Minutes of the Asha meeting held in Kaithi-Update II Dates: May 24th, 25th. This update contains minutes of the last half of the morning session , the afternoon session on the 24th and the morning session on the 25th. Parts of these minutes were taken by Vivek (from Kanpur) and translated by Rohini(colorado). I only did minor editing for those. The evening session of 24th and the morning session of the 25th were taken by me. Morning/Afternoon Session Asha RajaTalab-Nandlal Education is provided to the children of the banarasi saree weavers living in RajaTalab 11 centers are running in different villages 2-3 centers are being closed down. Instead 3-4 new centers will be started Teachers are not paid salary. But each center will be given Rs 300/month for expenses There is no permanent structure for these centers. Many are run under the shade of a tree. 2 sewing centers are being run Kalamanch program is functioning. The troupe has learnt 1-2 new plays 18 self help groups have been started Program against globalization/trade liberalization was done in which govt. and non govt. organizations participated. A padyatra was taken through 100 villages on this issue. Discussion- Deepak: do you conduct exams Nandlal: In the beginning we used to run a course where we used to coach the children to pass their 5th class board exams. But we have stopped the program now. Who ever wants to sit in the course can do so and we try to help them. Siva: How many sat in the exams this year? Nandlal: 1 (there was a further question by Siva on how many sat in the exams the previous years.) Siva: Why is the number decreasing? What is the solution? Nandlal: Whoever wants to join the govt school, we do help them . We also use Government books. We have also started self help groups for the children with the help of their parents. If anyone wants a loan we give it to them at 2-3% interest rate. We started a saving scheme with 16 children for 3 years. They are very regular about savings. we have collected Rs 360 and with interest it will become Rs 500. The girls in this group want to learn sewing and we would like to purchase them sewing machine with this money. Some additional money will also be needed. Siva-What happened with the building proposal? Nandlal-I have sent in the proposal. Sandeep-There is a proposal for creating a center. if you buy land (at RajaTalab) then a building can be built and also there will be land for expansion. The present building will not be enough once you expand your activities and there is not enough land to build another building. There fore it will be better if you buy land. Nandlal- slowly RajaTalab has assumed the guise of a town. We are trying to see if we can get some one to donate land to us. Sandeep-Expansion in the future... Siva-What do you think? Sandeep-the option for expansion/center is certainly open. Siva-How was the price for the building estimated? Nandlal-The owner purchased it for 3.5 lakhs. Everyone knows about it in RajaTalab. It is possible that the price might be reduced. I do not think it proper to talk about the price to the owner till I have money in hand. (There was then talk about land donation). Nandlal- Land donation is not a problem but land is scattered. The volunteers themselves would like to donate land but we would have to take their parents' consent. Siva- what is the plan for the next year? Nandlal- Can money for loan be made available? The SHG formed are having problems with SHG's formed by other NGO's as they are ready to lend money for a nominal interest. Linking with the Government reduces independence and the paperwork increases. So it is not a practical idea. Also the proposal to buy sewing machine-this will be sent to Asha Wide/Asha PWG Vijay -I have a a question and a suggestion. I would like to suggest that the children be encouraged to study further and to give the Class V board exam. They should be encouraged to study at least till High School as that is the age when they can start thinking independently and decide what they want to do in life. The question I have is about your commitment. You are not able to give as much time as you used to. Nandlal- I believed from the beginning that volunteers should learn from each other through interaction. Where I was teaching I had to stop because I was not able to devote time for that. Siva-This should not become like Lalpur. Nandlal-No, it is not like that at all. Our way of working is different. Daily updates are recorded in the register. Volunteers/Centers do not stop working just because I am not there. Because I do not pay them a salary, they are not influenced by my being there. Not being there and being there have the same effect. Vijay -Register is only for records. Nandlal-I agree that I might have some influence but I believe that those who want to teach will teach. I do not like to press them into teaching. Vijay- I am taking about encouragement/motivation. Nandlal-those are teaching are doing because they are motivated to do so. When there were 15 students appearing for the Class V board exam, we had just 