*SOS* request to assist in flood relief

Dear Friends,

As you are aware, the recent flood situation in Northern Karnataka and some districts of Andhra Pradesh has brought about devastating effects to life and property. In emergency situations, children, women, disabled and aged, are the most vulnerable.

In response to the assessed needs of children from the worst effected districts of Bagalkote, Bijapur, Raichur, Bellary, Koppal in Karnataka and Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh, India Literacy Project is mobilizing relief material in kind and in cash for children in these districts.

To ensure that the material reaches the affected, the relief material will be distributed in coordination with Karnataka State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights, Bangalore and UNICEF-Hyderabad.

A) NEW CLOTHES FOR CHILDREN in the age group 8-18 years: 7000 sets of NEW CLOTHES (each set comprises of a pair of undergarments and external wear) for boys and girls in the age group of 8-18. The approximate cost of each set is Rs. 500/-. You may donate new clothes or make a financial donation (suggested minimum of Rs.500/-).

B) Recreational items: Toys, books, hardy plastic dolls, balls. School supplies: Notebooks, pencils, colouring books, crayons, paint boxes and brushes

C) For financial donations (Income Tax deduction available under 80G): Cheque / DD in the name of "India Literacy Project". (Please mention "Flood Relief" in the back of the cheque) Address: No 27, Narayani Apartments, 3rd Floor, 2nd Cross Ramakrishnappa Layout, Sanjay Nagar, Bangalore 560094, Tel: 080-23519693.

In case of Electronic Fund Transfer, please email us the details of your contribution, in order for us to confirm the receipt of the same.

Drop-Points for contribution in kind:

a) New Clothes for children: State Child Protection Unit, 2nd Floor, "F" Block, Karnataka Housing Board, Above State Bank Of India, Kaveri Bhavana, KG Road, Near Majestic. Contact: Tel: 22107494; Suchitra Rao (94484 65749), Shivaram Naik (Mobile: 94817 70148)
b)Toys and Book Supplies: Karnataka State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights. 4th Floor, Krishika Bhavan, Nrupathunga Road, Bangalore -560002
Contact: Tel. 22115291/92, Nina P. Nayak
c) ILP Office

We thank you in advance for your generosity. Should you have any queries kindly contact us @
India Literacy Project, 27, 2nd Cross, Ramakrishnappa Layout, 3rd Floor, Narayani Apartments, Sanjay Nagar,Bangalore 560094. Contact: 080-2351 9693, Victor Tauro (99451 72639), Harish (97407 05868), Sindhu (9900191517)

ILP Joy of Giving Events in association with SAP

Hi All,


Below are the events planned in partnership with SAP for Joy of Giving coinciding with their annual service week:


1. Trip to Bannerghatta National Park- Oct 2


This visit to the National Park is for 60 students from our Akkiappa Garden Library. This would be their first trip to the national park and an introduction to wildlife and animals they only see in pictures. 25-30 employees from SAP are volunteering for this activity to spend an entire day with this diverse group of children. (from class I to X!). The trip is to the zoo, safari and butterfly park.


2. A day at the SAP office + Science workshop- Oct 1


50 of our Puraskara scholarship students (from classes 8, 9 and 10) will be taken around the SAP office to get an idea of what the office culture is like. They get to interact with employees and various department heads with an overview of how the office functions.


In the afternoon, there will be a science workshop held to introduce them to the workings of an aeroplane and dc motor with models that they can take home at the end of it.


This event is tentative though since the government changed their exam schedule yesterday and they now have an exam on the 1st:(. So we are still trying to work out if this can be held on another day.


Will keep you all posted!

-Pooja

"India unveils Rs 6,500 Cr literacy for all mission
The Saakshar Bharat literacy mission targets seven crore beneficiaries—six crore women and nearly 50 per cent of them SCs, STs and minorities"


www.igovernment.in/site/India-unveils-Rs-6500-Cr-literacy-for-all-mission/?section=Education/


.... Does this bring out the positive or cynic in you?:)


-Pooja

I-Day at Akkiappa Garden!

15^th August at the library was a big day. The kids under the guidance of Ms. Vijayalakshmi put up a show for themselves and us the volunteers--patriotic songs, “Des Rangila” dances and short speeches on the freedom struggle.

