SHED Society for Health & Education Development

1. SHEDSociety for Health & Education Development Update for ASHA Amit Rajkhowa Nabanita Majumdar May 2019

2. WHAT IS SHED? SHED (Society for Health and Educational Development) Integrated School for Disabled, Underprivileged and Evening Students Boarding Facility for Disabled Children Community Outreach Vocational and Teacher Training

3. HOW IT STARTED • Founded by Lanu Aimol in 2007 • Initially based in Guwahati in rented space. Moved to Sonapur (1hr from Guwahati) to land SHED acquired • Goal is to : • Provide a safe and positive learning environment for children with disabilities • An integrated school for children with and without disabilities to promote interactions between children and for them to be more productive citizens • Expanded to support boarding facilities for children with disabilities • Run by dedicated team of Special Ed teachers and care givers

4. 2007 -2012 • Founded in 2007 by LanuAimol (LanuAimol has Graduate degree in Mental Retardation from National Institute for Mentally Handicapped, Osmania University). • Started as day school for differently-abled and underprivileged children in Bhetapara, a suburb of Guwahati. School was at rented facility. By 2012 had 23 students. • 2013 : • Acquired own land in Sonapur. (~50km from Guwahati.) and build school structure and limited hostel facility. • Started with new students from local area – hostellers, day scholars (mostly disabled) and evening students • 2014-2015: • ASHA involvement from Nov 2014 - yearly funding for Teachers salaries & one-time funding for Pukka classrooms, new kitchen cum dining hall, new hostel facility. • 2016-2017: • Increased Student count : From 46 to 66 (23 hosteller, 42 day scholars) • Vocational training setup at school : 10 sewing machines – 20 trainees currently enrolled- 5 from hosteller SHED History

5. 2017-2018 : • Started twice monthly community awareness program for local people on disability and SHED • Completed construction of new Fence and Gate from ASHA one-time funds. • Vocational Training expansion – tailoring and flower making for Hearing Impaired and community. • Computer lab – 2 computer NIHN (July) last hear + furniture • Evening program on hold due to lack of community commitment • Mr Hiren Saika primary person took over day-to-day management from LanuAimol. • 2018 -2019 • Restarted Evening Students program • Continued twice monthly disability awareness program • Examination and evaluation of students were held in quarterly, results shared with parents and board members • Visits from schools/colleges : Delhi Public School, Don Bosco University, Sonapur College • Interaction with SHED students and conducted activity programs • “Healing Home”, a Disability and Rehabilitation Center of Guwahati sent unit to conduct different activities with SHED students • Weekly visit on Saturdays by Music teacher (volunteer) • Students and Staff have started building flower vases for sale • Field trips to nearby parks for picnic • Vocational training continuation : • Tailoring • Vegetable production for SHED kitchen • Computer training for hearing impaired SHED History

6. SHED – ASHA Seattle Engagement • SHED working with Asha Seattle since 2014. • ASHA Funding Teachers Salary (recurring) • For Dec ’14 - Mar ’15 – Rs 2,24,000 • For April ’15 – Mar ‘16 – Rs 6,72,000 • For April ‘16 – Mar ‘17 – Rs 7,39,000 • For April ‘17 – Mar ‘18 – Rs 8,13,000 • For April ‘18 – Mar ;19 – Rs 8,13,000 – No increase from previous year • One time funding : • 2014 Dec : Rs14,5lac - For construction of 5 pukka classrooms, kitchen cum dining hall and conversion of multi-purpose room to hostel. Completed in June 2015 • 2017 June : Rs4 lac - For construction of new fence and new gate. • Over the years SHED was able to increase student count (both hostellers/day scholars/evening students) and provide a healthier/safer environment with updated facilities and teachers salaries. • Most recent Site Visit : • July 2018 by Nabanita

7. Current Facilities : • School Facilities – 5 pukka classrooms • Hostel Facilities : • 2 Boys dormitory (with 2 attached bathroom + toilet) • 1 Girls dormitory (with 2 attached bathroom + toilet) • Kitchen + Dining Hall • Multi-purpose room + vocational training/sewing room. • Office room with attached bathroom • Additional boy and girls toilets for day school • New Fence and Gate • Current Student Count : Facility and Student update

8. Staff funded by ASHA (11) • 2 Special Ed for MR (Mental Retardation) • 2 Special Ed & Speech Therapist for Hearing Impaired • 2 Community teachers • 3 Care givers • 2 Care givers & cooks • Staff funded from local funds • 1 Caretaker/Security guard • 1 hosteller’s mother as care giver/helper • Dr Anil Kalita (retired doctor visits every 2 weeks) • Surajeet Kalita – Special Educator (part time) • Volunteers (4) : • Hiren Saikia (President) - lives near the campus and parent of Autistic child • Ng. Wanoichoi, B.Sc Nursing (visits once weekly) • Pompi Kalita MSW, Teacher (only pay transportation) • Sumi Das, Music Teacher (only pay transportation) Staff – as of April 2019

