ANNUAL REPORT 2002 - Asha for Education

Though Asha chapters in the U.S. have been funding projects located in and around Chennai,since 1992, the Chennai chapter of Asha officially began in 2000 when Dr. D. Prakashstarted the Asha-Pride Project "to make the Besant Nagar area a pride of Chennai". Sincethen, Asha-Chennai has grown to include 13 committed volunteers in India and several morecontributing from the U.S. and Singapore.In 2002, Chennai supported four projects:Asha Pride Urur Olcott School (ongoing since 2001): Founded in 1939 byM.K. Gandhi, located in the village of Urur Kappam, runs both the pre-school and the primaryschool. Asha-Chennai hopes to improve the quality of education provided to the 150+ kids as wellas to illustrate the importance of education as an integral part of community development.Asha Build (Migrant Brick Workers): Started in 2002, Asha-Build provideseducational opportunities for children working in brick industries. Nearly 100 children areattending the five motivational centers that have been set up by Asha in five brick chambers.Because the children move from place to place accompanying their parents to work, it is difficultfor them to enroll in full time school. They also face malnourishment and respiratory illness. Ashateaches basic literacy and numeric skills, while motivating children to continue their formaleducation. They are also in the process of developing a nutrition/health education program for thewomen and children.Asha Chennai:A YEAR IN REVIEWAsha Scholarships: Asha-Chennai provides financial assistance to underprivilegedchildren in the first grade to college levels to cover school fees and the costs of books anduniforms. In addition, Asha volunteers serve as alternate role models and mentors to thesechildren.TRY-To Reach You (ongoing since 1999): TRY is a multipurpose social workorganization which reaches out to the socially, educationally, and economically backward sectionsof society. Providing education for children of commercial sex workers is TRY's primary focus.The Anand Children's Home at Ramavaram, Chennai was started to provide a home-shelter forthese children, as well as to give them an opportunity for education.ANNUALREPORT2002pg: 13