Asha-MIT Projects Meeting, 14 May 2006

Attendees: Mugdha, Srinivasan, Neelesh, Parthiv, Sachin, Rajeev, Melli

  1. Voice (Mugdha)
    1. Overview:
      • Voluntary Org in Community Enterprise
      • 12 yrs ago @ Andheri train station in Mumbai
      • Classes for working kids on railway platforms
      • Centers in Dadar, Andheri (E. & W.) & Ville Parle
      • Also supported by Asha-St. Louis, Seattle
    2. WAH 2003 partially funded construction of Sanjivani girls hostel (w/Maharashtra Foundation), ages 4-16. Construction 90% complete, but not running yet. Located outside Mumbai.
        i) Hostel gives girls vocational skills. Typically kids had one or no parents.
    3. TWBT Architechts in NYC (friends of VOICE’s India-based architects) wants to donate 15K to Sanjivani girls hostel
      • 90% construction done from 2003 funds. Still need sewage plant, electrical wiring, water harvesting facility, solar panels. Need ~30 lakh to finish. Immediate need is sewage plant and electrical wiring in order for facility to open.
      • 15K from TWBT would go into VOICE accounts if Asha-Boston could route the funds.
    4. Human Resource dept. of India had a conference in Delhi in March 2006. VOICE was invited and took some kids to conference. Hence, VOICE has received good govt. recognition.
    5. Voting question: Should our chapter route $15,000 from TWBT Architects to VOICE to help with the construction of Sanjivani girls hostel?
      VOTE: 5 Yes/ 0 No/2 Abstain

  2. Natpurwa (Melli) – WAH discussion (& vote) and yearly renewal discussion
    1. Melli gave background of Natpurwa (refer to projects page for project and funding history)
      • Nat community – historical profession for women is prostitution
      • Women, though breadwinners, have little to no control of money
      • Vicious cycle keeps generations in the profession
      • Neelkamal & Guddu (cousins & Natpurwa residents) started the project to help break the cycle
      • Also have been involved w/Sandeep in Lalpur on right to information campaigns. Gathering momentum. Villagers are gaining confidence, and are bolder in demanding local govt. accountability. Things are getting done. Interesting side effect (& sign of progress): corrupt civil servants refuse posting in this district (i.e., they know they will be made accountable).
    2. Accounting confusions w/Natpurwa: Our chapter’s records are not completely clear. Also, Natpurwa doesn’t work in NGO mode, so their written records are not complete (i.e., don’t take always notes at meetings, early accounts were combined with other work in the area etc.).
      • They may have overspent last year, but don’t have the records of what was overspent. This year, Asha-DC approved $1500 to help offset the overspending and requested budget increases.
    3. Neelkamal & Guddu help finance marriages for girls in order to prevent them from entering the profession
    4. Sirish of Asha-DC sent out a recent site visit. Refer to webpage for details.
    5. WAH: We have sent a proposal for $8,500 for WAH2006 for a set of classrooms/community meeting space. Modeled on the Asha ashram in Lalpur. Will be reviewed through Asha-wide next Sunday (Srini).
    6. Meeting attendees felt that the structure would be useful. They felt that the structure and related activities should continue while the improving of the local govt. school is investigated (can the Asha teachers go there?), as it was likely to take a longer time. Conversations with Natpurwa folks have indicated that they have a Lalpur ashram type structure in mind. It would be *very* important for the Natpurwa folks to maintain accounts as construction progresses.
      • WAH 2006 details: Any chapter can propose. Should be for non-recurring costs. Asha-wide voting process.
      • WAH budget details for Natpurwa ashram:
        Cost Break up:
        1. Registry of Land: Rs.30,000/-
        2. Construction of Mandapam Rs.90,000/-
        3. Construction of 4 rooms Rs. 200,000/-
        4. Construction of 1 kitchen Rs.40,000/-
        5. Construction of lavatory and bathroom Rs.35,000/-
        6. 3 Solar panels Rs.36,000/-
        7. Dary, Chauki, Mat, Utensil, bedding etc Rs. 25,000/-
        8. Musical instruments for cultural activities Rs.10,000/-
        9. HandpumpRs.20,000/-
        10. Door and window Rs.40,000/-

        Total Rs.: 526,000/-
      • Voting Question: Do we approve the amount of $8535 towards construction of classrooms/community meeting space as a WAH proposal from the chapter? Vote: 6 Yes/ 0 No/ 1 Abstain
    7. Yearly renewal: significant budget increases from last year’s:
      • Voting Question: Should we continue funding Natpurwa at least at last year’s level of $4500? Vote: 5 Yes/ 0 No/ 2 Abstain
      • Voting Question: Natpurwa has requested an increased budget amounting to $8205, for increased salaries. Is the chapter comfortable with funding the entire excess salaries? Vote: 0 Yes/ 5 No/2 Abstain. (budget for the increased budget is below):
        Guddu Rs.72000 @6000 pm
        rambabu RS.30000 @2500 pm
        Chandralekha Rs.30000 @2500 pm
        Mamta Rs.24000 @2000 pm
        Sriniwas Rs.24000 @2000 pm
        Durgesh Rs.24000 @2000 pm
        Two new teachers RS. 24000 @1000 pm
        Stationary Rs.15000
        Travelling expeces Rs.20000
        Phone and Internet Rs.5000
        Medicine Rs.6000
        Toys and books Rs.5000
        Micl. Rs.10000
        Total Amount Rs.3,61000

        Postscript from Meeting Attendees: We recognize the additional money is necessary, but we have strong reservations about Natpurwa’s dependence on a single entity (us) for recurring expenses.

      • Voting Question: With the current level of chapter funds, are we OK with making an annual committement of $6500? (this vote is tabled until Neelesh provides an update on our chapter finances)

  3. Sahanivasa Tsunami Project (Rajeev)
    1. Tsunami project proposal for ~$80,000 (Rs. ~37 lakhs) to be proposed for ARC funding. Proposal for huts, nets. Also to create trade unions, etc. Also a womens cooperative society building. Will affect 12 villages (1407 families).
      • We voted yes at last meeting to go forward with this (fact finding?)
      • Asked Mr. Chennaiya questions by telecom yesterday. Summary of some important questions:
        1. Repair of boards, nets. Q: What have fishing communities been doing until now? A: Currently, some people are managing this through high-interest loans; hence, they are getting by in a sub-optimal way.
        2. Govt. funding levels. Q: What about this? A: Some of the villages are not recognized to be available for govt. funding. Many are nomadic. One of the efforts in this project would be to get govt. recognition.
        3. AID has worked w/Sahanivasa in this area. Q: What was their experience? A: Aid helped ~1100 families. These families don’t have any material constraints today, i.e., their lives are getting back on track. They have a basic, rudimentary structure for the women’s cooperative. I.e., there’s a model and it seems to work.
        4. Rajeev will post the detailed minutes of the fact finding call to asha-strategy
      • Voting Question: Does the chapter approve the proposal for the submission of the Rs. 3,708,000 to the Asha wide Tsunami fund? Vote: 6 Yes/ 0 No/ 1 Abstain

  4. Mugdha has agreed to be the chapter's ARC representative.
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Venue: MIT Room No. 2-103, 77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge MA 02139
Date: Sunday, May 14, 2006, 10.00am - 1.00pm
Agenda:
  1. VOICE - funds routing update - Mugdha
  2. Natpurwa funding update - Melli
  3. Chamarajnagar tribal school project - Melli
  4. Tsunami proposal, Sahanivasa - Rajeev
  5. (time permitting) Tsunami proposal, Parirakshak - Anjali