Nurture Merit Program Support to poor meritorious students for their higher education

1. Nurture Merit ProgramSupport to poor meritorious students for their higher education An initiative of Nivethan Trust Madurai

2. Background • It is virtually impossible for many students from economically backward families to pursue higher education • Despite difficulties and living in poverty, there are thousands of meritorious students, who need to be nurtured and provided opportunities. • We provide life-changing opportunities to such youths, when they need it WHAT WE DO We support poor meritorious students to complete their higher education and employment thereafter…

3. Nurture Merit Program Nurturing the merit of students from disadvantaged families to enable them to realize their potential. • Scholarship:Assistance in the form of school/college fees, examination fees and in some cases, additional assistance is provided towards tutorials and coaching for meritorious and needy students. • Books & Library support:Text and career related books, computer facilities, career guidance, etc • Training through Residential Bridge Camps: 9 days of intensive (12 hrs. a day) training to enhance their education and career prospects.

4. Unique intervention process • Equal focus on merit and poverty • Intensive selection process – academic performance, economic situation, and house visits • Verification of economic status through visits ensures high level of integrity in selection • Volunteers visits student’s home • One on one sponsor connection to student • Scholarships are given for all disciplines and till student achieves highest degree of academic excellence • Transparency in the whole process of selection and disbursement of scholarships

5. Intervention process contd.. • Volunteers to be involved in nearly every component from generating scholarship applications, home visits acting as resource persons in the training programs and raising funds. • Student learning center: Students will be provided with text books on demand, also will be provided with access to reference books and computer facilities at our student learning centre • Residential Bridge Camp: 9 days residential camps for developing a broad range of capabilities among students receiving scholarship and trainings for skill building for employment

6. Process- identification of students • Inviting application: from students through Volunteers, visiting Government High schools, press release, etc • Screening of Applications: Preliminary screening for checking eligibility • House visits: Volunteers and staff visit the house of the applicants to asses the poverty and need. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: • Students who are confident to score 80% in their10th exam • Family income shall be not more than INR 60,000 per annum

7. Reporting systems • Contact details of students along with their profiles are provided to donors. • The students who receive the financial support will communicate to donors regularly. • The students who receive financial assistance are assured of continued financial support, subject to good academic performance till completion of graduation. BENEFITS TO STUDENTS • Access to an opportunity that they would otherwise not have • Access to training for employability • Access to jobs through our network of volunteers all across India • Access to Libraries, and student learning centre for knowledge enhancement

8. Expected Impact • Selected students will complete their graduation resulting in their families having graduates in the family. • 80% of the students will be employed within 3 months of completion of their education and remaining will get employment within a year of their completion of graduation. • The net resulting impact of the project would be the supported student families earning livelihood, forever out of poverty. There will be a paradigm shift in the education culture of these families and their neighbours.

9. Plans (2012-2013) • Identify & Support 30 students per year from the year 2012 to start with (40-50% of these students will be girls) • March & April2012- Visit to Government schools and introducing about Nurture Merit Program • May & June 2012- Inviting applications from students • June 2012 – Nurture Merit Test • June 2012 – Screening of applications and house visits • July 2012- Scholarship distribution

10. Partners • Nivethan Trust, Madurai (Implementation & fundraising) • A registered charity based in Madurai presently engaged in activities such as education for poor, supporting children with Thalassemia, noon meal for aged and emergency relief works. More at www.nivethan.org • Prerana, Bangalore (Strategic guidance and fundraising) • Founded and run by Mr.Pramod Kulkarni (IIM-A) based out of Bangalore. Prerana has been implementing Nurture Merit Program since 2001 and has supported over 5000 students. More at www.prerananurturemerit.org • Serve The Needy, Hyderabad (Volunteering & fundraising) • Founded and run by group of youth working in various sectors across India. They focus on education for poor, medical support, emergency relief works, etc. More at www.servetheneedy.org

11. Budget/Financial

12. Projections • Note: • Year 3 onwards, Per student cost during their college studies will be INR 10,000 per year (for non-professional courses like B.A., B.Sc, B.Com, B.B.A., etc • For Engineering students, we will provide only INR 20,000 per year for first two years and shall facilitate bank loans during 3rd and 4th year of their studies

13. How can you help? • Sponsor education of one students(Financial assistance, books and training) @ INR 7000 per year • Sponsor a student’s school fee @ INR 3000 per year • Sponsor a student for books & library services @ INR 1000 per student per year • Sponsor skill to succeed training (9 days residential bridge camp) @ INR 3000 per student • Sponsor organization Management cost • Donate used computers/laptops for student learning centres

14. How to Donate? • Donation through cheque /DD: The cheque / DD to be drawn in favor of “Nivethan Trust"payable at Maduraiand sent us. • Wire transfer: Transfer your donation amount to the following Nivethan Trust’s bank account directly. • A/c name: Nivethan Trust; A/c no: 30437489626; • Bank: State Bank of India; Branch:Tallakulam, Madurai • IFSC Code: SBIN0000253 All your donation to Nivethan Trust are exempted under 80(G) of Income Tax Act 1961.

15. NIVETHAN TRUST Project OfficeNo:123, Alagar Koil Road, TallakulamMadurai, Tamil Nadu-625002, IndiaTel: +91 98948 35600 / +91 93441 00134E-mail: nivethan.mdu@gmail.com / info@nivethan.orgWebsite: www.nivethan.org