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Project WHY empowers underprivileged children through quality educational support in New Delhi slums since 1998. 1000+ children served, focusing on after-school support. Multifaceted approach includes educational, vocational activities for migrant labor families. Adequately funded by various organizations, including Asha Seattle.
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Project WHY ANNUAL UPDATE FOR 2013-14 Kannan C. Iyer Amol Agarwal 20 May 2013
Project WHY was conceived to answer a series of queries: • Why do children from underprivileged backgrounds perform poorly? • What could be done to enhance their performance? • What skills should be taught to them to better their employment options? • How could this be achieved in a replicable community driven model? • Project WHY set out to create a model whereby quality education support in underprivileged areas, could be spearheaded by parents even if they were illiterate. The idea was to empower the community to pool its resources and run a sound support programme for its children. Mission
Primary function: after school support center • Est 1998, started as English speaking class in 2000 with 40 children, now serves 1000+ children • Director : Anouradha Bakshi • attitude comes from the top and the top here is service oriented. • Serves south Delhi area urban slum residents • Hires slum residents for teacher, transport, food, etc. • Keep the employment local History
Name : Sri Ram Goburdhun Charitable Trust • Primary contact : Anouradha Bakshi, Founder • Other : • Rani : Project Coordinator, in-charge for Pwhy • Dharmender : Womens Center Director • Both are Pwhy Alum • Shamika, addl Project Coordinator (Anou’s daughter) • Other teaching staff with minimal hierarchy – all from slums • Non-teaching staff and vocation teachers • Board includes 9 members other than Anou, many of them prominent Delhi citizens Organization Structure
Location NEW DELHI
GIRINAGAR - GOVINDPURI - OKHLA Early Education: 1 creche at Govindpuri Primary outreach: Okhla, Govindpuri, Giri Nagr Special children: 1day care at Govindpuri Junior Secondary Okhla Classes VI to XII Senior Secondary Giri Nagar Classes IX to XII Computer centres: Giri Nagar, Okhla Other activities Cine Club and Library, Print shop Profile of community served: Migrant Labour from Bihar, UP, Nepal and other states Parents are self employed, daily wage earners, street vendors, part time employees in factories, sweepers. Average income: 3000 Rs Average family members:6 Activities Children: 1000+ Main centre: ~650 Women centre:~370 Women : 120 MADANPUR KHADER - Women centre Primary outreach Classes I to V Secondary Outreach Classes VI to XI Vocational activities Stitching and Tailoring, Beauty classes Computer Centre Staff: Main centre: 29 Women centre: 15
Shows only Education budget in remaining slides • Sri Ram Goburdhun Trust also provides other services • Expenses under these heads: • Education (Project WHY) – classes, staff, computers, learning aids, transport for kids/staff • Boarding school for 8 kids – Asha Seattle supports thru SAC • Medical expenses for slum kids, adults • Nutrition programme • Clothing support (mostly from Europe, now cash sent for local purchase) • Bldg maintenance for owned buildings and other infrastructure items purchase like cooler • Other expenses • Rest of the heads expense limited to support or support raised on ad-hoc basis as needed • For ex, if someone needs heart surgery, funds raised specifically for this from network and personal pleas Finances
Other organizations support • Enfannes Indiennes, EUR 2500/mo • Now add EUR 500 for Utpal for boarding expense • Was on and off during downturn, stabilized now • Project WHY Germany, EUR 1800/mo down from EUR 3700/mo starting Aug’14 due to German tourism drop • EUR 1100 for boarding school, $700 general funds • Omprakash Foundation • Misc, random donations collected and forwarded • Shortfall ~10-25% every year – significant time spent on fundraising to cover shortfall; risk network exhaustion and donor fatigue – this is not sustainable. Finances
Asha Seattle supports ~15% of Project WHY’s annual budget • Asha support used for educational expenses including staff salaries, educational aids, transportation, etc • % of total expenses covered by Asha comes down every year, not even keeping up with inflation • With Asha Seattle since 2006 • Dallas and Vancouver did some grants in 2005, Vancouver supported since 2007 as well • Key contacts : • Anouradha Bakshi, Founder • Rani, Project coordinator & Dharmendra, Womens Center Director send monthly reports Asha, Seattle Involvement
One-time partial funding for Planet WHY (Rs 20 Lakhs) • social enterprise planning a commercial activity, motel, to support Project WHY activities; this will also house residential foster care unit. • Land appreciated from Rs. 80 lakhs purchase price to Rs 2.5 crores est value now • Project WHY SAC for 8 children to attend residential school, in cooperation with Asha Canada. • Barely covers costs – shortfall covered by personal pleas and fundraising • Asha Seattle contribution is sporadic and sparse Asha, Seattle Involvement Contd.
