Jeevan Gyanodaya: Melli.

August 21st, 2002

 

A brief summary was provided by Melli. Rs. 7 lakh ($15,000) was provided for JG by WAH 2001. This was used for starting the ITI. Asha-Boston provided money for teachers' salaries. Asha-Seattle funded science lab and hearing aids for students. They still need teachers' salaries for 2002-03. They also need money to build a new building for a secondary school. The ITI eventually ended up costing Rs. 30 lakhs, the deficit Rs. 23 lakhs covered by local donors. So, it may be that the project co-ord is biting off more
than he can chew. We need $8,700.00 per year for teachers' salaries. Out of this, Asha-Seattle will provide $4000.00. We will need to provide $4,700.00 for the teachers' salaries.

 

Anurag: The building proposal will need to be on the backburner for now. The co-ord may be biting off more than he can chew. He also plans to have a corpus fund (Re. 1 for each Re. in foreign funding) which will provide eventual self-sustenance.

 

A vote was taken on funding.
For-7, Against-1, Abstain-4.

 

 

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Jeevan Gnanodya:

Presented by George Varghese

June 2000

Project proposed for WAH2000.

 

Location: Chengalpattu, TN. Amount:$15,444. Children:105.

 

This is a school for the deaf and mentally retarded. FUnding requested is

mainly for the industrial training institute (ITI).

 

Comments: Ram wanted to know if funding the ITI in order for the children to have something to do for the future is part of ASHA's agenda. i.e - this is something for students past their 10'th grade..are we now going beyond "basic education"...This led to a discussion about ASHA's goals again. ASH-MIT so far has funded projects on a case by case basis and has often had discussions if ASHA should look beyond just basic education. We cut short the discussion for the purposes os thi smeeting.. becuase there are no set rules thus far regarding this..

 

Questions regarding the project:

- Does the ITI needthis much covered space - esp since it is carpentry and the sort of stuff that may be okay with just a shed?

 

-How confident is Mr.Devaraj that he will get govt approval for the ITI?

 

-Why not teach these physically challenged children "software programming" - since that would probably be much easier and also have

greater job prospects? Can we put him in touch with Sundar from vedas.com?

George will look into this possibility.

 

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EVOLUTION OF THE ITI IDEA

by George Varghese

May 29th 2000

 

With ASHA-Boston being able to sponsor the teachers' salary for the school in 1999, Mr. Devarajan has had some relief, which has enabled him to think beyond the day to day running of the school. Also, with the kids entering the Xth std. this year we are all looking beyond their school education. The ITI seemed like a good idea. In Dec. the govt. called for applications to start an ITI. Chengalpet was not included in the list as it already has an ITI. However these institutions are not accessible to handicapped children.

There was the possibility of opening an ITI in the neighbouring block and Mr. Devarajan decided to pursue this course of action.

 

The land has already been bought for the training institute in Nimmeli.  If ASHA funds this proposal, by next year they hope to build the workshop for the Institute there.

 

The institute is awaiting central government approval to begin recruitment of students and starting the course.

 

The project is going on set timeline, thanks to Devarajan's hardwork and timely support from local donors - we should give special mention to an individual donor Sriram, an engineer in USA. The centre is scheduled to start normal functioning by june 2001.

 

The ITI, being the first of its kind for hearing impaired children in Tamil Nadu, has received media attention.

 

The following two articles were published in dina mani, a popular tamil daily, following the inauguration function.

 

Sanjeev Ranganathan, Asha NYC/NJ volunteer, was present at the inauguration function - he can add first hand details about it.