Objectives of the Group

Asha for Education is a secular organization dedicated to change in India by focusing on basic education in the belief that education is a critical requisite for socio-economic change.

In keeping with this focus, our volunteers are involved with and support projects that are secular and have an education-related component to them. The objectives of this group are:

  1. To provide education to underprivileged children in India.
  2. To encourage the formation of various local groups, both in India and U.S., to reach out to larger sections of the population.
  3. To support and cooperate with persons and groups already engaged in similar activities.
  4. To raise the required human and other resources to achieve the group objectives.
  5. To provide opportunity to individuals based in the U.S. who wish to participate in Asha activities in India.
  6. To address, whenever possible, other issues affecting human life such as health care, environment, socio-economic aspects and women's issues.

 

How We Started

In the summer of 1991, a few students including V.J.P.Srivatsavoy, D. Gupta, and S. Pandey got together to think of ways in which they could play a role in the development of India, the country of their origin. These young people shared the belief that education is a critical requisite and an effective catalyst for social and economic change in India. Basic education became the agenda for the action group that emerged from this gathering. The group was named Asha to represent the hope that had brought these individuals together and the hope that they aimed to bring into the lives of children in India. In that summer of 1991, Asha was born at the University of California in Berkeley.

  1. V.J.P.Srivatsavoy worked in India with Unilever, Mumbai. He passed away in May 2000.
  2. Deepak Gupta is currently a Professor at IIT, Kanpur and continues to be involved with Asha in shaping its vision.
  3. S. Pandey is currently in India and is devoted to grass roots work full time.

 

Asha Today

Asha's focus on children's education has galvanised a number of volunteers across the globe. Today, there are over 66 Asha chapters worldwide: 45 in the US, 14 in India, and 7 in Europe, Singapore and Australia.

Volunteers in each of these chapters take personal interest in identifying education-related projects in India, and supporting them through funds and other means.

As part of the Asha charter, all Asha chapters have a high degree of freedom in their activities including the identification, research, support and ownership of projects. However, there is also a good deal of co-operation among chapters and volunteers across chapters. This co-operation is evident in the joint ownership of projects across chapters, formation of focus groups across chapters, cross-chapter discussion on issues of interest, worldwide events like the Asha-Wide Conference, Work an Hour and the Asha India Conference.

 

Asha's Future

In the future, Asha hopes to continue playing an important role in the socio-economic development of India. Asha's vision is outlined below:

2047: Universal Primary Education in India.

2010: At least one project in every district of India.

Asha will continue to evolve in keeping with the needs of the hour and the needs of the country. The 2003 Asha-Wide Conference in New York and the 2002 Asha-India Conference in Bangalore demonstrated that Asha's volunteers are a committed lot who are willing to put in the effort required to bring about a change for the better in India.

Over the years, Asha has succeeded in touching the lives of thousands of children across the different projects that it has supported. However, we also realize that there is still a lot to be achieved since there are millions of children in India who do not have access to basic education. Debates and discussions are now underway among the volunteers about ways in which we can make a greater impact on the situation. As part of this learning process, we are undertaking projects to evaluate our efforts over the past decade. In the end, we hope to be able to better understand the impact we have had, and where we should focus our efforts.

All said and done, the future holds even more significant challenges for all of us as a people. It is more important than ever that every concerned person pool in his efforts and start working towards addressing these challenges. We, the volunteers of Asha, believe that we are upto these challenges that the future holds for us.

 

Asha's Achievements

At a glance (through 2004):
Projects: 385
Funds Disbursed: $4 Million
Chapters: 66 = 45 in the U.S. + 14 in India + 7 in Europe + Singapore + Australia.
Volunteers: Over 1000 active volunteers

Today, there are over 66 Asha chapters worldwide: 45 in the US, 14 in India, and 7 in Europe, Singapore and Australia. The organization has more than 1000 active volunteers and several thousand supporters around the world.

Till date, Asha has supported more than 385 different projects spanning 24 states in India. In terms of project funding, almost $4,000,000 has been disbursed to these projects since Asha's inception. In 2002 alone, Asha chapters raised and disbursed more than $1,000,000 to over 200 projects. The annual reports and our financial statements are available here.

Perhaps, more important than these numbers is the personal leadership that the volunteers take in carrying out Asha's activities. Involvement with Asha has produced an awareness about developmental issues in India and has inspired a whole range of volunteers to get involved in other social causes. There has also been an increased emphasis on the formation of more chapters in India (called Asha Centers) so as to draw upon the collective energy and experience of part and full-time volunteers in India and to build closer bonds with our projects. These Asha centers also serve to network like-minded individuals, in addition to pioneering bold new initiatives in the field of education. Thus, Asha, while making a difference in the lives of underprivileged children of India, is also preparing a group of people who are more socially aware and socially responsible in their lives.

 

Asha's Activities

Clearly, identifying, researching, owning, funding, and sustaining projects has formed the core of Asha's activities till now. Asha raises funds for its projects in a number of ways: individual donations, corporate donations, sale of merchandise (T-shirts, calendars, mugs, greeting cards, etc.), fundraising dinners, Indian classical music and dance concerts, popular music concerts and many others. In the process, we also promote Indian culture over here.

Some Asha chapters also work towards raising awareness in appropriate forums about various issues affecting the people of India. This awareness-raising is accomplished by organizing discussion series, invited talks and study groups. Asha also acts as a network for various grass-roots workers and volunteers and non-governmental organizations.

Our Core Values

OPERATIONAL CORE VALUES

Volunteerism: Not a single person in any chapter is paid a salary, stipend, honorarium or any form of financial reimbursement. There is also no paid membership to be an Asha volunteer.

Zero Overhead: Minimal overhead entails the credit card transaction fees that are imposed by the credit card processing company, PO Box rental and other incidentals. This minimal overhead is typically covered through contributions from volunteers. Hence, we can promise our supporters that 100% of their contributions go directly to projects and community initiatives.

Non - Hierarchical: No volunteer has to deal with bureaucracy to participate. There is an "open-inbox" or "open-phone" policy in Asha for Education. No individual has more say than another.

Non - Discriminatory: Asha for Education does not discriminate in its membership or in its selection of philanthropic project activity, on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, lifestyle, and groups protected by applicable state or federal discrimination laws.

Decision - Making: Chapter relevant decisions are left to chapters and volunteers participate in chapter decisions through meetings, conference calls or emails. Decisions relevant for cross chapter working (operational in nature) are conducted through the Asha Representative Committee (ARC). This internal committee is comprised of ARC representatives from chapters who cast their chapter vote for any documented decision.

Decentralized Accountability: The smallest operating unit in Asha for Education is a chapter. Chapters are empowered to make chapter relevant decisions and are expected to adhere to the core values listed here.

Mutual Respect: Whenever there is any disagreement, everyone should respond in a respectful manner, focusing on the issue rather than the individual. Communicating in a respectful manner builds a constructive environment to resolve conflicts.

Financial Submission: All chapters of Asha for Education are required to submit their financials as per their country laws. It is extremely important to submit financials in a complete and timely manner and adhere to the law to maintain non-profit or charitable status.

PROJECTS CORE VALUES

Non-sectarian, secular: We fund only non-sectarian and secular community initiatives, projects or people. This means that we will not fund initiatives or projects that are solely for the benefit of one religious community barring others. We will also not fund initiatives or projects or people that encourage a sectarian thinking.

Non-political: We fund only non-political community initiatives, projects or people. This means that we will not support a particular political party or ideology. Since "catalyzing socio-economic change" involves advocating policy change, we reserve the right to participate or fund any initiative, project or people involved in advocacy relevant to our organizational mission and objectives.

No personal benefit: Every project that a chapter supports is stewarded by a project steward from that chapter. Supporting or funding a community initiative, project or person is not and should not be dependent on any personal benefit for that or any Asha volunteer.

Project Proposal: Every proposal that is being presented for consideration should be adequately documented. Every volunteer must understand that an incomplete or inadequate project proposal can be counter productive so all efforts must be made to have relevant information before it is presented to the chapter.

Site-visit: We recognize two kinds of site visits - a general or social site visit and a decision-based site visit. We encourage all volunteers and supporters to visit any of our supported community initiatives, projects or fellows. Before every community initiative, project or person is given funding, a personal face-to-face communication has to be established between an Asha chapter and the grantee. Any Asha volunteer can conduct a site visit, provided they have had a conversation with the project steward and know the entire proposal in detail. Decision to fund or not to fund an initiative, project or person is a collective decision at every chapter and the chapter may decide to base its decision on not only the formal site visit but also other site visits and communication.

Change of plan: We recognize that the situation on the ground is dynamic and therefore, funds that were sent for a particular purpose may not be used solely for that purpose - this is especially true when the grantee is facing a crisis (either a natural disaster or community or financial crisis). Therefore, we maintain some flexibility in our approach. Project steward or relevant chapter communicating with the grantee can allow for funds to be used under a crisis.


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