Asha-Cornell is a volunteer organization, founded in 1994, which dedicatedly supports basic educational efforts for underprivileged children in India. While most of our current members are from the Cornell community, anyone is welcome to join.
Asha-Cornell works with partner organizations in different parts of India, in the states of West Bengal, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. Our funds go to community interventions all over India: from Ananda Bharati, a school for girls working as domestic help in Hydrabad, Odonadi Seva Samsthe which works with children and women rescued from the sex trade in Karnataka, Kaingkarya, a transit school for children of migrant laborers in Tamil Nadu and Baikunthapur Tarun Sangha that is trying hard to impart education to young children in Sundarban area of West Bengal and thus saving them from being trapped as labor in the prawn collection, forest produce collection and agriculture. Most projects receive at least $1000 a year from our chapter. This amount is often crucial for small organizations struggling to survive.
Over the last 12 years, we have organized various types of fund-raising events in Ithaca to financially assist our project partners in India. These have ranged from small bake-sales to large fund-raising dinners as well as concerts (Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma concert in Fall 2006, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia concert in Fall 2004, Ustad Shahid Parvez concert in Fall 2003). We have also raised awareness about Asha and Asha's mission at the annual Diwali and Holi shows at Cornell and through screening movies from South Asia. In addition, we invite speakers to discuss issues related to children, education and poverty. Volunteers have contributed to the local Ithaca community by participating in events at the GIAC, RIBS, the Fall Creek Elementary School, Boyton Middle School and the Johnson Arts Museum at Cornell University.
Asha has no administrative costs and all the funds raised go to the projects we sponsor in India.
