Association for India’s Development - Philadelphia

1. Association for India’s Development - Philadelphia Temple University Feb 17th ,2007

2. Agenda About AID AID Wide Children Related Projects Programs :Eureka – Hundred Block Program A peek into the Child Labor Act

3. About AID – Association for India’s Development Vijay & Karthik

4. About AID • Founded:   1991 • Incorporation Completed:   2003 • Chapters in the US:   40+ • Number of Volunteers:   ~1000 • Number of Salaried Employees:   none • Chapters in India:   8 – Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Orissa, Pune • Chapters in U.S.A – 42 ; Canada – 4; Australia - 1 • Projects Supported so far: 365+ • Programs Support: Tsunami Rehabilitation; Hundred Block Programs in TN,AP, Bihar; RTI - undergoing • Intl. Presence: Australia, Canada, India, UK, USA • Jeevansaathis (Fulltime Volunteers) in India:   7; Saathis - 15

5. Awards & Accomplishments • 1997 - International History Week Humanitarian Leadership Award • 2003 - AID was felicitated at the Vishwasetu Conference • 2004 - AID has received a 4 star rating from Charity Navigator, America 's largest independent evaluator of charities. • 2005 - AID JeevanSaathi Dr. Balaji Sampath & AID win MIT Global Indus Technovator Awards for Grassroot Development using innovative technology • 2005 - AID Founder Ravi K. receives Community Service Award from Association for Indian Americans (AIA). Association for Indian Americans (AIA), DC chapter felicitated Association for India's Development (AID) JeevanSaathi Dr. Ravi Kuchimanchi, co-founder of AID Inc. in their 26th Annual Academic and Outstanding Achievement Awards Ceremony on July 17th 2005 • AID Tsunami relief and rehabilitation campaign leader Balaji Sampath elected as an Ashoka fellow • Recognition by Maryland Senator for Tsunami Relief and Rehabilitation - "I would like to thank for all your hard work. I know that volunteer work such as this can be very grueling and time consuming. Therefore, it gives me great joy to hear of one of my constituents putting forth such effort for the good of humanity.“ - John A. Giannetti, Jr.; Maryland Senator, District 21,Prince George's and Anne Arundel Counties,Dated: Jan 12, 2005

6. AID Projects • Relief and Rehabilitation • Campaigns • Education • Forest • Livelihood • Training • Awareness • Empowerment

7. Execution of Projects • AID executes projects through Saathis, Jeevan Saathis and volunteers who work on various issues in India • Saathis • AID provides short term funding for 1-3 yrs • Provide non-monetary involvement and strategic support • Saathis are a source of inspiration • Saathis are experts in their respective fields and do workshops • Jeevansaathis • AID volunteers who decided to work on a full time basis on developmental issues • Receive lifetime support of $5000/yr

8. AID Philly • Born on September 13, 2003 with 4 volunteers. Meetings in apartments then Drexel campus and for the past two years we have meetings in the Penn Campus • Currently, we have 15+ volunteers, 150+ well wishers on our chapter mailing list • Volunteer profile: • Professionals: IT, Chemistry,Compuer Science, Chemical Engineering, Consulting, Sales, etc. • Students: Penn, Drexel

9. Focal Points of our work • Publicity & Knowledge improvement • Establish a stable ‘active volunteer’ base • Generate awareness: platform for ‘big’ projects in the future • Enhance our understanding of interrelated issues • Fund Raising • Project Review • review and support ‘novel’ developmental projects in India

10. Chapter Activities 1 Project Review, Evaluation, Monitoring, and Execution through AID network (Jeevan Saathis, Saathis, and NGO’s) 2 Coordinating site visits to India, working with other chapters and grassroots organizations 6 Publicity and creating awareness among the local communities viz., donors, sponsors, friends, volunteers, families etc 3 Understanding issues and supporting campaigns run by like-minded organizations 5 Creating Specialized Knowledge groups in the areas of social development viz., Organic Farming, Forest Issues, Child Labor, RTI 4 Fund Raising and Event Management

11. Chapter Achievements • Terrific Volunteering and Fund raising team • Project reviews are more diligent • Excellent understanding of issues • Reference checks / Site visits / leveraging AIDINDIA • Contribution to Monthly AID Wide Newsletter • Contribution to the Annual Report • Organizing Workshops

12. Your Source for Information • www.aidindia.org • http://saathi.aidindia.org/new/ • http://publications.aidindia.org/ • http://www.aidprojects.org/ • http://www.runforindia.org/runners/list/philadelphia • http://oneforindia.org/ • http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/25321/tns-non-returning-indians-return.html Join your nearest chapter!

