Prakash: Another Wonderful Success!!

Prakash worked so hard and applied himself to his studies with such enthusiasm to become a teacher of young children who he loves and wants to teach, but just couldn’t get over the last barrier to his goal. He is from a poor family whose parents work hourly in fields for very little remuneration. Look at his picture - - - what a bright and shiny young man. He was brought to Shree Nityananda Education Trust to ask for $75 US to pay his remaining fees and receive his graduation certificate so he could apply for a teaching position.

We immediately recognized him to be an unusually happy, stable, confident, intelligent young man, and one who sincerely wants to return to his village and teach young children. Our thought? What a gift he will be to thousands of children! As we always do, before providing funds for any purpose, we checked out his records, his grades, and his character references. His records are as shiny as his face, and we were happy to gift him with the money to get his certificate.

The Good News! Prakash now has a job in the village teaching little children, and what good fortune for the children. Prakash has excelled not only in his studies but he also loves athletics and will help so many children with development of body and mind. We especially like to help the students who are devoted to their villages and will return to help their families. Even one educated and confident young person who has learned to function in the mainstream culture, and who returns to the villages to help others move up out of poverty, can have a major effect on lifting the welfare of the whole village. What a payoff. Only $75 and scores of children get the benefit of Prakash’s attention and love.

There are others like Prakash who make the decision to rise up out of poverty and then return to help others. Want to help? Want to sponsor someone for a little help - -- your own personal young person who is struggling to climb the ladder to success but just needs a little help. You would of course receive your persons picture and some personal details about their families, goals, village, and their schooling. If you like your picture would appear on our The Golden Donors Society page along with a picture the child you are helping. Send the link to friends and relatives who would love to see what you are doing to help. Just click on this link I want to help  the young adults of  Ganeshpuri area get a higher education and we will update you on children we find who need just a little help. No commitment, and we do not share your information with anyone. You just might notice someone you would really love to help!

A call for Funding in Creating an Accredited Adult Education Program in the Ganeshpuri/Vajreshwari/Kelthan Area

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

Inspiring Students to Think Creatively

Vijay Patil thinks out of the box. He saw an opportunity and took it. He, the principal of Saraswati Secondary School, asked SNET if he could bring his students, all 150 of them, to visit the Fire Mountain Retreat facilities and show his high school students the environmental projects that are being initiated on the premises, particularly the farming experiments. He said he would even provide lunch!

Some of the vegetables Dewa Haley has growing at Fire Mountain Retreat are from seeds he brought back from China, such as the meter long green and red beans or the tall green brocolli family member. Others are from friends'  contribution from the states, such as the heirloom seeds of Arugula and Basil. Some of the varieties he has tried are favorites for the local insects and actually never reach the mouths of humans. Others have some kind of natural inhibitants, such as Aswhaghanda, an ayurvedic plant. He also has some Brahmi growing which is known for helping the mind.  Many of the herbs are a surprise to visitors, such as the super sweet Stevia, or the hot and spicy Mustard greens, or regular parsley.

India is Indeed Big Love: Mumbaikars Give Big Time

Three of our men friends from Mumbai have heard the needs of their neighbors here in the outskirts of the metropolis and responded. Two friends were touched by the story of 535 children suffering through cold winter nights and together bought 300 blankets for the children at Kolumbai. But hearing about the story of the chldren was not enough. One of them, Sattish, had to drive out and meet the trustees of Shree Nityananda Education Trust to see for himself that it was a legitimate NGO.  Then afterwards, he drove out into the jungle to meet the children who supposedly needed blankets. He was convinced and not only paid for 200 blankets but he and Bodhan,son of the other donor, Babul, visited Crawford Market, haggled for the best price and the best blankets and then hand delivered them to the school.  Wow, that is amazing seva!!!

Vivek heard about the social work of Shree Nityananda Education Trust and was inspired to help the  Saraswati Secondary School that SNET is assisting to make a better place of education for the village students of Kelthane.  He told us of Kitab Korner, the NGO of his cousin sister, Poorvi, provides libraries in settings where there are none. To date, they have installed 11 libraries. He arranged for cousin to come out to Kelthane and inspect the Saraswati School. They agreed to place one of their smalller libraries at the school.

Here are the notes from Kitab Korner's newsletter about the library installation at Saraswati Secondary School:

"Kitab Korner Library Center at Ganeshpuri



Location: Saraswati School, Kelthane, Ganeshpuri, Maharashtra (located outside of Mumbai)

Students: Approximately 175 students from 8th, 9th and 10th grade


Books: 317 new books donated for the initial set-up


Total Cost: Indian Rupees 38,000 or approximately US $840


Key individuals who will help sustain the library & host workshops:


Mr. Patil: the incredibly caring, conscientious, and hard working principal


Mr. Nitin Orian: President of Learning Space Foundation; another non-profit organization present in the community which holds classes for children outside of school


Sponsor: Mr. Vivek Jhaveri


Believe it or not - the library was set-up in the short span of four working days. On the day of the inauguration - January 10, 2011 - the school hosted a program for Kitab Korner to introduce the library. Members of the Kitab Korner team spoke to the students about the value of the books, the workshops that are in store for them, and how to best make use of this new opportunity they have been given."

SNET looks forward to more collaboration with other Indian donors and local NGO's. Together we can make a difference.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

 (attributed to Margaret Mead)

GREAT NEWS!!! BLANKETS ARE A COMING!!!

 Our new friends in Mumbai are heading the pack in generously donating blankets to the precious children at the Kolumbai Ashram School. Last night
Boudan, from Khandavali, brought five sample blankets out to SNET office for examination: they are beautiful colors of acrylic yarn softly woven. Fire Mountain Retreat uses the same type at their facility.

Boudan also was the welcome messanger that
a man stepped up to donate 200 blankets. And this inspired yet another man to donate 100.  We heard that someone sent in a donation for 25 blankets.  A tourist in India has donated 50 blankets.

 Here is the heart warming disciplined head master of the Kolumbai Ashram School. He has the amazing job of orchestrating all the staff and 535 children into an educational symphony. Kudos to Mr. Ramesh.

These boys study and sleep in the same room while the girls have the benefit of a separate residence hall. Even though their life is hard and rustic, SNET was able to find a smile in most of their faces.

We hope that by 4 p.m. today, Jan. 9th, 2011, we will have a pledge for 535 blankets so that each of the children will receive a new blanket.

At this school, today they will be having an award event and SNET would like to be able to present at least the promise that blankets will be coming in a day or so.


Here is one of two wells; this one they use solely for washing their own clothes by hand.



So, Please contact us and let us know you would like to help keep these children warm during these exceeding cool months, (cold for the tropics.)

SNET WAS ABLE TO COAX SANTA CLAUS
TO VISIT THE KOLOMBAI ASHRAM SCHOOL ON DECEMBER 25TH TO HAND OUT PENS, NOTEBOOKS, AND SWEETS. YOU KNOW HOW BUSY HE IS, BUT HE MADE TIME TO VISIT THESE CHILDREN LIVING OUT IN THE LAST MILE OF THE ROAD. WON'T YOU HELP TOO?






Dec 25, 2010

Our trust, Shree Nityananda Education Trust has been informed by one of our local ashram schools, Kolumbai Ashram School of Nandani, that they are in need of blankets for their many Adivasi students. This dedicated school has the responsibility of teaching and housing 535 children coming from the poorest of the poor families of Wada Taluka.

We have just begun to begin the depth of these childrens' needs but the immediate need is to provide warmth to these precious beings that depend on the concern of the adults in their lives. We believe if we could acquire at least 250 blankets that they could be cut in half to provide for all of the children.

We are currently asking everyone we know to help us in this effort. Right now one textile manufacturer is asking his contacts for wholesale prices for buying the blankets. He just got back to us that he can purchase them for 125 to 150 rupees about $ 3 US. We will appreciate any help we can get in this effort.If we could get at least $500 US we could probably buy the big ones and cut into threes.

This is not a wealthy private school or even a government school. No, it is a school put together on a shoe string for the children of farmers who cannot afford to feed and clothe their children and provide the necessary things they need for education. Hence, they send them to a residential school for their very basic needs. The government provides 600 rupees per child to feed 400 of them for a month. But there are 535 and so they must stretch this government subsidy to provide for all of them. This means that the school is given 20 rupees to feed each child a day, but must now be reduced to 15 rupees per child a day.