We went in a little early and were pulled in to the tiny room which served as a dressing room for the girls and well, I think it gave any West-End backstage room competition! F applied kajal and lipstick doubling as rouge on one little girl with expert hands in one corner while in another N combed out her long, tangled hair. There was barely enough room to breathe but at least 6 girls twittered over their appearance as if they were performing for the Prime Minister. All I could think of was, I wish I could capture these moments without taking out my camera and ruining the candour and excitement in the room.

I did manage to take some pictures of the programme though.(picasaweb.google.co.in/ilpindia/IndependenceDayLibraryCelebrations#).

Although marred by a brief power cut, the enthusiasm and the planning was almost tangible as they presented their efforts to us with confidence, small blunders and overall panache!

By the end of the whole thing we were being mobbed by requests for pictures. Absolutely memorable. Kudos to Vijayalakshmi ma’am for organizing the kids so admirably!

Tharindri

A Perfect Day

It was one of my best weekends ever, with bright young kids at the library performing cultural activities,we had a great time on Independence day.I've known quite a few of them by names already viz., Sunil,Gyanendra,Santosh,Murali and few others.There was this small kid who came upto me and asked if she can take the rose given to me.She was overjoyed when I gave it to her.Got her name,it was Sparshini.It was nice to meet other volunteers Arvind,Tharindri&Roshni who were capturing those smiles in their cams! Wish to see all those pics next week.There's a great job ahead of us to mould these kids into responsible citizens.Looking forward to amuse these kids with computers (I promised one to show him a laptop next time I go there) and teach them English. Hoping to make many faces smile in the coming days :)

-Bhargav

Kannada Goththilla?

Going in with the enthusiasm of a new-comer to volunteer at the Community Library, the importance of a common language as a starting point didn’t strike me. My last session at the library started off ordinarily enough with two little girls coming and sitting next to me for a story-reading session. Both in 8^th standard-but like most of the children there, very small for their age- M was quite the outgoing one and read the story in stumbling phrases but with reasonably good pronunciation. S on the other hand with her retreating smile, shied away every time I asked her something-including her name!-with a “Miss English goththilla”. Helplessly I would say “Kannada goththilla”, my usual ticket to eliciting at least an attempt at English, but to no avail.

However, one thing I really love about the library is how a story or an activity can spark the interest of the most recalcitrant child. Soon, S was vying with her friend to read and there was a general battle….but the thing is that even though she read the story, most of the words were empty expressions followed by colourful pictures to her. Also, even after reading almost three stories, she wouldn’t speak in English to me.

There are some words you can explain with gestures and picture but even so there would be a constant poking in M’s ribs after I explained something, and S would ask in muttered Kannada what so and so was. Without even the advantage of basic Tamil, you feel helpless sometimes because the kids DO want to learn, they want to do rhyming words (Sometimes with disastrous results-“Why can’t hill rhyme with smell, they have the same ending letter?”!), they want to be given dictation and they really want to be part of everything.

The same happens even to people who can in some way communicate with a close-enough language- Rosh who speaks Tamil was wracking her brains trying to think how you explain why the past tense of “go” becomes “went” and why “he comes” is the present of “he came”.

The system is doing and awfully shoddy job is the children in Public Schools are taught to read but not to understand what they’re reading out, because in that case the whole joy of learning a language is lost. Idealistic joys of language aside, it is of minimum practical use as well.

On a happier note, thanks to this little handicap I’ve started picking up little bits of Kannada, although I have to say that when I explain a tree to be a “mara”, and then say a wood is “place with a lot of maras”, I can’t help but join them in the giggling!

Tharindri R.

A Non-Partner’s perspective of the Partners Meet

A Non-Partner’s perspective of the Partners Meet

How easy it is to label things and get carried away by the implications of that label. A Partners Meet must clearly be for our NGO ‘Partners’. The themes and discussions must be beneficial to their work and from a development perspective. It would probably help them to work more effectively for the marginalized sections of the society.

Ergo, if you are not a partner or working in this field, this might probably be of little relevance.

I think this attitude probably sums up why problems never get solved in our country. .. Because we never think of ourselves as part of the solution.

This partner’s meet was about ‘Inclusive Education’ and ‘Child Participation’.

Are these really just relevant only for child rights activists? And of course the ‘government’, our favorite target for anything and everything. With the term conveniently meaning a set of people somewhere in the periphery disconnected from us of course.

