PROPOSAL FOR – ASHA FOR EDUCATION ( BOSTON CHAPTER )

“Empowering youth through education”An initiative to support underprivileged, bright students pursue

higher education leading to higher levels of literacy and employment

FRIENDS OF CHILDREN, PUNEPlot 497, Sector 28, Pradhikaran, Pune 411044

www.focpune.org

Who we are

Friends of Children is a non - profit organization which has been working towards the cause of the meritorious, needy, college going student since 2003 in Maharashtra. FoC is registered as a Trust under the Maharashtra Charity Commissioner’s Act (Reg.no./MAH/115/2004/Pune).

Since then, we have reached out to more than 2854 students, disbursing Rs 140 Lakhs as scholarships and financial assistance, to date.

The Background

Students belonging to economically disadvantaged families end up severely limiting their educational and career horizons due to lack of financial resources, proper educational guidance, and skills required to succeed. With fees increasing significantly after Standard 10, many students discontinue their education. Only 13% eligible youth in the age group of 18-23 enter college for higher education.

Many of these, particularly rural students are first generation literates in their families, with the majority (around 70%) of their parents being marginal farmers or petty laborers. They have no one in their family to turn to for guidance about their education and career path. Many have no knowledge of what kind of education opportunities are out there and how to make decisions regarding their future, in spite of being bright.

This is where Friends of Children steps in and plays a role.

The program is designed and structured to support bright, needy students who would otherwise give up their education after Class 10. These students are assisted through their college education until they are employable.

Vision

Every meritorious student regardless of religion, caste, gender, or socio-economic background must have the opportunity to have the right education equipping him / her to lead a successful life.

Mission

To provide every student with effective, high-quality guidance, learning experiences and monetary support instilling the right values to make a good citizen of India.

Friends of children and “Youth Reach” Program

FoC’s “Youth Reach” is an umbrella, under which the following projects and initiatives are accomplished:

* “Nurture Merit” Program - Extends Financial Assistance for needy, meritorious students

* “Umeed” Program - Provides Holistic Development through monthly workshops

* “Unnati“ Program – Provides requisites through residential programs, enabling students attain

employability.

Unnati OutReach Program – Completes the circle by assisting students with employment opportunities ( Plans are in the pipeline to initiate this Project by September 2015 )

“Udaan” Program– Inculcates and encourages students to volunteer for social causes around them.

Funding support required from ASHA for Education

1.With the Umeed project being an integral part of our Program, we need to make the regions self suffiecient with equipment required for the workshops, conducted every month. At present, local volunteers donate their laptops for use and the OHP is hired for the day.

Laptops 3 numbers @ Rs 20000 Rs 60000

Overhead projectors 2 numbers @ Rs 40000 Rs 80000

Total Rs 1,40000

2. So far the main objective of Friends of children has been making the children employable, by providing them financial assistance for education and providing workshops for life skills & employment preparation. FoC now wants to complete the cycle and provide the students further assistance in actually finding jobs by connecting them to employers. This will also enable the employers to find good deserving employees. This will be achieved by the Unnati Outreach program.

In order for this program to succeed the critical factor is that we have one person (Employment Manager) working full time to research, pilot and stabilize the program.

Support is requested for the below expenses for this program ( for 3 years )

Duration Total expense ( In rupees )

Salary of Employment Manager 36 months 12.6L (Rs 35,000 per month)

Travel and other expenses 36 months 1.8L (Rs 5000 per month)

Total required over 3 years 14.4 Lakhs

The total amount can be payable in three instalments . ie, Rs 4. 8 Lakhs per year.

Summarized goals of the Program

1. The employment cell will connect bright, educated youth to respective employers who can then provide employment opportunities to them if found suitable

2. This program will help complete the objective which FoC stands for - To help deserving youth achieve their dreams.

3. The employment cell facilities will also be available to other youth who are not part of the FoC sponsorship program at a nominal cost.

4. A nominal fee will be charged from employers if they are able to take a candidate referred as part of the program. Again this would go towards making this program self-sustainable.

5. This program will provide continuous inputs to the workshop and life skills module provided by FoC to its sponsored students. Since the feedback will be more real time, it will further help to strengthen the workshops provided. This in turn will further bridge the gap between companies and educated youth.

