Mailing list:
Pankaj V. Paranjpe:
Ranjini Venkatesan: