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Post Conference

Day 1: Asha Trigger Minutes

We are talking about Main Streaming a segment of children (children with disabilities)

• 180 million kids are out of school
• dot projects – deep, positive
• Must inculcate concept of India as a whole
• Asha-India : Asha-Abroad
• Asha-India group – life changing experience, grass root level
• 600 – 700 K villages in India
• Problem of scale
• Universal Quality Education (UQE)

Motivation
India as a whole – outlook
Direction for India (not only direction for Asha)  - what is the nation’s top priority?

Quoting :
Jagdish Chander (Asha Syracuse)
disabled and women in India are treated worse than animals.
change the social attitude

Vileen Shah
look ahead

Guha Balasubramaniam
support at least 1 disability specific project

What does it all mean?
Begin with the end in mind
The end is UQE
Problem of India as a whole

Has Asha triggered a self-sustaining solution?

Mission statement : To trigger a chain reaction that brings a socio economic change in India.

5 Zonal Projects  - all connected – volunteers co-operate
key is sharing

• NORTH : Helpline - ASTHA
• EAST : Tribal Empowerment – JNMIH, Asha India
• SOUTH : Lead to light – Vidya Vriksha, Sebama Foundation
  Prof. Krishnan developed multi-lingual Braille technology
  literature available in multiple languages
  developing audio materials
  Launched national initiative for blind
• WEST : Look Ahead – Drishti Viklang Sangh, Kamla Mehta school for the blind
• CENTRE : Sambhavna trust – working with survivors of Bhopal gas tragedy

Sirish: DP’s vision inspired a lot of people from the field (related to disability) to be a part of this team. People are key to make this project a success.

UQE strategy for blind children:

• Braille literacy cubes
• Braille embosser network
• pc network – across India.
• Resource Centers in each district (helpline, integrated schools, vocational training)
• Policy Changes (mainstream blind students)
• to learn is one thing, to teach is another thing

What is the ACTION leadership?
Govt. school is dysfunctional in Manipur

Where does this ALL lead to?

• Ultimate goal – effect 180 million kids
• UQE is India’s top priority
• Start with a sign-up sheet
• It takes three years to make an impact in ONE village. Deadline for UQE – 2047
• Build capacity of partnering organizations
• Define metrics of progress
• Decentralized but coordinated zonal structures in India
• Move at the ‘speed of hope’.
• Facilitate UQE in the smaller Indian states.
• Impact children segment-wise.
• Measure target every August 15th
• One team, one voice until one UQE mission is achieved

Part of PROJECT HONOR.

UQE – Universal Quality Education

Discussion:
Have taken the step to go beyond individual projects. Paulo Freire, an educationalist from Latin America has written books about what education means, has mentioned about visions being there and what is a measurable action.

Is a large scale impact is better, without starting from the bottom?

Do you have a plan for distribution?
Are working on that next. Proof of concept.

Is there a deadline for Sikkim and Manipur?

If we want to make a broad impact in India, we need to publicize in India.

Is UQE an Asha endorsed goal?
UPE is a term used by govt and NGO’s – not enough.
UQE 2047 should be India’s national priority
We have NOT voted on that. Still in discussion and debate mode.

Govt has been talking about UPE – might be a good idea to learn from their practices – what has worked, what has failed.
We educate blind children – will they have jobs?
we are still exploring on that.

Govt is the primary driver – we are trying to catalyze their initiatives.

Bottom line – EXECUTION

Minutes Index