This school has such a limited budget that they have to restrict their electricity use due to the lack of funds to pay for their regular use. The government pays for the teacher's salary, and the food, but nothing else.

If you could kindly ask your friends and contacts to help us, we would be thrilled. They are having some kind of program on January 9th, 2011 whereby donors will be giving gifts to their school. We would like to be able to present, with your help, the blankets they need immediately.

With so much sincerity,
Janata and Dewa
Shree Nityananda Education Trust
http://www.shreenityanandaeducationtrust.org/

Buzz of Love Activity at SNET

Today, Friday, the 150 children from Saraswati School come to SNET'S Fire Mountain Retreat for a field trip learning experience and a picnic. Mr VJ Patil, the headmaster is handling all the affairs and expenses of this visitation, as we will be using our personnel to teach the children about beauty and cleanliness of environment, gardening and nutritional benefits from home grown organic foods, irrigation, the various plant species we have here, and the Grace of the Siddha Lineage. It will be a fabulously loving day.

Yesterday SNET went to Saraswati and discussed the implementation of a colorful and inviting, carpeted little library room with 300 books selected By Poorvi, her Mother Sunita, and cousin Vivek. SNET also stopped at learning space and made connections and plans for perhaps bringing libraries to many of the village schools in the area. Yeah! What they have found is that a colorful exciting environment with interesting, mind expanding books lead eventually to mothers coming to read with their children and the whole community becoming involved, especially women's groups.

SNET was visited by the headmaster of the Kohlumbai Adavasi School yesterday and presented with an invitation to come to an annual gathering at the school where the children receive gifts, the children dance and perform, and guest speakers speak too long. Janata is working very hard to come up with blankets for the 500 children.

We had many other visitors yesterday with one thing after another. What a buzz it was.

Help Sponsor a STAR STUDENT Become a Nurse!

IndiaIsBigLove | November 02, 2010
Geeta Laxman Baswat came to Shree Nityananda Education Trust this week with the hope that SNET will help her financially attend the higher education necessary to become a nurse. Her school principal told SNET she finished at the top of her class last year as well as went to the state level of the sport, KoKo. She is already a champion! But she needs help in paying for her education. Her parents are poor disadvantaged farmers and she is the eldest of four children, the youngest have some disabilities. She needs our help! 4800 Rupees pays for her current classes. Please contact http://www.shreenityanandaeducationtr... or call 91 963 787 0587.
http://www.indiaisbiglove.blogspot/
www.shreenityanandaeducationtrust.org

Tags:
SponsorChildrenEducationpovertydisadvantaged childrenCharityDonationBhagwan NityanandaGaneshpuriThane DistrictIndiaPatronSupportLoveHopeFaithFutureSevaElder Nurse

JOB OPPORTUNITY: Recruiting Retired Computers for Volunteer Duty at Saraswati Middle School, near Ganeshpuri, India.

Is there a somewhat bored laptop computer sitting in a corner of your home office feeling very neglected and under-utilized? Maybe it was bumped from your favourite spot in your office and replaced by a fancy new high powered model.

We are looking for experienced, well travelled, emotionally mature laptops. Volunteers will be rewarded by delighting the hearts and minds of a group of teenagers who do not have a computer. What an amazingly wonderful opportunity of service for these born-again computers. They will be helping these youngsters to rise up out of an impoverished and neglected caste system. These youth will join other youngsters on the world wide web and expand into new opportunities beyond the limitations of rural village life. These kids are extremely eager to become e-citizens on the net, learn English and all manner of things with computer software. Thus, the new skills gained will qualify them for jobs beyond the typical menial labor jobs they are now offered.

The Saraswati Middle School in Kelthan, (across the river from Ganeshpuri and Vajreshwari , two hours north of Mumba), has a desk waiting for just the right set of volunteer computers to sign up for a lifetime of service. The computer volunteers will not be lonely - - they will immediately have 175 new excited friends. Upon arriving in India, they will be outfitted with the necessary minor equipment and repairs they need to be fully functioning in their new job as vehicles of great opportunity for these students.