English classes run by International volunteers. • Organised 6 workshops on self esteem for class VI to VII children of Okhla and Khader • One donor donated RO plant for water – now major emphasis for water conservation • Gender issues is another area of focus • 50 boys per class vs 110 girls per class is the reality • Boys from same family sent to private schools however useless they are while girls go to Govt schools • Girls get to be free at Pwhy while they are curtailed at home even by younger boys – so, girls like it here • Now have some common classes with boys and girls, going over gender equality and awareness classes General Partner Updates
Workshop of sexual awareness (for girls) • 2D animation workshop for children (Dipankar) • 3D animation classes for teachers so computer center can teach this to kids • Continuing Workshop on mental health in collaboration with RML Hospital (for community members) • Continued Dance Workshop for students of Okhla and Khader • Continued Photography workshop for second year with good success General Partner Updates
Project why children top their respective classes. • Some selected for the Medhavi exam that secures scholarships for secondary school. • Have 3 scholarship holders. • Boarding school kids doing good – Utpal moved to another school due to psychological issues dealing with social level difference • Anita a project why student since class I passed her XII and is now teaching secondary classes at pwhy while studying for her BA • Vocational courses at Women’s centre big hit • some started their own beauty parlours, many work in parlours and some work on call; • Many of our stitching students have got jobs in boutiques, export houses, etc.; many have started their own tailoring units in their homes. General Partner Updates - Successes
Funding remains unstable • Asha Seattle, Enfances Indiennes, Project why Germany are the only stable sources now • This secures about 75-85% of the needs for education programmes. • The balance comes from one time support, answers to SOS calls etc. • Project Director aging and still primary fundraiser • Spending lot more time on raising funds • Sustainability plan not taken off – Planet WHY shelved • Succession planning in thinking stages • Needed to take time off in 2013 due to spouse’s health issues • Force majure risks as usual - project may get smaller with govt action, slums razed • Womens center - on rent, nearby bldgs getting demolished for apts or guest houses, can be asked to vacate • Mitigation / Action plan : move to Planet Why land and serve children in that area. General Partner Updates - Concerns
Last site visit in Aug 2013, by Kannan. • Monthly reports from project - uploaded periodically to Asha project website. • Annual audited statement, annual report and annual Budget uploaded to Asha project site yearly. Site Visit Report
Audited financial report for year ending Mar 2014 is expected around Jun 2014 • 2012-2013 Audit report uploaded to project site Audit Report
Project Photographs Saifin, the scholarship holder Specialsection
Resources/Contact • Website : http://projectwhy.org • Blog : http://projectwhy.blogspot.in • Book by Anou on Utpal : http://www.dearpopples.com • Call Anou anytime at : +91-9999079705skype: projectwhy To schedule visit to Project Why for any Asha volunteer/donor/guest.
Some FAQs at Asha, Seattle meetings. • How many rs are we spending per kid per year? • Does the amount being spent on infrastructure items (building schools, repairing roofs, etc. ) look reasonable? • Where exactly is the partner located? (especially for remote projects. Be ready to locate the project area on a map) • What is the graduation rate of the school? • What is the student to teacher ratio in class rooms? • What is the girl to boy ratio in the school? • What are the line items in the budget? • Why is the partner asking for more funding for line item N? (You will be asked this if there are changes in the budget line items) • Community opinion of the project. • What went well, what didn’t go as expected, what can be done differently. FAQs