1. Asha-MIT Basic education for every Indian child...

2. Mission To help provide education to poor, underprivileged children in India.

3. What has happened to basic education in India? 4 Adults (1995) –Illiteracy rate: M - 34.5% F - 62.3% 4 Children aged 6-10yrs (1995) –Total # of children: 106 million –# NOT going to school: 28 million –Child labor: 24-26 million –Drop-out rate: Boys - 32% Girls - 46%

4. Asha around the world 4 Started in Berkeley in 1991 4 27 chapters: US, Canada, Singapore, India 4 Does not fund organizations with a religious or political bias 4 EVERY dollar raised through donations goes directly to projects in India. 4 All costs for Asha activities are borne by volunteers themselves

5. Asha-MIT 4 Started in 1995 4 ~65 volunteers (students and professionals in the greater Boston area) 4 We maintain an open financial record. –Money raised in 1997: $29029 –Funds committed/disbursed to projects: $26773

6. How we work at Asha-MIT 4 Project identification and evaluation 4 Project review 4 Fund Raising 4 Creating awareness through activities –Talks and panel discussions (e.g. Shanta Sinha, C.P. Bhatt in 1997) –Asha India Pages (1998) –Fundraising performances (e.g. Kelucharan concert, 1996)

7. Asha-MIT: Activities 4 Fundraising –Corporate Presentations –India Pages Directory –Newsletter –T-Shirt –Lectures and Panel discussions –Concert Booths and Food Sales 4 Projects –12 Current Projects –Project Visits –Periodic Monitoring –Evaluation of New Projects –Video and Photo exhibitions –Science Curriculum –MANTRA software

8. The Project Review Process 4 Step 1: Sending a preliminary questionnaire 4 Step 2: Evaluation of proposal (goals, account statements, budget proposal etc.) 4 Step 3: Initial visit by an Asha member or liaison 4 Step 4: Monitoring of project (half yearly reports including accounts and progress, follow-up visits, photographs etc.) 4 Step 5: Review funding decision

9. SHARE, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 4 Asha is funding after school tutorial program for children in 5 villages for 3 years 4 With help from ASHA, project is becoming self- sufficient (with community support)

10. Gollaprolu School, Andhra Pradesh 4 207 boys and 145 girls enrolled in this school. 4 There were only 3 classrooms in the school. 4 Asha has funded an acutely needed classroom. 4 Project completed!!

11. SEED, Tamil Nadu (Society for Education and Economic Development) 4 Funding teachers’ salaries and education materials for primary and high school for children of life prisoners, leprosy and cancer patients, victims of murder and red-light districts.

12. SLADS, Bihar (Singbhum Legal Aid and Development Society) “This is the only high school in the Salboni area which comprises 20,000 people in 50 villages with an average annual income of Rs. 15,000 ($400)” 4 Funding the running of a high school for 70 girls and 80 boys from poor tribal and backward communities.

13. VISA, Tamil Nadu Village Improvement Service Association Non-formal literacy for high school dropouts Malarchi, Tamil Nadu Scholarships for 12 girls from low-income broken homes

14. Projects funded 4 CWC, Karnataka 4 SODWAC, Karnataka 4 VISA, Tamil Nadu 4 SEED, Tamil Nadu 4 Malarchi, Tamil Nadu 4 SHARE, Tamil Nadu 4 MIPS, Tamil Nadu 4 Gollaprolu, Andhra Pradesh 4 Duvva School, Andhra Pradesh 4 Swanirvar, West Bengal 4 VOP, West Bengal 4 SLADS, Bihar $1050 $1000 $2800 $2400 $2040 $1650 $3880 $2640 $1550 $2250 $2200 $8712

15. What can you do? 4 Become a volunteer!! 4 Become a donor!! – (Tax exemption ID: 77-0459884) 4 Make a stock donation through MIT 4 Recommend projects that you know of 4 Join the “Friends of Asha” program!! 4 Enroll in the ICM/AT&T program

16. Get Involved with Asha 4 http://web.mit.edu/asha/www/ 4 email asha-request@mit.edu. 4 D. Srikrishna 4 Vinay Mohta General Meeting First Thursday of every month

17. A little goes a long way...