© Asha for Education, 1999 1 FOR EDUCATION. © Asha for Education, 1999 2 Poverty Lack of Education...

© Asha for Education, 1999 1

FOR EDUCATION


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


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!


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.


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.


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.


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


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.


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


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


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.


From here

To here

How YOU Can Help


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.


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.


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.


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...

© Asha for Education, 1999 1 FOR EDUCATION. © Asha for Education, 1999 2 Poverty Lack of Education...

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