Sitting over the three days at the workshop, and learning so much I never knew, I couldn’t help but wonder why I came into this thinking it would be beneficial only from a point of view of my work. I probably took away more for myself personally. I remember wishing there were more non-partners- parents, students, mentors- privy to the thought provoking presentations and discussions.

Not so we could empower others but ourselves.

How many of us, as students, have really looked around to see if our colleges and schools were/are disable friendly? While dropping off your child to school or attending a PTA meet, do you think about inclusive education? Is the same school practicing that?

Do we know what effective child participation means? Is it being practiced in our own homes with our own children?

None of these issues will be tackled effectively if we don’t stop labeling and delegating the responsibility of solving it to ‘them’. Them- the government. Them- the NGOs. Them- the activists.

What about you and me?

-Pooja

Today I learned

Today I learned.

Today I learned that smiles

Are just another way to communicate.

That even if a word falls out of place

And the meanings come out

Garbled and inaccurate,

The idea travels.

That bright doesn’t mean an English education

Or a spot in a top school.

That crayons aren’t necessarily sprung

From the depthless wells of parental generosity.

That a story with a fisherman

And a conch shell

And a mermaid

Can bridge the gap between eager child

And willing adult.

That although we think

We’ve learned it all,

Seen the world in all its splendour,

And pathos,

And become so world-weary,

There’s still something to learn

From sitting down to read a book,

Colour a picture

With a child who wants

So desperately to learn.

One volunteering session at the ILP-organized community library at Yeshwanthpur, and I am inspired. Inspired by the fact that there are places like the library, innocuous among the slums of Yeshwanthpur, where children of all ages can come and express themselves in any way they want. Inspired by the fact that there are children like Vignesh, Shashi, Ashwini and Fathima who come from those same slums but can communicate with me in, not perfect, but desperately hopeful English.

I dropped in at the library with my friend who had already started and raved about the place and the kids. What greeted me after a tramp through mud and speculative glances from the neighbours was a group of beaming children in a very small room. Every one seemed to know Rosh-my friend-but seemed to want to ensure that the new addition wouldn’t be left out. As they tried courageously to wrap their poor tongues around my name-which is a tad more difficult that your average 8^th standard Spelling Bee contender-I was effortlessly pulled in, in more ways than one.

The kids from the area come mostly from Public Schools, we hear. The library is a space for them to do their homework, colour-in pictures, read a book or simply improve their English. I liked the fact that the work was relatively un-structured, which means that the usual reservations kids have about going to “classes” would not be present. The books in the library are colour-coded according to difficulty of language and there are “activity sheets” which are graded according to class.

It’s not as organized as it should be and that’s something we can do. The librarian-Vijaylakshmi-is harried but happy with her one folder holding definitely close to a million Activity sheets.

The kids however are a treasure. Mostly very bright, they come up to you and ask you questions with shining eyes, they sit by you and listen as you help them read, stumbling over words but trying hard. Most of the kids I interacted with were relatively well spoken in English-but even for someone with dismal Kannada skills like me, communication wasn’t a problem. There’s always your hands, the occasional Hindi word and of course, pictures.

I loved the place. And I plan to make sure I go at least once a week to learn.

Tharindri R

Life Skills Valedictory, 19 Jan 2008

Every child has a dream: to be educated and be equipped with the basic skills to take charge of his or her life to be able to live a life of dignity and progress that their earlier generations did not have. It is a dream that can be turned into reality with everybody's support; Yours' and mine.

India Literacy Project (ILP), an NGO that I volunteer with, has been helping children chase this dream. ILP has been able to increase awareness about literacy, support NGOs who work in the areas of child education and self employment, raise government support, build a knowledge base, solicit corporate support for specific projects and build a vibrant, purely volunteer based organization that takes these tasks seriously and continue to make fresh progress. At ILP, we believe that every child today must have a chance to make a future. An optimistic future that they can carve out with the skills they are taught today.

We thank you for the continued support to ILP in this endeavour. I am happy share to some updates on our scholarship programme.

Under the scholarship programme, PURASKARA, this academic year 2007‐08, ILP is supporting 186 children from 5 districts – Bangalore Urban, Bangalore Rural, Raichur, Davangere in Karnataka and Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh.

* In the last academic year, 32 children who completed their 10th standard exams received partial support towards continuing their education. Thirteen of them passed with a first class.
* All the children are continuing their education either in local polytechnics, pre-university colleges or technical institutes.

