Asha Yearly Update (2002-2003)

1. Asha Yearly Update (2002-2003) Asha Annual Dinner Presentation 16 November, 2003

2. Agenda • Introduction • Asha, Portland projects • Mahila Action • Project Bridge/Olcott Memorial High School • Devapur/Vikas Vidya Project • BCT • Financial Update (2002-2003) • Volunteer Roles – How you can help • Upcoming Events • Sign-up forms and Newsletter • Vote of thanks

3. About Asha • Introduction • Asha was born in the summer of 1991 in University of California, Berkeley. • It was started by V.J.P Srivatsavoy, D. Gupta and S.Pandey who wanted to start an action group that would play a role in the development of India. They all believed that education was a critical requisite for socio-economic changes in India. • Asha is a non-profit secular organization. Its aims are to provide education to underprivileged children in India. It also addresses other issues such as health care, environment, and women’s issues. • Today, there are more than 50 chapters around the world supporting projects all over the country.

4. About Asha (Contd.) • For more information about Asha, visit our website www.ashanet.org • Asha, Portland was started in 1999 by a small group of friends. We have come a long way from supporting 1 project with $500/year to supporting 3 projects with a total amount of almost $6000/year. We will be supporting an additional project from early next year, and are also in the process of evaluating 1 more project. Here’s our website: www.ashnet.org/portland

5. Asha, Portland Projects • Current Projects • Mahila Action – supported since 2001. • Devapur Project – supported since 2002 • Project Bridge/Olcott Memorial High School – supported since 2002 • BCT – ASHA-stars project

6. Mahila Action – Visakhapatnam, A.P • Mahila Action • Place: Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh • Contact: Chandrika Nimmagadda • Primary focus: Children of sex workers (women) • Secondary focus: school dropouts • Brief Description • Children either do not attend school, or the school dropout rate is very high. • Young boys are forced into child labor, while young girls are entered into child prostitution or eventually follow in their mother’s footsteps. • Project immediate goals • Create awareness among the women to make a future for their children & improve living conditions in the slums. Eradicate child labor. • Set up a child-education and skill-development/vocational training center. • Provide counseling services and tuitions for the children.

7. Mahila Action Contd. • Project Activities • Regular classes are run for 30 non-school going children. Once they achieve a certain level of education, these children are admitted into nearby regular government schools. • A vocational training/skill development center has been established – older children are taught stitching, basket-weaving etc. • Nutrition is provided to the children. Regular counseling and health services are also provided to mothers and children. • Active participation in local linkage programs to help provide moral and economic support to the mothers. • Project Review • The first funding from Asha was used for the acquiring furniture and equipment. These were non-recurring costs for the center - 2001 • Tables, chairs, kitchenware, black boards, cupboards, racks, etc. • 2002 funding • Salary for 2 teachers • Mid-day meal for 30 children • Education material, text books & notebooks. • Misc unforeseen expenses – health, emergency etc. • 2003 funding • Same as above.

8. Mahila Action (Contd.) • Long term objectives: • Continue skill development and vocational training for destitute women and children. Expand the child-education/vocational training program from 30 to 100 children. • Create awareness among the slum-dwellers – provide a better future for their children. • Site visit: March 2003

9. Project Bridge – Chennai District, Tamil Nadu • Place: Chennai, Tamil Nadu. • Contact: Deepa Srinivasan • Primary focus – Children from slums • Secondary focus: Children who are working • Brief Description • School-going children from less privileged sections of the society do not have access to the computer and information technology as their counterparts in the society. The target of this project is to bridge this widening gap. • The school caters to children of coolies, auto-rickshaw drivers, small-business hawkers, daily-wage earners, house-maids etc. • Project goals • Bridge the digital divide between the school going children from various strata of the society. • Develop classes to map school curriculum in a manner that improve the ability of children to grasp the subjects.

10. Project Bridge (Contd.) • Project Activities: • A total of 4 mutlimedia computers were purchased for the school. • Trial basis internet is available in the school. The 4 computers are networked. • 2 teachers, an alumnus and some older students are guiding almost 48 students in the use of these computers. The children learn in rotation from 9AM to 4PM. • Experienced students are creating classes for the younger students (grades 4-5). • A second batch of 25 more students started taking these computer classes in May. • Project Review: • 2002 Funding: • The funding from Asha was used to buy 2 computers ($1200), and pay a 10-month fee for a digital-K program of SchoolNet India. The K-10 program is an initiative of SchoolNet India Limited to enhance the teaching/learning experience through the power of information technology. It is not a substitute for teachers !! The 10-month fees is to train subject-teachers in the basic use of computers. The teachers can use these skills to improve the students’ thinking, problem-solving and creative skills.