9. Site Visit Report Nabanita – July 13th 2018 • Highlights • Visited with family and parents. • Community awareness program. Song and dance performance by SHED kids. Music program by volunteer music teacher Sumi Das. • Inauguration of the Gate and Fence Wall contributed by Asha. • Facility Tour and meeting with students, couple of parents and staff • Tree Planting ceremony

10. Community Awareness Program

11. Community Awareness Program Song and Dance by SHED kids

12. Community Awareness Program Music by Volunteer Music Teacher Sumi Das

13. Gate Inauguration and Ribbon Cutting Funded by Asha After Before

14. Tree Planting Satyajit’s Tree – Now All Grown

15. Facilities

16. Provided by SHED – School Activities

17. Site Visit Report Feedback: • Difficulty of getting teachers from Guwahati due to the commute (>1 hr) and salary. • They had lots of ideas on how to expand and improve the school including expanding the hostel, building volunteers quarters for overseas guests, expansion of kitchen garden, greenhouse etc. But as there are fund constraints, we asked them to focus on the most important ones first while looking out for innovative ways to get the rest done. Personal Impressions: • Overall it was a very touching experience. • The resident students seemed truly happy and their excitement in meeting us was very palpable. • Their response to music was equally joyous and justifies the efforts being put in these activities. • The new management under Saikia also seems to be going well and he has been providing us with timely regular updates. • Facility expansion can help them in conducting more vocational activities. • Accommodations could use a little uplift with local donations. • A little more upgrade in teachers accommodations may also attract more teachers (salary is still a caveat). • Land available is not too much so needs to be used prudently or else need to expand by buying additional land.

18. SuccessStories 1. Olympika Talukdar was a 8 year old girl when she was admitted to the SHED special School on 21st Oct 2013 as a hosteller. She had difficulty in making and sustaining eye contact. She could not hold a pencil for about 4-5 months. She progressed enough to start schooling at a regular school at SHANKARDEV SHISHU VIDYA NIKETAN near her home. At present she is in the third standard (grade). 2. Sankar Rabha was 10 years old when he was admitted to the SHED special School on 20th May 2015 as a hosteller. He had poor attention and concentration and could not hold a pencil properly. After 2-1/2 years, he started writing simple sentences. After that the school authority advised the parents to send him to normal school. He was admitted to JATIYO VIDAYALAYA at Boko after an interview in 5th grade.

19. Asha projects – Teachers Monthly Salaries Proposal 2019-2020

20. SHED – Other sources of funding • Other sources of Funding for 2018-2019 (Total : Rs 9,48,000) • Foreign (Rs 1,96,000) • Assam Foundation of North America (Support A Child initiative) – Rs 1,96,078 – used for boarding expense • Local (Rs 7,52,000) • Hostel fees – Rs 2000/month/student x 23students x 12 = Rs 5,52,000 • Parents & other individuals support/contribution – Rs 2,00,000 • Expected Other sources of Funding for 2019-2020 (Total : Rs 10,90,000) • Expected Foreign (Rs 3,00,000) • Assam Foundation of North America (SAC) – Rs 2,00,000 – use for boarding expense • Wahid Saleh (individual) – Rs 1,00,000 – are you sure on getting this, what are the funds going to used for • Expected Local (Rs 7,52,000) • Hostel fees – Rs 2000/month/student x 23students x 12 = Rs 5,52,000 • Parents & other individuals support/contribution – Rs 2,00,000 • Have approached CSR Corporations like Dalmia Cement, Star Cement, ABITA etc ASHA funding for salaries + ~Rs8.9 lac will enable day to day operations at SHED for 2019-2020

21. Funding for Physio Therapist for Students with Cerebral Palsy (CP) and MR. • Students with CP (6 students) specifically need professional help for exercising and limb movement. • No nearby Physio Therapy providers, including none at Civic Hospital • Can also help train parents and care givers • Part time (2 times a week in 2hr sessions @ Rs400/hr) for 1year = Rs6.4K/month or Rs76K per year • One time funding for Office : • Current office is shared with computer room/class room. Minimal security and privacy\ • 1 room 20mx15m area – need to build 3 walls to extend current facilities = Approx Rs2-2.5lac • Student and Facilities Expansion : • Add 10 hostellers and 10 day scholars • 1 Special Ed Teacher (Rs 8652 pm * 12 = Rs1.03lac yearly) • One time funding for hostel Expansion • Add 1 more room in hostel - 1 room 20mx15m area – need to build 3 walls to extend current hostel. Approx Rs2-2.5lac • Adjacent land/plot on sale • 1 Bigha (0.25 acre) – level land (not hilly) • Current owner bought land 4 yrs ago and has build concrete wall • Current owner asking for what he paid 4yrs ago + cost of wall = Rs9lac • Can be used immediately for expanding faming, secure area for children since wall already present. • Request for funding - ASHA, Wahid Saleh, CSR, Corporations like OIL, ONGC etc. Long term plans on Expansion

22. Audit Report : April 2017-March 2018

23. Thank You/Questions