Imagine 175 eager teenagers without a computer to their name. ‘Tis a horrifying thought, isn’t it! You can help. Flights from California and Melbourne have been arranged to transport the recruitants to their job site in India during the months of November and December of this year. If you or your family or friends know of likely candidates, please contact SNET (www.shreenityanandaeducationtrust.org) or TMA (www.tmaseva.org) or as soon as possible. Or, you can write an email to Jeanette@tmaseva.org.

The Saraswati School Adventure

Full of happiness and anticipation, we bumped along the rough dirt and gravel pathway on our way to the secondary school at Kelthan to give a check for 5750 rupies (about US $ 125) to a young man who couldn’t afford to go to college. His name and particulars: Prafull Chandrakant Tumbada, age 19, a slender, clean looking, keen minded person of good manners and respectful presence - - handsome and quiet, but attentive and quick to respond to queries about his life and intents. Yes, we liked him immediately and our appreciation of him only grew as we got to know him better.

Oh, yes, his intent! He intends to become a primary grades teacher, and we think a fine one at that.



We arrived, bones a bit shaken by the bumpy rickshaw ride, at the Saraswati Secondary School, and our first impressions were of a clean, well organized building and grounds - - a favourable start. We were met by Prafull, his champion Ragesh, the self appointed and very capable social worker of the village, and some of the staff of the school. Quickly we were ushered along the enclosed porch way to the Principal’s office where we met Mr. Vijay Patil, a trim, medium height, clean and organized man who spoke good English and began to give us information about his school and the 175 students in attendance. In the first picture above, from left to right, you see Ragesh, Prafull, The Principal Vijay, Dewa, and Jeanetta (from SNET).


The 175 students divided into three grades of 8, 9, and 10 mean that the classes each contained 55 to 65 students. In the photo to the side, you are viewing only the left half of the room full of students. Having been a school teacher myself for a number of years and having complained about 30 students per class being impossible to teach effectively, I immediately recognized the difficulty of their mission. The fact that Prafull had managed to score in the top percentile of Indian testing for his grade level under such conditions speaks highly of his determination and intelligence.

We queried the principal about whether the teachers were paid. He said, "yes since 2007", but for the 7 years previous to 2007, they received no pay. We marvelled at their devotion for teaching without remuneration for so long. Did they have text books? Yes, most student had text books provided by their parents, but the books are getting much more expensive and now cost almost $2 US so that some children could not afford books. Also we heard that there were no work books for question and response where the understanding of each student could be checked and corrected.



As for hygiene, the principal volunteered that they had a “bore well,” a drilled well of 40 feet depth, but which was now padlocked and unused because of water contamination from the monsoon waters infiltrating the system. Later, observing the well, we noticed that the concrete around the well pipe was cracked and would leak surface monsoon water down into the well. A staff member brought the long cylindrical well bucket and lowered it on a rope into the well. Cranking the bucket up again to the top, we saw water leaking from the bucket and at the top was brown dirty water with organic growth floating on the surface. The water was obviously unfit for consumption.The principal told that the students, if they wanted water, had to bring it from home, and that this water was often polluted so that students were then sick.  The principal requested that SNET give them several water filters to provide potable water for the school. We replied that we thought SNET could do that.

Our conversation was divinely interrupted by a beautiful chorus of young voices singing a morning prayer. We peaked out onto the porch and took the snap you see of the circle of girls singing the morning devotion.  Everything and everyone stopped for these quiet and blissful moments. It was truly gorgeous.

 Asked about bathrooms, they pointed to a small building nearby and

explained that there was a boy and a girl side to the bathrooms. Neither side had a door or a curtain for privacy, and the girls side appeared to be unused due to lack of privacy. The boys’ side had three urinal stalls and was obviously used. We have read reports that girls in India tend to quit school early because they don't have adequate bathrooms and have to walk far away from the school to relieve themselves in bushes. Thus lack of bathrooms is a deterrent to more girls finishing school


SNET's project of giving away food bearing trees to the local villagers came up and the principal quickly volunteered that each student could be given a tree to care for, and that the quite healthy trees which we saw at the property boundaries were cared for by the students. This concept could, we mused, quickly evolve into a process/dynamic where the students learn to husband food bearing trees, and take this knowledge home with them to grow trees at their homes. We also have a project in mind where children could learn to farm by creating small plots at school, by learning to save and share the seeds, and to treasure the traditional non-hybrid seeds now controlled by and exploited by the large international corporations. We believe it is clear that Indian villagers must take back the ownership of their own seed lines and organic fertilizers - - to be independent of international external controls. Starting with the children who bring it home to the families seems a sterling approach.

