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\f0\fs26 \cf0 Welcome to the first edition of meeting of Asha-Bangalore for 2009\
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Attendees; Sharaja, Sanjeev, Divya, Siva, Sharad, Santhosh\
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1) Chapter Finances:\
Current balance \'d0 US account ~ $10k\
Current balance \'d0 India account - 5 lakhs\
Assuming numbers similar to this year our current requirements of projects is around 11 lakhs\
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We are close to being able to raise funds for existing projects if the requirements are on par with those last year. We do not have a buffer and would need to fundraise further to be able to support any new projects. We should target marathon fundraising goal of \'d0 5 lakhs before 31 March 2008.\
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Receipts are ready for all donations made till Dec end. Another set will be issued Feb mid. Please ensure that the checks are given to Siva before this date if you need receipts in time to file taxes.\
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Action Items\
- Confirm amount in US account through the database rather than relying on email confirmations alone \'d0 Sanjeev & Siva\
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Discussion\
- Should we look to share the projects we support that have FCRA clearance with Asha-US chapters?\
Perhaps, we can partner such that only if we fall short they need to support it. In a partnership it helps to have clear responsibility for a part/all of the funds required to be raised by a chapter in advance. We could continue to work with the project, but it free up our resources to support other projects. We will look to share our projects with US chapter for partial funding.\
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Action Items:\
- Update finances on project websites \'d0 Ballia \'d0 Siva\
- Ask asha-runners to send in a list of their friends who need receipts.\
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2) Annual report \'d0 Inviting articles\
Action Items:\
\'d0 Articles are invited by volunteers about various activities of asha-bangalore\
\'d0 article on project related activities - sanjeev\
\'d0 putting the brochure together - divya\
\'d0 finances - siva\
\'d0 marathon \'d0 santhosh\
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3) Should we try to work with community affairs of companies in Bangalore. Reach out to companies that volunteers work in\
\'d0 AMD,\
\'d0 ST,\
\'d0 Microsoft\
\'d0 anyone else wants to give a presentation in their company\
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4) Fundraising for projects supported\
\'d0 marathon fundraising target around 5 lakhs, vols needed, etc\
\'d0 other events(?) - corporate quiz, 5k run, etc as and when a volunteer with interest brings it up\
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5) Activities with our projects\
\'d0 We have been visiting the government school almost every week in the last 3 months. What have volunteers tried out should there be an effort to consolidate this effort?\
Volunteers discussed the different activities and felt that irrespective of the activity the interaction resulted in learning. It was decided to continue with the activities as the volunteers choose. Additionally, trying out things that are not already covered in the school seem best received by the children. Assessment with Asset tests?\
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\ls1\ilvl0\cf0 {\listtext	\'a5	}What do you do with the results of the tests?\
{\listtext	\'a5	}Is there a point of evaluation at all if there is no follow up?\
{\listtext	\'a5	}What did we do with NIAS test results?\
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\cf0 It was agreed the assessment needs to be done in a continuous fashion with the teachers taking ownership of the same so they can also make amends for the same.\
There were still questions of how we access our impact on working with the school over the years and if external tests can be used to enthuse the teachers who are not taking an effort on their own.\
If something is wrong with the teaching process itself i.e. fundamentally with the approach. We decided to try to work with groups like Palash, Eklavya around Bangalore to do a continuous improvement and evaluation.\
\'d0 Deutche Bank volunteers are working with Kumarswami layout regularly with teaching. They have also installed a water filter for drinking water.\
o Shikshana and other groups working on Chandranagar. Can we sync up with them with discussing activities and plan? Yes, but usually the differences \'d0 primarily our paying higher for teachers in the schools come up.\
\'d0 Should we look to work on creating/conducting workshops for our projects (e.g. @ Thulir, Mushtikovilla) in what we are good at. Volunteers would look into this and come up with ideas that they might be interested in doing this.\
\'d0 Getting children in projects active with running or other sports. \
o Tried sports for a year, but it was chaos each time\
o Smaller groups\
\'d0 Calendars - should we try to work with projects other than Sita school for the same, how about other merchandise? Should we do it again next year?\
o YES. The calendars were awesome this year and we should try to get them done with a project again.\
o If the work is too much we can volunteer to work with the kids and cords too.\
o In addition we can also look to partner with Timbaktu, Thulir, SEED on the same.\
o A few things can be added to the calendar:\
- A link to the asha website on each page in addition to the paragraph on one page\
- Pick the colors so all pages are clearly visible\
- Marking holidays on the calendar\
o Calendars need to look good like this year. Otherwise awesome.\
\'d0 Other merchandise - We have cards, but they are not as much in vogue with e-cards.\
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6. Chaitanya solar lights\
We had approved the purchase of 8 solar lights a year back. We had initially anticipated CFL lights, but with some research and follow up with SELCO there are LED based lights that would last longer and would give more light. They cost a little more estimated than budget and only 7 could be ordered in the budget. Decision to approve Rs.4000 for the 8th. - 
\f1\b Approved.
\f0\b0 \
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7. Tour request\
A request from for the teachers at Chandranagar Layout Govmt. School for a 3-day educational trip for kids and teachers. Tour \'d0 want to do a tour different places in Karnataka since it is a 3 days on 16-17. Take 50 kids \'d0 charged Rs.400/kid. Falling short of Rs.13,000-Rs.15,000. Some places of historical, temple, beaches.\
When we had tried to take the children out on a one-day trip the BEO had placed constraints that this could not happen after November. The Principal is always worried about letting the children go on his responsibility. The plan is a bit of a surprise.\
I'm also a little concerned that the teachers are not very sensitive and if the teachers want to go to a temple the children will be taken there whether they like it or not. I'm not very clear as to why the teachers are proposing this?\
We debated about the trips that we ourselves had taken the children out \'d0 the zoo and what was our perceived advantage. Exposure and interaction with adults.\
It was mentioned the Pratham would take children out based on performance, but we did not discuss this further.\
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Decision:\
- We felt that a one day trip should do and were not keen on\
supporting the initiative this late in the game.\
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Action Item:\
We will continue to work on giving children exposure. Garima had proposed a nature photographer who works with children visit the school and have a session with the children Siva will try to\
coordinate the session on Friday.\
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8) Outreach/networking/exposure for project coordinators, principals\
- linking up coords with various workshops e.g. Sutradhaar, Genie kids, etc;\
- spending time at our projects that have had success in some areas - e.g. Sita school, Auroville; attend conferences e.g. Lnet, asha-india, asha-fellows, others.\
Are they interested? If there is a sustained activity around teacher improvement then it makes sense.\
Sita school visit \'d0 if they are interested. We can propose to support if they want to do it.\
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9) Volunteer growth\
- activities that help us understand issues and solutions better to be resource people in time\
- movies, discussions, etc\
- planning times that we could perhaps conduct workshops as a group which may be easier than as an individual\
- networking - conferences we have attended, efforts we have interacted with that would be of interest to other volunteers.\
- talks by people working on different initiatives when they visit Bangalore\
Attempt to call in people once in a couple of months\
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10) Spark\
From Suja:\
"Is any asha adopted school in any place has children of 8th to 10th standard students,if somebody can send the data, I can include them for Infosys spark event, this is happening in All the DC's in india Spark is an initiative to make the children visit campus, they have a lovely day in campus with games, session, exp of experience theatre etc,\'c9Lots of fun and study involved ( no need of English medium) We will take care of all the expenses including transport."\
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- More info on the activities planned before promoting our projects to visit programs in the future.\
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Is any of our asha chapters have some products for sale, which can be promoted in our campus\
- Only cards for now.\
}