13. AID – CHILDREN RELATED PROJECTS

14. Scalable Programs – Tamil Nadu

15. Issue: Education Pre Primary Education: In government run schools - Children come to school with no basic skills. • Most of these children have no access to toys or games or social skill development opportunities – nor do they get to learn • basic pattern matching activities necessary for recognizing letters. Primary Education: • About 50% children in 3rd-5th standard in schools are unable to read even a simple paragraph in Tamil. Middle School Education: • High drop out rate, literacy /reading ability is very low; interrelated issues – health etc.

16. Focus Areas • Pre-primary Education: • AID team developed a pre-primary education kit and has been working with balwadi teachers in 2 blocks – trying to infuse these ideas into the balwadi teachers. • This program is still in its preliminary stage and will need more time before it can be expanded into a wider block program across the state. • Primary Education • Eureka Village Learning Centers, Tuition centers; • Eureka model primary schools; • Teachers’ network and training program • Middle-school Education • Night schools, • Monthly Concept booklets publication, • Eureka science van • Teachers’ training, • science exhibitions and festivals

17. Eureka Village libraries • AID provided support to initiate the Eureka Village libraries program in 1388 villages in 2001. Sensing an urgent need for a scalable women and children centered library movement in villages, AID India initiated an innovative proposal of establishing high quality, regularly updated libraries in 5000 villages of Tamil Nadu, at a cost of about $30 per library per year. • AID Chennai, along with a group of other local NGOs, worked in 10 networks of 500 villages, which are again divided into 10 clusters of 50 villages each. The program also includes training for the library coordinators at different levels, feedback mechanism for the library readerships, and monthly review meetings. • Current Situation: Village Libraries are running in 1600 villages (aim is 500 villages) benefiting more than 40000 children. These are being run in 35 blocks by different NGOs (AID and TNSF run it in some blocks). Apart from providing access to books to children in remote villages, this has helped us create a large new collection of children’s literature in Tamil. • We are now using these village libraries to initiate children’s clubs and other educational programs. The village libraries have also become the starting point for initiating a new NGO into the HBP. It has created a network of over 35 NGOs. This year we are planning to work in district level networks where we will try to increase the density of the libraries in each district. • Result: A scalable model: The government of Tamil Nadu has adopted this program and expanded to 12,000+ villages in Tamil Nadu

18. Eureka Model School • AID supported AID-India’s maiden effort in starting a model school in Vembakkam block, Tiruvannamalai District of Tamil Nadu. • The school aims at using innovative teaching techniques to make education fun for children in poorer sections of society where drop out rates are high.

19. Middle School Reading: • We started working on this issue 3 years ago (in 2001). • Today we have a fully developing Reading Module – which can ensure all children learn to read fluently in 3 months. • We have recently demonstrated this in 2 blocks for 10000 children with Government school teachers – where within 2 months 5700 improved their reading levels. • The Government is expanding this program to the entire state (about 3 million children) in year 2005. • The first phase of 75 blocks (6500 schools) has just started! This large campaign will change the school learning situation in Tamilnadu dramatically – not just in children’s reading levels but also in how teachers interact with children. Science Education: • We have started science education improvement program in 4 blocks apart from Chennai. • Youth from villages are trained to go to schools and demonstrate science experiments and discuss science concepts. A Lab Kit with 100 experiments has been prepared and being given to government schools (so far over 300 Labs have been given to schools). • Last year alone the science dialogue classes reached 70000 children and 104000 science concept booklets were sold. • This is another program that is now being expanded across the state in all blocks along with Government support.

20. Interrelated Issues Children and Women’s Health: • Train the Trainer Programs for Women's health program – Funding was provided for the first 2 years in 23 blocks • Currently it is self sustainable as the villagers are now able to raise funds locally to sustain the program at least at a minimal level. • We have initiated a child health program in 3 blocks directly run by AID and 6 blocks run by different NGOs. The program is running in 30 villages in each block. • Taking off from the experiences learnt from this program, we have launched 3 new health initiatives • Health Education Classes, • Health Awareness Campaigns and • the Health Focus Village Program. • In 2005, 25000 adolescent girls were educated on “understanding your body” and on “menstrual hygiene” as part of the Health Education Classes program. • A large number of health materials have been produced and we are now regularly invited by government ICDS workers for training them on health classes.

21. Scalable Model – Hundred Block Program "A few years from now, AID will still be working in these villages even after most other groups have moved on. By allocating 10% of the funds for program sustenance, we will ensure that the health, education and community centers will serve the villages for many years to come" – Balaji Sampath, 2005 ~ Balaji is an AID Jeevansaathi and recpient of Ashoka Fellowship Award 2006.