11. Project Bridge (Contd.) • 2003 Funding • The next funding from Asha will be in the amount of $600.00 toward purchasing a 5th computer for the school. • One of the Asha volunteers will be making an individual contribution of $1000 as well. • Long-term objectives • The school will improve its language laboratory to help children overcome their difficulties in learning English. • The school won an award from Intel (Best Integration of Technology in Curriculum – 2002). This will be used to setup a better laboratory. • The school hopes share its experience and learning material with other schools, especially those supported by Asha. • Site visit: March 2003

12. Devapur Project/Vikas Vidya • Place: Devapur, Adilabad district, Andhra Pradesh. • Contact: Venkat Kambhammettu • Primary focus: Creating resources in village/community. • Secondary focus: school dropouts • Brief Description: The Devapur Mandal Parishad Upper Primary School was started in 1983, and receives meager funds from the government. Most of the 300 children are children of workers from the adjacent cement factory. The school had classes only till the 7th grade. To attend higher classes, the students had to go to the nearest high-school 50km away. As a result, many of the students ended up dropping out of school. There were only 2 proper classrooms, the rest of the classes were conducted under a couple of trees or shed. • Project goals: • Build additional classrooms, toilets. • Buy furniture and lab equipment for higher classes.

13. Devapur Project/Vikas Vidya (Contd.) • Upgrade the school from Upper Primary (1st – 5th grades) to High School (10th grade). This accreditation will make it the only high school for 15 villages within the 50km radius. • Project Review • 2002 Funding • The Asha funding from 2002 helped the school expand to 8th grade. The funding enabled construction of 3 classrooms and a couple of restrooms. • Some of the fund was used to buy classroom furniture – tables and chairs. The government provided teachers for the 8th grade. • 2003 funding • The school has requested funding for lab equipment, additional classrooms and furniture in amount of $1200. This proposal is still under evaluation. • Site visit: March 2002, 2003

14. Bhagavathula Charitable Trust (BCT) • Place: Visakhapatnam district, Andhra Pradesh. • Contact: Chandrika Nimmagadda • Primary focus: Formal schools • Brief Description • The BCT was started more than 25 years ago by Dr. Parameshwar Rao, who returned to his village Dimili after getting a PhD in nuclear sciences from the USA. • One of BCT’s aim is to achieve Universal Elementary Education in the 3 mandals of Visakhapatnam district. The model for achieving this includes stage-wise education, establishing a project management and resource center, and village animation. • Stage-wise education involves building permanent schools in villages creating resources and facilities to send children to school, and setting up stage-wise curriculum in schools.

15. BCT (Contd.) • Project Management and Resource Center administers the schools. It is responsible for teacher training and development of the curriculum for various age-groups and assuming leadership for village animation • The Village animation process is a way of training the villages towards self-sufficiency in 5 years. The children going to the BCT schools help in bringing about the social change that can accelerate this process. • Asha, Portland has decided on funding this Asha-Stars project, spear-headed by Chandrika Nimmagadda who has been contributing individually towards this project so far.

16. Future Projects • The following project is currently being evaluated • Bodh schools • This school is located in Hyderabad. • It has been established for mentally and physically disabled children. • A special state curriculum has been mapped for the students. In addition to this, the school also provides vocational training for the children. • The classes are taught be teachers who volunteer their time to the school. • The school basically requires funds to aid in the construction of classrooms, to provide for text-books and notebooks for the children, and to provide for meals for the children.

17. Financial Update (2002) • 2002 Report: • Total funds raised: $4268.90 • Projects funded (some initial balance from 2001): • Mahila Action - $2000 • Olcott Memorial High School (Project Bridge) - $1850 • Devpur Project - $2000

18. Financial Update (2003) • 2003 Report: • Total funds raised: $3435.40 • Projects funded: • Mahila Action - $2000 (sent October 2003) • Project Bridge - $600 (will be sent in December 2003)

19. How you can help : Volunteer Roles “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are” • Asha, Portland has grown substantially in the last 4 years. As we take on more projects, we also need more volunteers. … who can donate their time and effort to help raise the funds that guarantee the success of the project. • Here’s what you can do: • Bring us project proposals, follow-up on projects, track project-progress etc. • Help at events, participate and attend our events • Help with finances/website updates etc. • Public Relations: spread the word about ASHA, its upcoming events, sell tickets for events etc. • Arrange for sponsorship, donations etc. • Come up with creative ideas for fund-raising. • Participate in Asha’s “Sponsor A Child” program.

20. Upcoming Events  • Events for 2004 • Jan/Feb – Cultural gathering • Dance/music, children’s activities, dinner, raffle etc. • March/April – Holi • June/July – Auction/Garage sale • August/September – picnic by the lake !! • Nov/Dec – Dinner presentation • Fund-raising programs: • Some of the events mentioned above • Sponsorship during events • Individual donations/year-end donations • Penny/coke drives

21. Sign up forms and Newsletter • Sign-up forms: • Supporters Mailing List – learn about upcoming ASHA events. • Volunteer Mailing List – take on responsibilities in the organization. • Asha Newletter: Information about ASHA’s projects and activities, year-end donation forms for those who would like to make a financial contribution. • All donations are tax-deductible. A tax-receipt is required/will be provided for all donations above $250.00.

22. Special Thanks • Asha Portland would like to thank all its supporters for their contributions, monetary, as well as, in terms of time and effort. • We would also like to extend our special thanks to Richard (India Imports) for his individual contributions and his show of support to events organized by Asha, Portland.