ashanet.org/centralnj An action group for BASIC EDUCATION in India Title Slide - It is a non-profit organization, where 100% of the donations and proceeds go towards benefiting little kids in India ashanet.org/centralnj

2001 1901 1951 India Literacy Rate Literacy Rate in India

THE VICIOUS CYCLE Lack of Education Poverty Child Labor Why Emphase on the need for education?? -Lack of education is the root cause of poverty and child labour -There are many charitable orgs that provide food/clothing/shelter, education gets neglected, hence we focus on ed -By providing food, you feed a child for a day, by providing ed, you feed her/him for life Child Labor

SOME LESSER KNOWN FACTS More that 90% rural parents believe education is very important for their children In rural India sending a child to school on a regular basis requires a great deal of effort -The rural parents too very clearly understand the need for educating the children -The problem is, access to schools is not easy, atmosphere in schools is not conducive, teachers are uninterested -Hence parents loose faith in schools and send their children to work

Why Education? Awareness of Rights Ability to Exercise Civic Rights Improved Access to Opportunities Economic Mobility Improve Gender Equality Overall Development

Lack of education - Where does it take a child? Child Exploitation Child labor Population explosion Unsanitary conditions Lower standard of living Talking points Low primary education directly leads to several social ills. Exploitation that manifests itself in the form of forced labor with low or no compensation, unsanitary living and working conditions, child prostitution Often this leads to drug abuse and dependence on hard drugs from an early age They are driven off the mainstream from which they hardly ever, if at all, recover They lack any chance of coming out of the situation they find themselves in. They lose all “Hope” or “Asha”, as we call it in India.

How? Can we do something… …to make a difference?

Our Mission To catalyze socio-economic change through education for the underprivileged children in India Talking points Asha’s mission, therefore, is to support education for under………….

Asha (“Hope”) Non-profit ZERO overhead organization Run entirely by volunteers Non-political Non-religious Volunteers work closely with education projects About Asha It’s strengths zero overhead, non hierarchical, chapters functioning independently, volunteers work closely with projects rather than just raising funds

Asha is a Non-profit zero overhead organization Asha (“Hope”) Asha works with NGOs in India Education projects Women’s issues, health care, environment etc. Asha members Provide financial support Actively involved in projects -The rural parents too very clearly understand the need for educating the children -The problem is, access to schools is not easy, atmosphere in schools is not conducive, teachers are uninterested -Hence parents loose faith in schools and send their children to work Asha is a Non-profit zero overhead organization

TYPES OF PROJECTS Formal schools Urban/Rural children Evening schools Street children Vocational training centers Sexually exploited Orphanage homes Tribal population Mobile laboratories Migrant laborers Support A Child Formal schools Urban/Rural children Evening schools Street children Vocational training centers Sexually exploited Orphanage homes Tribal population Mobile laboratories Migrant laborers Support A Child TYPES OF PROJECTS Formal schools Urban/Rural children Evening schools Street children Vocational training centers Support A Child Orphanage homes Tribal children Mobile laboratories Migrant laborers How DO we help kids in India? - Asha’s involvement in projects is at various levels, as is listed here. Each dot here represents an Asha project location As you can see, the dots are fairly widespread all across India

Asha Projects: Basic Criteria Must improve the general welfare of the community with basic education as a major component Non-sectarian groups which do not have any political or religious agenda Do not discriminate on the basis of caste, religion or sex Small, yet, deserving projects that find it difficult to obtain funds from elsewhere Talking points Asha does not support any particular political or religious group, and the projects it funds cannot have any such agenda Asha also does not support projects that discriminate on the basis of religion, caste or sex. The projects supported by Asha tend to be small in size (with a typical annual budget of $7,500 supporting about 100 children) Typically, these projects are not supported by the government, or other large funding agencies. Typically these projects provide support to schools that do not have adequate facilities. The purpose of Asha is to help these rudimentary projects get off the ground and build credibility in and motivate the community

Central NJ Over 1000 active volunteers in over 40 chapters About Asha What began as a small crusade by 3 members at Univ of Berkeley in CA in 1991, has now evolved into a strong organization with numerous chapters worldwide. It’s strengths zero overhead/flat ,where chapters functioning independently,. The volunteers work very closely with projects rather than just raising funds. Central NJ

CENTRAL NJ CHAPTER ‘Asha’ known and accepted in New Jersey Continued support from our patrons and well-wishers. We have committed volunteers from diverse backgrounds Immense potential in this region -looking to grow and expand Central NJ chapter Was formed in 1998 The backbone of our chapter is its many volunteers who are altruistically working towards realisation of Asha’s goals. Showing the world that we are a diverse open group and are trying to attract volunteers

ACHIEVEMENTS Asha Global Central NJ Funds Raised $1.13 M $1.04 M Over 600 projects supported since inception in 1991 Central NJ $25,000 net amount raised in 2002 SURBAHAAR TV/Radio/Newspaper coverage Publicity campaign targeted over 10,000 Indians in NJ/NY Very successful event Currently involved with 6 projects Central NJ chapter Showing the world that we are a diverse open group and are trying to attract volunteers

Asha Central NJ Projects Guria, Varanasi(UP) (Children of Women in Prostitution) Asha Central NJ Projects Save the Children’s Home Calcutta (Girls Orphanage) Vasundhara, Sindhudurg(Maharashtra) Science on Wheels Project Seva Chakkra Orphanage, Chennai (Orphanage) Usha Kiran Eye Hospital, (Karnataka) (Eye Exams and Correctional Surgeries of School Children) Rehab Centre for Women Tiruchirapalli(TN) (Education/Vocational : Blind Girls

CENTRAL NJ PROJECTS Save The Children Home West Bengal Guria, Education for children of commercial sex workers Uttar Pradesh Seva Chakkra Orphanage School Tamil Nadu Central NJ projects : some of which are: STCH : Home for 170 orphan girls in Thakurpukur, WB SCOS: Orphanage located in the heart of Chennai, TN Guria : Our latest undertaking, where we are helping the org build a school for the children of WIP operating in Varanasi, UP Vasundhara : Science on Wheels project – located in the Konkan region of Maharashtra Vasundhara, Science Education Maharashtra

YOU and Asha Support a Project Volunteer Sponsor events Publicize How people can help us -Will ask them to join our mailing list and learn more about us Publicize Support a Project

Our Hearts, Their Minds, One Hope Less of this … MORE of this …

Contact Us Web: www.ashanet.org/centralnj Email: centralnj@ashanet.org Postal: Asha For Education P.O Box 285 New Brunswick, NJ 08903 Mailing list: asha-cnj@yahoogroups.com Pankaj V. Paranjpe: paranjpe@eden.rutgers.edu 732 309 5608 Ranjini Venkatesan: ranjini.venkatesan@moodys.com 201 647 9141