Asha-Pride
Urur Olcott School


Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Status
Ongoing: Since 2001

Asha US Contact
Shashikanth Suryanarayanan
shashi@ mechatro2.me.berkeley.edu
+1.510.649.7800

Asha India Contact
Lakshmi Suryanarayanan
(surlak@vsnl.net
 
Geetha Durai (gee_z@rediffmail.com)

Funds Disbursed

Total: $ 4598

Pending disbursement:
$ 3000: Asha-Berkeley towards Class VII building construction

Funding Chapters
Berkeley
Silicon Valley
 

Detailed Project Description

This project aims to:
  • improve the quality of education provided to 150+ pre-school and primary school kids residing in the kuppam
  • demonstrate the importance of education as an integral part of community development in the kuppam
In doing so, Asha-Pride wishes to demonstrate that dramatic change can be achieved in lightning quick time!
 
The project will highlight the importance of education as a medium of empowerment of the people as opposed to a "people controlling tool" that stifles creativity, make them submit to authority and "tell" them what their ambitions can be!
 
Progress To-Date
  • April 18, 2001: Provision of a LEAK PROOF ROOF for the pre-school: This action was completed from Thought-to-Finish in less than 3 months (Jan-Apr, 2001)
    Before Roof-Construction: Note the gaping hole in the roof
    During construction: During construction
    After construction: Please check back soon
    For financial details of this activity, click here
     
  • May 10, 2001: Expand school by adding class VI: The kids in the school that do not drop out of the school after Class V go to other two other schools in the Besant Nagar area. Not all students can be accommodated in the other schools. By extending the present primary school facility into a middle-school, we intend to address the problem of drop-outs.
     
    Asha-Silicon Valley stepped-in to support the classroom construction. Please click here for letter addressed to the school correspondent seeking approval for construction of the additional classrooms.
     
  • June 5, 2001: Funds have been raised for the purchase of two new computers to support SchoolNet's teacher training program.
The action items in focus are the following:
  • Further improvement of pre-school facilities
    • Construct a CLEAN TOILET that anyone would feel comfortable using: The present "facility" does not even have a hole!!
    • Set up a HEALTH CAMP for the kids: Many kids suffer from pus formation due to exposure to sea-water
     
  • Provide IT based education to the primary school kids in the kuppam.
    SchoolNet, an organization working on the concept of Networked Learning, is helping set up the centre for computer learning in the primary school. For more information on what SchoolNet has to offer, please take a look at the SchoolNets proposal in the 'Proposals' section.
     
    We are currently working on providing the necessary computing infrastructure for the SchoolNet program. The longterm goal is to provide 20 computers to build a computer centre. Since this will require a large amount of infrastructure, we are working on our short term goal of providing two computers to SchoolNet for them to start their teacher training activities.
     
    We are currently raising money for this purpose. If you are willing to contribute to this, please contact Jitendra Padhye
     
  • Add teaching staff: The primary school has only 4 teachers. Extending the school would demand more teachers. 3-5 new teachers will be added to the school teaching staff. Their salaries will be supported by Asha for a period of 3 years (until the extended school is recognized by the govt).
 
Site Visits, Comments
Apr 3, 01 - Bhaskar
Jul 26, 01 - Guha
Sep 17, 01 - Viswanath
 
Financial Reports
2001

Proposals
2001 - Mar 30, SchoolNet
 
SchoolNet's K-10 program
Asha Stars
Shashikanth Suryanarayanan
+1.510.649.7800 (USA)
Asha-Berkeley
 
Sriram Balasubramanian
+1.510.548.6234 (USA)
Asha-Berkeley
 
Bhaskaran Raman
+1.510.644.1906 (USA)
Asha-Berkeley
 
Mahesh Vinayagam
Asha-London

 

Photo Albums
Early Photos