Asha-MIT

Basic education for every Indian child ...

Mission

To help provide education to

poor, underprivileged children in India.

What has happened to basic education in India? Adults (1995)

– Illiteracy rate: M - 34.5% F - 62.3%

Children aged 6-10yrs (1995)– Total # of children: 106 million

– # NOT going to school: 28 million

– Child labor: 24-26 million – Drop-out rate: Boys - 32% Girls - 46%

Asha around the world

Started in Berkeley in 1991 27 chapters: US, Canada, Singapore, India Does not fund organizations with a religious

or political bias EVERY dollar raised through donations goes

directly to projects in India. All costs for Asha activities are borne by

volunteers themselves

Asha-MIT

Started in 1995 ~65 volunteers (students and professionals

in the greater Boston area) We maintain an open financial record.

– Money raised in 1997: $29029

– Funds committed/disbursed to projects: $26773

How we work at Asha-MIT

Project identification and evaluation Project review Fund Raising Creating awareness through activities

– Talks and panel discussions (e.g. Shanta Sinha, C.P. Bhatt in 1997)

– Asha India Pages (1998)– Fundraising performances (e.g. Kelucharan concert,

1996)

Asha-MIT: Activities

Fundraising– Corporate

Presentations

– India Pages Directory

– Newsletter

– T-Shirt

– Lectures and Panel discussions

– Concert Booths and Food Sales

Projects– 12 Current Projects– Project Visits– Periodic Monitoring– Evaluation of New

Projects– Video and Photo

exhibitions– Science Curriculum– MANTRA software

The Project Review Process Step 1: Sending a preliminary questionnaire Step 2: Evaluation of proposal (goals, account

statements, budget proposal etc.) Step 3: Initial visit by an Asha member or liaison Step 4: Monitoring of project (half yearly reports

including accounts and progress, follow-up visits, photographs etc.)

Step 5: Review funding decision

SHARE, Vellore, Tamil Nadu

Asha is funding after school tutorial program for children in 5 villages for 3 years

With help from ASHA, project is becoming self-sufficient (with community support)

Gollaprolu School, Andhra Pradesh

207 boys and 145 girls enrolled in this school.

There were only 3 classrooms in the school.

Asha has funded an acutely needed classroom.

Project completed!!

SEED, Tamil Nadu(Society for Education and Economic Development)

Funding teachers’ salaries and education materials for primary and high school for children of life prisoners, leprosy and cancer patients, victims of murder and red-light districts.

SLADS, Bihar(Singbhum Legal Aid and Development Society)

“This is the only high school in the Salboni area which comprises 20,000 people in 50 villages with an average annual income of Rs. 15,000 ($400)”

Funding the running of a high school for 70 girls and 80 boys from poor tribal and backward communities.

VISA, Tamil NaduVillage ImprovementService Association

Non-formal literacy for high school dropouts

Malarchi, Tamil NaduScholarships for 12 girlsfrom low-income broken homes

Projects funded

CWC, Karnataka SODWAC, Karnataka VISA, Tamil Nadu SEED, Tamil Nadu Malarchi, Tamil Nadu SHARE, Tamil Nadu MIPS, Tamil Nadu Gollaprolu, Andhra Pradesh Duvva School, Andhra Pradesh Swanirvar, West Bengal VOP, West Bengal SLADS, Bihar

$1050

$1000

$2800

$2400

$2040

$1650

$3880

$2640

$1550

$2250

$2200

$8712

What can you do?

Become a volunteer!! Become a donor!!

– (Tax exemption ID: 77-0459884)

Make a stock donation through MIT Recommend projects that you know of Join the “Friends of Asha” program!! Enroll in the ICM/AT&T program

Get Involved with Asha

http://web.mit.edu/asha/www/ email asha-request@mit.edu. D. Srikrishna <tenali@mit.edu> Vinay Mohta <vinnie@mit.edu>

General MeetingFirst Thursday of every

month

A little goes a long way...