1 center and we devoted time to all those students. Now we send those who are interested in further studies to the Govt. School. Vallabh-The local support to the project has reduced. Is this due to the fact Asha has supporting the projects? Nandlal-It is not so. The local support is still there. I have given you all the receipts. The accounts contains only the report of what we did with the money coming from Asha. For the recent padyatra, for example, we raised Rs 6000 from the villagers only. Vallabh - But your reports including receipts for all expenditure and this gives a false impression. Nandlal also clarified that Asha Chicago is not giving him separate fellowship money. Asha chapter in Kanpur Raju Thapa Wants to be self-reliant in running his center. Does not want honararium Proposals were made for-running a dhaba, operate a transport, sell things door-to-door, grow mushrooms etc Dhaba-Baba's dhaba closed down twice. There is a liquor shop next door and people coming there used to frequent the dhaba. But the liquor shop has been closed down. People from IIT will not be coming to this dhaba. Only those who run tempo-tractor will frequent the dhaba. The clientele will be slowly built up Sandeep suggested that a board be put up stating that the dhaba is associated with a social organization Make it an organic dhaba serving organic breakfast, organic dalia etc. Amit Wants to go back to his village as the economic situation at home is bad and his father is ill Has been with MS3 for the past 11/2 years Sandeep said that it was important to help Amit as one of the aims of MS3 was to help rehabilitation of the migrant workers Amit can do all the four work that is being taught at MS3. But is not sure about handling the accounts Suggestions-make soap, nirma etc. Help out with Pali Sansthan, which is only 200 kms away from his home. Start a cloth shop In addition to a trade, Amit should also either impart education or any of the work he has learnt at MS3 to the villagers. Amit agreed to it. Kumar Sambhav Children have been enrolled into National Open School The new year will start from July 2002 In March visited 4 brick klins at Bhagnipur along with RamMilan.Tried to start education and self-reliant programs there Beekeeping, diary, agricultural etc are progressing Organizational work has been transferred to Dhiraj, Yashpal, and Omprakash No decision has been taken on the new batch because 17 children instead of 10 have been enrolled into the program. Asha chapter in Assam-Biju Children between 3-6 yrs are being taught 10 centers have been opened No emphasis on alphabet learning Children are taught about hygiene and other things Classes are held in houses 25 children are enrolled but more than 25 attend these centers on any given day Books in Bodo language have to be purchased. There is a problem in translating everything into Bodo and Assamese Teachers are selected from the villages. Female teachers are given preference 9 centers have female teachers. In the remaining one center, 2 boys are teaching but they are planning on leaving. Female teachers will be hired for this center too Nandlal and Raju Thapa will be visiting the centers and evaluating them Only half of the funds have been given; however funds are needed to give salaries so sufficient money to cover this will be released Homeopathic medicines are distributed in the villages AndhraPradesh- A. Ravi- update-Asha Fellow Has been working on improving the quality of education for past 4 yr Children are encouraged to self-learn Workshop is done by combining several classes 50 students are taught. Bodymap of every child is drawn on paper and body parts are then identified New teaching aids/tricks are being developed to teach math Interaction with guardians is limited to talk about education Teaching aids are not currently sold but plans to do so in the future so that the project becomes self-sufficient Teaching handbook needs to be prepared Not involved with the problems of the villagers but may do so in the future Evening Session Most of the administrative updates have been sent on update-I. Here what is left. Asha India web-page--- At present Jayashree , Ranjeet and the MS3 team in Kanpur. There was a suggestion that Asha Bangalore handle the coordination with respect to this web-page. The purpose then would be to send updates to the Bangalore chapter, who would then be sole managers of the web-pages. Discussion on WAH: Due to lack of time and information, it was decided that we will not vote on projects but mention the organisations that folks were aware of. They are: (a)URMUL organisation as such. (b) Nirantar (c) Timbaktu collective (d) Jagrithi (e) Rajatalab (asha chapter) (f) Gyanganga (associated with Asha pilani) Will do these in the final update- will send it out by next weekend Discussion on Scholarship scheme Discussion on enlarging Asha's Agenda: Discussion on Asha Parivar: Asha Varnasi-Vallabh Asha Delhi-Siva Asha Bangalore-Ranjit (sent by email) Asha Mumbai-Harsh Vardhan (sent by email)

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