22. Outcome is a Scalable Model 1 The HBP started off 4 years ago as a 2 state single program intervention. It was entirely focused on health. 2 Over the first year the agenda of education was slowly added in. The second year saw the emergence of the village library program. 3 The HBP has now grown into a multi-program intervention – primary and science education, health, libraries, livelihood and agriculture! The HBP started off with 2 states – the programs are continuing in both TN and Bihar, but it is now slowly expanding into Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka as well. 6 Time will show how the interventions grow and the impact they make. Our job remains to keep working diligently and persistently. 5 Today, the government is calling us to train them and to implement many of our programs to improve their services. These are still initial steps. We are still a long way away in livelihood and agriculture. We need to develop many more programs to make an impact in education and health in a more sustainable way. But the strength we have built by working on these multiple programs makes us feel that the path forward will be easier and surer. 4 We started in 2002 as a program entirely run by 2 organizations – AID INDIA and the People’s Science Movement. Today we have over 30 NGOs involved in the program in various degrees. Today the entire program is given new directions by the AID INDIA team.

23. Child related Projects in Other Regions of India

24. Children related Projects Wadala Slum School -Location : Mumbai, Maharashtra • AID provided support to AID India’s collaboration with Parivartan • Shiksha Sanstha in running 2 non-formal educational schools in the • slums of Wadala, Mumbai, Maharasthra. The project provided salaries for teachers, funding for teaching aids, books and toys for supporting these schools Subscription for Children’s Magazine – Indradhanush – AID Boston • AID supported gift subscriptions, to multiple schools, of Indradhanush children’s magazine printed in Hindi, which contains stories, poems, articles on science and do-it-yourself experiments, aimed at children between six and twelve.

25. Children Projects … Telescope project, Location: Chennai, Tamil Nadu • AID supported to procure a telescope to be used as part of a counseling science exhibition in Chennai, Tamil Nadu to show deep space objects and explain astronomy concepts to children. Science Education – Children’s Lovecastle Trust (CLT); Jakkur village in Bangalore district, Karnataka • AID funded CLT to build science labs

26. Children Projects … Innovation in Education – Jagriti Bal Vikas Samiti ;Lodhar village near Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. • AID supported Jagriti Bal Vikas Samiti in its efforts to provide education for underprivileged children through one formal school and several nonformal education centers in and around Health and Education program – Kajla Janakalyana Samiti; Purba Medinapur district of West Bengal • AID supported Kajla Jankalyan Samiti in its interventions in increasing environmental awareness amongst children in its school and women’s empowerment through creation of self-help groups, training programs and establishment of a grain food bank.

27. Children Projects … Anti-trafficking campaign and care for rescued children - Odanadi Seva Samsthe; Mysore, Karnataka • AID continued funding for awareness program against trafficking of children in villages surrounding Mysore, to pay for materials and to aid the setting up and training of vigilant committees to create a permanent mechanism to prevent trafficking. • Currently, the trust takes care of 75 rescued children with the intention of protecting them from the clutches of the sex-trade and aims to provide them a decent, dignified childhood. Funding School computers – Ray of Hope Foundation (RHF Inc) - Gavimata, Tumkur district, Karnataka • AID provided funding for the building of a computer room for the Shri Phirangaswami School in Gavimata, Tumkur district, Karnataka. AID’s funding helped provide for equipping the facility with 5 additional computers, a printer, internet connection, a UPS system & associated work for about 450 rural students. Shikshamitra Learning, Education Resource Center- Swanirvar - Kolkata, West Bengal • A secondary school has been started in a slum area of Kolkata, West Bengal to bring back dropouts from mainstream and government schools and motivate them to study further using alternative education methods. • The project also involves an Education Resource Centre to serve as a comprehensive resource for teachers, researchers and educators. It will include a library with access to education-related journals and publications, and eventually also serve a center for teacher training and education related research.

28. Children Projects … School – Vanavasi Ashram Trust ; Location: Wynad, Kerala • AID is supporting the educational needs of the first batch of thirty children of Vanavasi Ashram Trust School, Wynad district Kerala. AID is funding needs of 9th and 10th class children hoping that achievements of these children would help the school in gaining Governmental recognition in the coming year. Annamrit Mid-day meals- Venu Madhuri Trust ; Location: Kolhapur, Maharashtra • AID is supporting the Anamrit project implemented by Venu Madhuri Trust to provide midday meals to primary school children in Ramanwadi village of Kolhapur district of Maharashtra. The project also involves periodic visits by nutritionist for children and once a month meal for all the villagers. Juvenile Home – Vijay Foundation Trust ; Location : Cuddapah, Andhra Pradesh • AID is supporting Vijay Foundation Trust’s co-management of a Juvenile home for delinquent children that houses more than 170 children. In Cuddapah district of Andhra Pradesh. The children are trained in vocational courses including tailoring. Another program supported by AID was a gardening course for the children of the school.

