Background

What you can do

FAQ

Project partners

Appendix I

Appendix II

Appendix III

Asha Seattle

Frequently Asked Questions about Asha projects

What is a project?

With respect to Asha, a project can be defined as providing financial support for a task undertaken by an NGO working on educational activities in a community. It also constitutes Asha volunteers working closely with the community and the NGO. Asha strives to identify non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in India that work on educating underprivileged communities in the rural and urban areas in India. By education, we do not restrict ourselves to literacy-based education. We look into all forms of education that act as a powerful agent of social change and empowerment.

How does one find such projects?

Asha chapters receive project proposals from different non-profit organizations in India. Volunteers of Asha go through these proposals carefully, and correspond with the organization, soliciting more information where required. Various factors are considered like the past history of the organization, objectives of the project, proposed plan of action, number of children covered, number of people involved in its implementation, an itemized budget, and any other relevant information.

How do you evaluate it?

An Asha volunteer visits the project site (at his/her own expense) to evaluate first-hand the organization, the site and the feasibility of the proposed project. It is only after s/he and the chapter volunteers are completely satisfied that the project is approved for funding. Asha chapters are fairly autonomous and it is up to them to choose projects independently or work with other chapters jointly in funding projects. Asha strongly encourages volunteers and people from the local community to recommend projects that they have first-hand information about and which could be monitored by people they know well in India. This process typically takes about 3 months.

How are these projects monitored from here?

Asha requires the organization conducting the project to provide complete financials, narrative reports (and photographs, if possible) on the progress of the project at least once a year and up to four times a year. In addition, Asha volunteers going to India visit project sites unannounced to evaluate for themselves the progress of the project and verify the reports sent by organization. Asha reserves the right to terminate funding at any time if it is not completely satisfied with the situation at the project. Realizing that the children involved are the ones most affected if such a situation arises, Asha volunteers invest a great deal of effort in choosing the projects and the organizations implementing them.

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