1. SWIRD(Society for Women in Rural Development) Asha SF Kriti Modi July 30 th, 2009

2. Overview SWIRD (Society for Women in Rural Development) Social Development NGO established in 1991. Run by a group of rural women especially housewives Aim: to initiate sustainable development of people in a comprehensive manner to become self-reliant. Focus areas: women self-help groups with some economic activities, savings and micro credit programs, leadership development for women, community health awareness, environment protection and pollution control, various issues affecting social development, relief assistance etc.

3. Education Related Activities Run 10 pre-primary schools (Balwadi centers) in remote rural belt in West Bengal, to support elementary education for the poor children. Children are provided basic education to make them habituated to school atmosphere, prepare them for admission in primary schools. Currently approx. 300 children enrolled; age group 3-5. Children belong to lower income families, parents are farmers or laborers. Schools run either under community sheds or teachers’ houses or open spaces. At present, 10 teachers and 2 other staff. Asking for funding for all 10 schools. Want to expand to 40 students per school.

4. Line Items for the First year Items - Amount (in Rs) One time expense for supplies (Rs.5000 * 10schools)50,000 Rent @ Rs500/s/month (Rs.5000 * 12mo)60,000 Teachers’ Salary@1000/mo *10 teachers*12mo120,000 School supplies/toys Rs3000/school *10 schools30,000 Uniforms @Rs300/student (Rs. 300 * 400 students)120,000 Salary: Part-time Accountant: (Rs. 1500/mo * 12)18,000 Salary: 2 Field monitors: Rs 1250/mo *2*12 9or 1 field monitor at Rs 2500/mo *12) 30,000 Health Checkups (Rs 3,000/mo * 12)36,000 Medicines (Rs. 10,000)10,000 Exams, sports, cultural events Rs.2000/school *1020,000 Parents-Teachers Meeting (Rs. 15,000)15,000 Lunch at workshops to prevent dropouts (Rs. 30*3*400)36,000 External auditor (Rs. 2,500)2,500 Misc. (Rs. 1500)1,500 Total amount required for running 10 schools/ 400 students for the first year 549,000 USD 11,437.5 (@1USD=INR48) Note: Items in red are changes that Asha SF has decided to make in the proposed budget.

5. Proposal for 3 years Items - Amount (in Rs) One time expense for supplies (Rs.5000 * 10schools)50,000 Rent @ Rs500/s/month(Rs.5000 * 12mo)60,000*3= 180,000 Teachers’ Salary@2000/mo (Rs. 20,000*12mo)240,000*3= 720,000 School supplies/toys Rs3000/s (30,000)30,000*3= 90,000 Uniforms @Rs300/student (Rs. 300 * 400 students)120,000*3= 360,000 Salary:Part-time Accountant: (Rs. 1500 * 12 mo)18,000*3= 54,000 Salary: 2 Field monitors: (Rs 2500 *2*12mo)60,000*3= 180,000 Health Checkups (Rs 3,000 * 12)36,000*3= 108,000 Medicines (Rs. 10,000)10,000*3= 30,000 Exams, sports, cultural events (Rs.2000*10)20,000*3= 60,000 Parents-Teachers Meeting (Rs. 15,000)15,000*3= 45,000 Lunch at workshops to prevent dropouts (Rs. 30*3*400) 36,000*3= 108,000 External auditor (Rs. 2,500)2,500*3= 7,500 Misc. (Rs. 1500)1,500*3 = 4,500 Total amount required for running 10 schools/ 400 students/3 years 1,997,000 $41,604 for 3 yrs

6. Site Visit completed on June 8 th, 2009 by Yatendra Kumar Singh Visited 5 out of 10 schools run by SWIRD Bhogpur Saradomayee Balwadi Center had 15 students aged 2 to 5. Students recited poems and narrated stories, displayed good knowledge of numbers and English alphabets, Bengali language Currently school has had to decline accepting students due to shortage of space. Run in a very small space provided by a villager in his house, can barely accommodate 15 students. Site Visit Report

7. Kishorchawk Kalpana Chawla Balwadi Center is run in a bamboo makeshift hut on a roadside land temporarily donated by the village panchayat. School has around 30 students. Had an 8 year old since parents could not afford to send him to a regular school. Difficult to run during Rains 3rd school visited was Kodalia Gandhiburi Balwadi Center. This school is housed in a small room in a villager’s house, has over 20 students. Students were taught Bengali alphabets using plastic molded letters. Wall used for writing since blackboard fell into pieces recently.

8. Fourth school visited was Nandaigajan Ayesha Balwadi Center. School run under open sky. Has around 25 students. 5 th school visited was Bardarbar Sitala Balwadi Center. School was running under the shade of a banyan tree. In all schools, students sit on floor mats or plastic sheets. Also visited a small piece of land procured by SWIRD for an office building. Currently, SWIRD is managed from the house of one of its members.

9. For Pictures, please visit http://picasaweb.google.com/kritimodi/SWIRD#

10. Video-1 (click to play)

11. Video-2 (click to play)