© asha for education, 1999 1 for education. © asha for education, 1999 2 poverty lack of education...
TRANSCRIPT
© Asha for Education, 1999 2
Poverty Lack ofEducation
Child Labor
• Lack of education directly or indirectly contributes to – Exploitation
– Child labor
– Population growth
– Poverty
– Unemployment
– Health and hygiene problems
The Vicious Cycle
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Staggering Statistics
• Govt. of India’s aim was to achieve total literacy by 1965.
• Adults (1995)*– Illiteracy rate: Male - 34.5% Female - 62.3%
• Children aged 6-10 years (1995)– Total number of children: 106 million
– Number not attending school: 28 million
– Child laborers: 24-26 million – Drop-out rate: Boys - 32% Girls - 46%
* Source: United Nations Development Program
Every second illiterate person in the world is in India!
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Asha For Education
• Formed in summer of 1991 at the University of California at Berkeley by 4 students.
• Education is a critical requisite and effective catalyst for socio-economic change.
• “Asha” represents the hope that they sought to bring into the lives of underprivileged children in India.
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Where is Asha today?
• Today Asha for Education is an action group with more than 35 chapters worldwide and over 300 active volunteers.
Asha’s Mission StatementTo catalyze socio-economic change in India
by focusing on basic education of underprivileged children
in India.
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What does Asha do?• Support educational projects run by NGOs or individuals
– Since inception, Asha has supported 81 different projects in India with a total of $470,000.
• Strive to balance personal involvement in projects with financial support.
• Foster the spirit of volunteerism. – No paid members, everyone is a volunteer.
• All administrative expenses are borne by volunteers. – 100% of donations go directly towards projects.
• Work in collaboration with organizations in the US and India, learn from each other and build a strong network.
• Develop a think-tank that addresses the problem of illiteracy in India.
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Asha-Princeton
• Started in August 1998
• Approximately 20 volunteers – students from Princeton Univ and people from nearby areas.
• Aim is to mobilize the local Indian community to collectively support grassroots level educational movements in India.
• Activities– Project identification, evaluation, site-visits and monitoring.
– Organize guest lectures and discussions
– Poster/exhibit presentations at local events
• Newsletter, project posters, Asha merchandize
– Organize events for fundraising and awareness generation
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Project Life Cycle• Project Identification
– Sending preliminary questionnaire
– Iterations between project coordinator and NGO
• Project Evaluation– Analysis of project goals, proposal, mission, overall credibility,
account statements.
• Project Site-Visit– Visit by Asha member or liaison
• Project Re-evaluation– Review of project based on site-visit. Final decision.
• Project Monitoring– Reports including accounts and progress, follow-up visits, photos etc.
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Current Projects at Asha-Princeton• PACHE - Night School for Illiterate and
Drop-out children– 10 villages, Madurai Dist., Tamil Nadu
– high incidence of child labor and school dropout
– vocational training in electricity, basket weaving, plumbing
• FODRA: Remedial and Nonformal Education
– Pratap Nagar & Samboli Gadda - poor slum areas of east Delhi
– minimize drop-out rates
– prepare children not attending school for formal education
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Current Projects at Asha-Princeton• Vasundhara - Science on Wheels
– Sindhudurg Dist., Maharashtra
– Demonstrate scientific basis for day-to-day phenomena
– Generate awareness in personal health & hygiene, environment & ecology
• Learn Together Teach Other
– Khajurdaha, West Bengal
– Basic education for illiterate children and school drop-outs in age-group 5-14
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Nalamdana• Nalamdana: Educational Program
for Urban Slums– Chennai, Tamil Nadu
– Children supported through tution scholarship
– Targets students who demonstrate academic ability, leadership and commitment to social change
J. Dhanalakshmi, Class 11. "My oldest sister did not finish school so my father will have to pay a big dowry to see that she is married well. I have the highest marks in my class but we have to take many loans if I have to finish school…. I want to contribute to my family income and I want to help stop the system of dowry."
Update: J.Dhanalakshmi was selected as a Nalamdana scholar and topped her class in her first year of college, studying computer science.
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Get Involved...• Become a volunteer
• Become a donor• Donations to Asha are tax deductible under IRS code 501© 3.
• Use your skills to make direct contributions• Software development, language skills, awareness generation
• Initiate company matching contribution programs.
• Participate, sponsor or help organise Asha fundraising and awareness-generating events.
• Recommend good projects that you know of.
• Refer other like minded individuals and corporations.
• Buy Asha merchandize and souvenirs.
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The Asha Stars Program
• Asha stars are individuals who, in addition to providing long-term financial support, become directly involved with a project.– Key operatives are commitment, involvement and ownership.
– Helps project establish itself and grow towards self-sustenance
– Asha-stars bring in commitment from others.
• Princeton Chapter Asha stars – support PACHE, Nalamdana and Khajurdaha projects.
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Hope for the Future
Today children are India’s future citizens and leaders.
Asha for Education is a step towards securing a healthy and progressive future.
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Asha for Education, P.O. Box 1287, Princeton, NJ 08542
On the Web: http://www.ashanet.org/princeton
Email: [email protected] Ph:(908)470-9072 or (856)642-1142All donations to Asha for Education are tax deductible under IRS code 501© 3.
Join us in our efforts and be part of the solution...