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Work an Hour
2001
was a remarkable success in terms of the amount
of money raised and the effect it has had on the
projects it supported. Over $100,000 was raised
and 5 projects were supported. Below is a summary
of the projects supported, financials on how the
funds were disbursed and details on how the proposals
were carried out.
Projects
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Financials
Projects
- APSA, Bangalore, Karnataka
- Anandwan, Chandrapur,
Maharashtra
- Rural Development
Institute (RDI),
Garhwal, Uttaranchal
- Irula,
Thiruvallur District,
Tamil Nadu
- Vanavasi
Ashram, Wayanad District,
Kerala
Financials
| 1.
APSA |
$ |
19,200 |
| 2.
Anandwan |
$ |
15,300 |
| 3.
RDI |
$ |
25,725 |
| 4.
Irula |
$ |
19,585 |
| 5.
Vanavasi Ashram |
$ |
25,800 |
| Total
Disbursed |
$ |
105,610 |
APSA,
Bangalore, Karnataka
The Association for Promoting Social
Action (APSA) focuses on the development
of the community of the urban slums,
street children, child labourers and
children in distress. To prevent
children from droping out of school and
becoming child labourers they run
Potential Child Labour Centers
(PCLCs). Over 4 years almost 400
students have successfully been through
these centers and gone onto the next
class. These centers cater to students
from 7th to the 10th standard. The aim
is basic literacy, awareness about
rights and presenting viable
alternatives like vocational training
and self-employment opportunities to
slum children. APSA has also started
work on a Dream School - a model for the
first formal school exclusively for
child labourers.
WAH 2001 funds were raised for
additional 10 centers involving 400 to
500 students each year. APSA submitted a
reworked proposal for funding for the
dream school and two slum level
PCLCs. The slum level centers have been
started in Koramangala(17 November,
2001) and Marathalli (15 October, 2001). 4
teachers were selected for these centers
after interviewing teachers from
neighbouring area schools. The overall
attendance has been 94%, four parent
meetings have been conducted, notebooks
have been provided to all students and
monthly tests have been conducted. 72
students from the 7th standard and 24
students from the 10th standard
attended public examinations.
For
more information about the project, visit the
project
website.
Anandwan,
Chandrapur District, Maharashtra
The Maharogi Sewa Samiti, founded by
Baba Amte, has been working for the past
51 years for the rehabilitation of
leprosy afflicted. Anandwan is a product
of this effort and is run by Vikas Amte
(son of Baba Amte). Yuvagram is a
vocational center at Anandwan providing
training and livelihood opportunities to
over 100 youth every year. The center
strives to provide these handicapped or
orphan youth suitable skills so that
they become economically independent and
contribute meaningfully to society. Asha
was one of the organizations which
helped raise funds for building this center.
WAH
2001 proposal was to provide funds to
Anandwan to run the vocational
center. The Yuvagram has been running
two training sessions per year, each
period of 6 months for 50 youths. The
trades and vocations for which training
is given include - tailoring, steel
metal works, tricycles, handicrafts,
leather craft, glow sign boards,
printing and dtp, plumbing and motor
garage work among others. The trainees
are provided free food, accommodation,
medical facilities, clothes and some
stipend. Some of the trainees stay at
Anandwan to continue advance
training. In the year 2000-2001 there
were 5 such youths who decided to
continue and have their livelihood at
Anandwan.
For
more information about this project, visit the
project
website.
RDI,
Garhwal,
Uttaranchal
Rural Development Institute (RDI) is the
rural outreach of the Himalayan Institute
Hospital Trust (HIHT), a hospital complex
with a medical college near Dehra
Doon. Their purpose is to serve people of
this region using literacy, health and
income-generation. They serve 650
villages totalling around 3 lakh people.
The WAH proposal was to establish
Non-Formal Education Centers for
youngsters and Functional Literacy
program for adults. As of now 10 centers
have been chosen. A 6 day training camp
was conducted for the teachers of these
centers. A pre-evaluation was conducted
to select students for the
training. A novel program of Project
Based Education has been conducted. In
this children are motivated to learn
concepts by prodding their curiosity -
field trips, experiments and games. Small
libraries have been started manned by the
villagers. RDI has also been trying to do
self-awareness and self-management
training for adolescents and functional
literacy programs for illiterate adults.
For more information about this
project, visit the project
website.
Irula,
Thiruvallur District,
Tamil Nadu
Bharathi
trust (BT), an organization working
for the upliftment of the Irulas and
headed by a lady named Siddamma
was planning to create motivational centers
that would prepare the Irula children
to join the mainstream educational
system. Last year Asha contributed by
starting 9 centers in different
villages, benefitting more than 540
Irula children. These are a source of
immense pride to the Irulas and
community involvement is evident at
every stage.
WAH 2001 funds were need to sustain the 9
centers. This is one of the largest
financed Asha projects today ($54,000
overall). The state government was
impressed by the running of these
motivational centers and has approved
and taken over the Kottakulan
school. Also the cental government has
asked BT to identify more villages
which need schools. The children are
happy, healthy and thriving.
For more information about this
project, visit the project
website.
Vanavasi Ashram,
Wayanad District, Kerala
The Vanavasi Ashram Trust has been
running a residential school for tribal
children since 1997. They aim at the
upliftment of the tribals around the
area by a series of education-related
classes.
The
WAH proposal was to extend the school
from the 7th standard to the 10th
standard so that students do not
abandon their studies after the
7th. A new permanent building for the
school has been constructed - 3 class
rooms, a verandah and space for 6
small toilets. From June 6, 2001 to
March, 2002 classes 1-8 were conducted
here. This year the 9th standard will
be started. Vocational training -
computer education, carpentry,
stitching, tailoring and agriculture
is conducted after the regular school
hours. Some of the funds allotted for
a road has been diverted for a more
urgent need of a water tank.
For
more information about this project, visit the
project
website.
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