PROJECT PROPOSAL:
Shree Nityananda Education Trust (SNET), the Vedanta Foundation, the Red Cross of Mumbai, Learning Space Foundation, and the Saraswathi Secondary School have each identified the need for assisting the adult villagers of the Ganeshpuri/Kelthan/Vajreshwari area learning and practicing greater self sufficiency skills. Beyond education and skills training, there must also be advanced training geared toward turning the newly learned information and skills into either a good-paying job or self employment. There a need for a local NGO to take the lead in formulating a plan that includes registering with the governmental agency that permits certifying educational programs and for organizing, publicizing and administering an adult education program. Before an Adult Education Program can be created, the local NGO must have some financial backing to do the exploratory research and register with the government agency. Once the research is completed, and a plan of action created, the SNET project leaders will implement an Adult Education Program. This proposal will describe the information desired and a budget for this research and project coordination.
OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT
History:
At present, adults of the rural area of Ganeshpuri , Vajreshwari and Kelthan area lack not only education and skill training but opportunities for meaning and gainful employment or support and guidance in self employment. Families here live in extremely poor circumstances, with children being the greatest sufferers from lack of food and good nutrition and lack of support for continuing with their own education. Children are often forced to quit school and work in brick fields and farms just to help pay for their own food. Poverty is real in this area. As a result, there is a high incidence of student absenteeism and dropping-out of school, alcoholism, and domestic discord and violence in the homes.
Students are graduating from village schools without the necessary information, skills, and confidence to enter the main stream work force. Although adult skills trainings have been introduced by well-meaning groups into this area, the research conducted by the Red Cross of Mumbai and Vedanta Foundation has found that the newly graduating student and the adult trainee has not been able to translate this into a job or financial gain. Many of the cultural structures that guide people in right actions in their communities can also serve as a kind of barrier for self improvement and self sufficiency. Most high school and adult education programs have not co-sponsored the necessary personal development that is needed alongside the skills training. Additionally, the Adivasi tribal members have been labeled for generations as the “backward class” and need a very powerful re-framing to counter this destructive conditioning.
What is Shree Nityananda Education Trust?
Shree Nityananda Education Trust’s (http://www.shreenityanandaeducationtrust.org/) mission is to improve the lives of those living in poverty and creating economic self-sufficiency in the Tansa River Valley of Maharashtra, India by 1) creating clean water through providing free bio-sand water-filters and education in hygiene; 2)hosting smart farming seminars and giving away fruit tree seedlings; 3) identifying sources of financial assistance to improve education of children; and 3) empowering adults with training & job opportunities. In June 2011, SNET will triple its production of water filters and demonstrate a fruit tree farm with 3000 seedlings . During the recent months, with the help of its generous donors, SNET has been working with Saraswathi Secondary School in addressing its needs for clean water, bathrooms, a library and a librarian, textbooks, computer laboratory, science lab, and improved classroom flooring.
Proposed Plan:
Shree Nityananda Education Trust (SNET) will register with Vedanta Foundation (http://www.vedantafoundation.org/) who has been awarded by the Indian government the task of identifying NGO’s that will sponsor a community outreach program to educate, provide vocational training, enhance capacities, and prepare the less privileged for the job market. Vedanta Foundation makes available to its registrants: course training and guidelines, written material for handouts, certificates of completion of certified courses so necessary in Indian market place, years of experience in the field of adult education, consultation and networking.
SNET will hire a full time staff member for twelve months to analyze the existing situation, devise a plan of action, secure funding for the project and begin its implementation. Specifically they will:
1. Review the adult educational programs and assistance that Vedanta Foundation offers.
2. Interview the directors and providers of Learning Space Foundation (Nitin Orayan), Saraswathi Secondary School (Vijay Patil), and the Red Cross of Mumbai (Anthony DiKuna) to survey what these agencies have found to be the specific needs of the community.
3. Review the Red Cross of Mumbai’s history of successes and challenges in working with adults in this area.
4. Assess where the best place to hold specific classes. Analyze how to utilize Saraswathi School, Learning Space and other schools as an adult education facility. Research creating a new workshop facility.
5. Survey what kinds of training the local adults are requesting. (i.e., for women, tailoring, beauticians, incense making, packaging of food stuff, making of liquid soap. For men, cell phone repair, LED solar light making, low tech mechanics, computer repair, worm compost making, marketable farm produce)
6. Analyze what skill trainings have already been offered and determine methods for translating into financial gain. Explore ideas and implementation of small business development.
7. Identify cultural patterns and belief systems that restrict progress and find educators to assist in re-framing these thoughts and offering emotional support to participants. Create on-going support groups within the community. Identify existing support groups such as women’s associations, men’s associations. Help Adivasi identify their strengths in the face of negative cultural attitudes.
8. Create a budget for an initial adult education program based on the information gathered from the above research.
9. Explore, discover and secure the necessary funding for implementing an adult education program.
10. Create SNET’s plan of action to establish the adult education program with the help of other community organizations.
11. Oversee SNET’S functioning of the adult education project.
Sponsorship Required:
One Time Expenses:
Vadanta Foundation charges to register with their organization and benefit from the programs that they offer. 25,000 ($US 568)
Monthly costs
A full time employee for twelve months who speaks Marathi, Hindi and English is needed to do the above analysis and report their findings to SNET, use their contacts to secure funding for the program, create and design the program and then oversee implementation. Since this will take a rather high functioning individual who is self motivated, intelligent and organized, the pay scale will need to reflect this kind of competency.
10000 rupees a month ($US 227)
Transportation allowance, monthly installment of purchase of motor bike:
3750 rupees a month ($ US 86)
Gas allowance:
500 rupees a month ($ US 11.35)
Internet access, computer access, office supplies:
1000 rupees a month ($ US 22.70)
SNET will cover the one time payment of 25,000 rupees to Vendanta Foundation. The one-time charge will allow SNET to become a program that issues government-approved certificates to students, and to utilize Vedanta’s immense resources for community education. SNET will provide the office, computer, internet service, and necessary office support for carrying out the duties mentioned above.
SNET needs donor sponsorship to help with this much needed project.
Twelve Month Summary:
Vedanta Foundation : SNET will provide
12 months of full time staff: 120,000 rupees a year ($ US 2727)
12 months of transportation: 45,000 rupees a year ($ US 1022)
12 months of internet, computer, office supplies: SNET will provide
Subtotal 165,000
10% SNET overhead: taxes, support staff, office space, phone, 16,500
TOTAL 181,500
In US dollars (exchange rate of 44:1) $ US 4125 yearly total
In twelve months time, SNET will have researched and implemented an exciting and collaborative approach to creating an Adult Education Program for the Ganeshpuri/Vajreshwari/Kelthan area. Finding the necessary funding will give us the opportunity to forge strong productive relationships with the other community programs, maximize the resources that are already present in this area and implement a successful community development program. With a well thought out and researched plan as well as building on the strength of other programs and their staff, SNET is confident that it can move forward with its mission of “helping to create self sufficiency in the Tansa River Valley.”
If you wish to be part of this deeply needed and rewarding project, please contact SNET at snetseva@gmail.com. We will be extremely happy to discuss how you can help.
Respectfully submitted by
Jeanette Monosoff Haley, PhD Clinical Psychology
Shree Nityananda Education Trust, volunteer co-ordinator
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