29. Interrelated Issues - Disasters

30. Interrelated Issues - Resources • Training Center infrastructure support – Mathru Educational Trust for the Blind; Location: Bangalore, Karnataka • AID supported building of the training center, which would be part of the Mathru’s blind school, an educational facility in Bangalore, Karnataka for the visually impaired children from grades 1 through 10.

31. Interrelated Issues - Health Malaria Control program – Mandra Lions Club ; Location: Purulia District, West Bengal AID continued support of community health programs run by Mandra Lions Club who work amongst the tribal communities in Ayodhya hills in Purulia district of West Bengal. The programs especially targets reducing Malaria, which is a big threat in the area and also focuses on improving women’s reproductive health and child health through camps, information dissemination, awareness generation and access to basic material.

32. Innovative Techniques….

33. A peek into the Child Labor Act • About 12.6 million child workers in India • Employment of children as domestic servants at home or in dhabas (road side eateries), restaurants, hotels, motels teashops, resorts, spas or other recreational centers banned from October 10, 2006 • Ban imposed under the Child Labor (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 1986 • Punishment between three months and one year and fine of up to Rs 20,000* or both for violators *1USD~Rs.45 Source: National Geographic News

34. Current Situation Problems in the implementation of the law • Corruption • Verification of age • No proper rehabilitation: National Child Labor Project Street Children Project under review • Proposal by Harsh Mander for ‘Food, Education and Shelter for Street and Homeless Children’ in five cities including Delhi and Hyderabad How you can make a difference • Discourage friends/neighbors/relatives in India from hiring child labor and encourage them to help these children enroll in schools : free and compulsory education to all children up to the age of fourteen is constitutional commitment in India.

35. AID Wide Projects • The hamlets (small villages) belong to Sarugudu Panchayat, Nathavaram Mandalam. Most of these hamlets are at least 15 KM from the nearest road and people living in these hamlets have to cross a hill and walk for at least two hours even to buy a matchbox. • Samata is an NGO that began its work in 1987 in the tribal villages of East Godavari and Vizag districts in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. This region forms a part of the Eastern Ghats range of mountains. AID chapters from Boston, Boise, Tucson and Princeton provided financial assistance to Samata for the development of elementary schools in these 40 tribal hamlets that benefited more than 1000 children. • Location: A tribal Village, 150 km from Visakhapattanam, Andhra Pradesh

36. Project Issues Addresed • Primary Education & Healthcare • Accessibility to Education – Interrelated issues • Women’s Health – Birth Control, reproduction etc • Importance of Education & Literacy • Rescuing children affected by disasters – manmade and natural • Anti trafficking of children • Resources- setting up libraries, creating books, magazines, toys etc

37. Repeatable Models AID success in Tamil Nadu has been replicated now in 2 more states - Andhra Pradesh and Bihar

38. Scalable Model – Hundred Block Program "A few years from now, AID will still be working in these villages even after most other groups have moved on. By allocating 10% of the funds for program sustenance, we will ensure that the health, education and community centers will serve the villages for many years to come" – Balaji Sampath, 2005 ~ Balaji is an AID Jeevansaathi and recpient of Ashoka Fellowship Award 2006.

39. How Can I play a role in AID? • Join Us: Be the change you wish to see at www.aidindia.org • Roles you can play: • Be a Project Coordinator, • Event Coordinator, • Awareness Coordinator, • Fund Raiser, NGO Coordinator, • Outreach Coordinator to the Community, • Site Visit Coordinator • Web Site Management • Foundations Coordinator (New Position) • NGO Coordinator (New Position) • Create Newsletters, Presentations, Annual Reports – Reach out • Support our work : If you feel that our work is valuable in bringing about social change in India, please contribute towards our efforts. even a small contribution can go a long way. • Other ways to support us • AID Corpus Fund :AID has a corpus fund towards which we welcome bequests, large volume funding, as well as encourage our benefactors to mention AID as a beneficiary in their last wills and testaments. • Matching Grants: Several companies match donations by its employees to charitable organizations. You can find out if your company has such a program and register AID with them. AID is registered with the IRS as a 501(C)(3) tax-exempt organization and our federal Tax-ID number is 04-3652609. • Grants from Linguistic and Cultural Associations: Several cultural and linguistic associations have made donations to AID. You can request your association to do the same – if necessary, the donation can also be directed to projects in a particular state or region. • Grants from Companies: Your company may be making grants to projects or organizations. In many cases we might have to write proposals for particular project with the details of the budget to qualify for the grant. If you can investigate into this and get in touch with us, we can work with you on writing the proposal.

41. Thank You • Contact • Email us at hivjsesh@yahoo.com • Visit www.aidindia.org • Join aidphilly@yahoogroups.com