Independent Collegian Extras: Student Resources | Scholarships | Movies | Travel | GradZone


	Current Issue:	search \| archive \| login \| register

Home

Login | Register
Alumni Registration
Message Board
Calendar
Letter to the Editor
Search
Back Issues
Publishing Policy
Advertising
About Us

The University of Toledo

College Publisher

Home > News

Giving hope to India

By Kinzie Goetz

Published: Monday, September 26, 2005

Asha, the Hindi word for hope, provides just that to untold numbers of impoverished children in India.

An international non-profit group, Asha for Education, creates funding for programs to enhance the education of underprivileged children.

The Toledo chapter of Asha, with about 20 active members, adopts several programs throughout the year, said Sathish Arcot, a second-year graduate student in pharmacology and ambassador between Asha Toledo and the Indian Student Cultural Organization.

Projects proposed to Asha help build schools or improve existing ones, said Srikanth Pilla, a coordinator for Asha Toledo and a third-year graduate student majoring in mechanical engineering.

Other projects obtain necessary facilities, supplies or even teacher's salaries, he added.

Assistance for the education of poor children in India is strongly needed, Arcot said.

"The literary rate in India is pretty low," Arcot said. "It's particularly bad in towns and villages."

According to the 2001 Census of India, the literacy rate in the country is 64.8 percent.

Currently, Asha Toledo is involved in four major projects, Pilla said.

The ongoing Project Freedom seeks to maintain 80 children, ages eight to 14 years, who were rescued from lives as bonded laborers at a rice mill in May 2005, Pilla said.

The children were relocated to nearby villages and are being introduced into educational programs there, Pilla said.

Funding for each program Asha Toledo accepts is provided by donations and proceeds from several smaller events it holds throughout the year.

One annual event is "Ragalahari" - an Indian classical music and dance concert, Pilla said.

Before and during disbursement the chapter in India nearest to the project site is contacted to ensure the need and proper use of funds, he said.

Asha projects usually last a year, and, if they are ongoing, another chapter will generally sponsor it, Pilla said.

Large projects often have multiple chapters sponsoring it concurrently, he said.

The Toledo chapter is one of 45 U.S. chapters, Pilla said.

Asha Toledo also helps fund the purchase of school clothes for those children who were victims of the tsunami in 2004, he added.

The majority of Asha Toledo programs thus far benefited children in the states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh in southern India.

Since its inception in 2002, Asha Toledo has given about $14,400 for various programs, according to their Web site.

Members recognize the intangible benefits they receive from their work with Asha.

"You feel happy that you're devoting time to something that helps build a life," Arcot said.

Interested parties may attend an Asha meeting. The group meets every Friday at 6 p.m. in the Student Union Building room 3016, according to Arcot.

The Independent Collegian
2132 Middlesex Drive
Toledo, Ohio 43606
419-534-2438
419-534-2884 (fax)

National College Advertising and Marketing
Privacy Policy Article Syndication College Scholarships