We did learn that a young girl who scored 3rd in her class last year, was unable to attend science school due to lack of money. Jeanetta, for one, cannot stand to see highly deserving young girls like this be disadvantaged and I am sure she will find others who want to help the girl go after her science degree.

Please notice the adjacent picture of the long computer desk in the computer lab. You don't see the computers? Well, neither did we and what a really great possibility for helping a lot of eager young minds lead by a well organized and obviously capable School Head Master, Mr. Patil. He's got the room, he's got the desk, he says he can keep it open 7 days a week - - he needs some computers, new or used. These computers will help these students leap into the 21 century and catch up with the rest of the world.  Let's figure out how to help him and his students! Ideas and resources please!



We visited this school with the intention of offering conversational English classes to the teachers and other adults. After living here for almost two years, it has become clear that for children to speak English well and with confidence, their teachers need to be able to model this. Even a teacher we know who speaks very good English was shy to speak English with us when we first met her. Although she had been studying English for almost 15 years, she had never spoken to an English speaking westerner. After she spent some time with us, she got over her reticence to use her very capable skills at speaking English. But if she feels this way, then what about all the other teachers in the area who have even less training than she has? The Principal and other teachers as well as students would like to learn English with correct pronunciation, and we are discussing how we can organize times to make this happen.

In summary, we are quite grateful to be lead by Prayful’s need to this village and school of even greater need where we as agents of SNET can most likely have a profoundly beneficial effect. We believe we can find computers for this school, and English teaching software as well as for Hindi/Marathi languages. We can help with English conversation for the teachers and students, and provide water filters for them, begin a farming-food-independence program with the children, seal their well from surface contamination, provide booklets for their writings and learning exercises, start a resource library of school books, and at a minimum get a curtain for the girls bathroom. We look forward to a very positive adventure in education with this school and their organized and effective staff.

Stay tuned for how we can all have fun helping these youngsters and staff. Ideas and resources Please!!

$125 Will Help Fulfill His Dream to be a Teacher

Shortly before lunch yesterday, three men showed up at the steps of SNET's Fire Mountain Retreat. The elder of the three, Ragesh, the assistant mayor from the neighboring village of  Naewapada/Kelthan, is someone whom we have met several times and we always enjoy his enthusiastic energy for helping his community. The purpose of their visit turned out to be to ask for financial assistance to help one of the young men of his village, Prafull Chandrakant Tumbada. Prafull had passed his exams and was now eligible  to attend college and become a teacher. He is pictured above.

For his first year at teacher's college, a local politican has already sponsored him with 15,000 rupees for his tuition and now Prafull needs 5750 more ($125) rupees for class fees.

We believe it is an outstanding feat that this young man, Prafull, has accomplished the highest level,  "Grade I with Distinction," in his coursework. He comes from an area where many children are discouraged from going to school so that they can work in the rice and brick fields to help earn money to buy food for the family.  Thus they are not able to escape the vicious cycle of poverty.

The village, Naewapada, where he comes from is no ordinary village. Their mayor is a woman. Several of the villagers speak English. They have an active women's association which has bought two pieces of farm equipment that they rent out to help pay for the mini-tractor and to earn money for their association. The town came to SNET's Plant Give Away as a group and collectively took 300 plants to grow in a communal field. This is the same village that is asking for SNET to spearhead the building and implementation of a residential facility for the children whose parents cannot afford to keep them in school. And here, one of their own, has a chance to break out of poverty and bring back more education to their village. Notice how intense and purposeful this  young man is.  We believe he will be the fine teacher they need.

They need help. Please give them a hand. 

Please donate by contacting www.tmaseva.org if you are in a western country or www.shreenityanandaeducationtrust.org if you are in India.