Total Support required from Asha for Education

Capital expenditure ( 3 laptops & 2 OHPs ) Rs 1.4 L

Salary & expenses for Employment manager Rs 14.4 L ( This amount will be spread over three yrs )

TOTAL Rs 15.8 Lakhs

Some Success Stories That Make Us Proud!

And the list continues……..

Giridhar Potalwad completed Engineering, placed in Tata Technologies.

Gokul Pawar completed Diploma in Paint Technology, placed in Jindal, Mumbai.

Ramesh Girme completed B.Com, presently in Mercedes Benz after a stint in Patni Computers, Pune.

Ganapat Lokhande completed M.Com, placed in Whirlpool Ranjangaon.

Harish Patankar completed BAMS, runs a successful Ayurveda Clinic on JM Road.

Ghule Goraksha completed Diploma, is a successful Marine engineer ( second officer ).

Likhit Pamarti completed Engineering, had got admits in 3 IIMS in India after his BE.

Deepika More completed Diploma, has joined the Central Park Hotel.

Devidas Kulkarni completed Diploma Civil Engg, runs his own business.

Sucheta Kulkarni completed M.Com, works in an accounting firm.

Ujwala Mane completed BCA, is working with Acceltree software, Pune

Rupali Baravkar completed Diploma Mech Engg, is working with Virgo Engineers, Bhosari.

Hrushikesh Gaikwad, completed LLB, and is a successful lawyer in the Pune courts.

Supriya Ranadive completed M.Sc, is a teacher in middle school in Chinchwad.

Datta completed Diploma in Paint Tech, is placed with Godrej, Mumbai.

Deepa Navaghane, completed B.Com, works in Ruby Hall Accts Dept, Pune.

Nagesh Pawar completed M.Sc Chemistry, is pursuing PhD in UDCT Mumbai.

Rukhaiya Shaikh, completed Diploma in Civil Engg, works with a local architect.

Wasim Shaikh completed B.Sc, works at WNS, Pune.

Sadanand Jannu (visually impaired) completed BA, works with the Railways and currently studying Law.

Ashutosh Narawade completed Diploma Mech Engg, works at Empro Industries, Bhosari.

Vaibhav Gadakh completed Diploma civil Engg, works with L&T Mumbai.

Suraj Phalke completed Diploma Mech. Engg, works with Bajaj Tempo, Pune.

Chandrakant Manjare completed Diploma Mech. Engg, works with Tata Motors, Pune

Snehal More, completed Diploma in Mech. Engg , cureently employed by Tata Motors.

Rahul Date, completed BCA, currently employed at Acceltree software, Pune.

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Board of Trustees of Friends of children

1. Shantha Suryanarayan: (Chairperson) has volunteered with the Blind school for boys, Pune, for over 12 years, teaching the boys spoken English. She has worked towards raising funds for FoC through Divali sales each year.

2. Nalini Ram Chandra: runs the Sunshine room attached to the pediatric ward in Sassoon hospital, Pune, providing the patients with books, games and fun activities for the patients.

3. S.Subramaniam: Director, Kusumaa Projects. He has been actively involved in my social causes such as raising funds for the Girls’ blind school in Pune, School for the disabled Ayakudi etc.

4. Aparna Pardeshi: A software professional, she is a founder and working member of FoC and has handled workshop co-ordination, volunteer management and fund raising for FoC since 2003.

5. Vani Subramanyam: A founder and working member of FoC, she manages the administration, volunteer management, accounting & fund raising for FoC since 2003.

Both Aparna Pardeshi and Vani Subramanyam are presently in charge of the day to day running and requirements of the organization. They have spearheaded FoC’s growth in the past 9 years from 17 students to 221 students today

Additional information:

FCRA Regn. No. 083930612 (for foreign currency donations)

Bank account details: Canara bank, Koregaon park, Pune 411001

FCRA account no ….0263101020031 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Contact persons:

Vani Subramanyam

Founder member/ Trustee - Friends of childrenPh. 020 26687731, 9823270046Email:vani.foc@gmail.com

2. Aparna Pardeshi Founder member/ Trustee – Friends of children Ph. 98900 93187 Email: aparna.foc@gmail.com

Boston-members@ashanet.org