In the coming academic year, we plan to expand the Programme to 250 children.

Realizing some of the gaps during house visits by volunteers and experiences from our earlier scholarship recipients, ILP undertook certain initiatives to address them. Among them were Spoken English Classes and Workshop on Life Coping Skills.

Spoken English Classes: It was found out that most of our students lacked adequate exposure to comprehend and communicate in English. This was more evident for those who had to experience the transition from Class X to Plus-II, where the medium of instruction changed from Kannada to English. In this context, the spoken English classes were conducted for students from Paraspara and Chiguru in Bangalore Urban and Bangalore Rural districts respectively.

Life Coping Skills: Another area of concern was how these students given their exposure and background would be able to cope in real life scenarios going forward. This also meant to equip them with social, emotional and cognitive skills. To this end, ILP has started the Life Coping Skills workshop for Bangalore Urban (Paraspara) students for a period of 14 weeks partnering with Unnati. The current mail is an invite to conclude this workshop.

However, the challenge remains for taking these programs to other places, Bangalore Rural, Raichur, Davanagere and Chitoor. We solicit your support and funds towards realising these.

ILP's goal of making India 100% literate depends on raising sufficient funds. Every contribution counts in this race for literacy, as does every kilometer in a marathon. Please do respond to this mail indicating your support. All proceeds are sent to fund literacy projects in India and the operating expenses or administrative costs are absorbed by the volunteers themselves. Contributions made to "ILP" are tax-exempt to the fullest extent allowed by law.

To donate, kindly make the cheques payable to "India Literacy Project" and mail them to India Literacy Project, 27, 3rd Floor, Narayani Apartments, 2nd Cross, Ramakrishnappa Layout Geddalahalli, Sanjaynagar,Bangalore - 560 094 . Donations in India are 50% deductible under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

To make a contribution in USA, make a tax deductible cheque or draw Money order in favour of "India Literacy Project" and mail to India Literacy Project, P. O. Box 361143, Milpitas, CA 95035-9998. All donations to ILP in the USA are tax-deductible under Section 501(c)3 of the IRS Code(tax id 36-3779020).

I will be happy to share any information regarding our programs. Please do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward for your presence in the Valedictory Function on Saturday, 19th January 2008.

Thanking you,

Sincerely,

Sudhira

Event at IISc on 18th Aug 2007: Interactive Session on Education and Development in India: Then, Now and After

Students Council, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore - 560 012

Interactive Session on Education and Development in India: Then, Now and After

Marking the Sixty Years of Indian Independence

Even as India is approaching towards the sixtieth year of its independence from the British, there exist enormous challenges for policy and decision makers, administrators and academicians to devise appropriate mechanisms for ensuring delivery of basic infrastructure and access to services for a vast majority of the country's population. While the statistics would reveal that majority, almost 72% still live in rural areas, the fate of urban population hasn't been any better. Most urban areas are also subject to the inevitable urbanisation with huge migrant population coming to cities in search of livelihood. Subsequently, the quality of life of the deprived either in urban or rural areas has been questioned with poor standards of access to basic amenities and infrastructure leading to unhygienic and unsustainable consumption of resources. In the course of achieving higher economic growth rate, it appears there was loss of focus on delivery of efficient services in education and healthcare, besides tackling poverty and minimising threat to environment. It is in this light, the Student Council of IISc presents an Interactive Session on Education and Development in India with Dr. B. R. Parameswara Rao and Dr. H. Sudarshan.

Date: Saturday, 18th August 2007

Venue: Choksi Hall, Indian Institute of Science

Time: 10:00 AM - 12 Noon

About the Speakers:

Dr. B. V. Parameswara Rao

Dr. B. V. Parameswara Rao, after obtaining his Ph.D., from Penn-State in 1967, returned to his native village Dimili in Andhra Pradesh, India. Ever since, he and his family are devoted to rural development work. Dr. Parameswara Rao is among the foremost social entrepreneurs in India today who has spent over 30 years working in the villages of Andhra Pradesh in India. He has spent this time initiating and facilitating socio-economic development in about 40 villages through an organization that he founded called the Bhagvatula Charitable Trust (BCT). His work with the villagers has earned him recognition as the Week magazine's "Man of the Year" in 1988. In his own words, "The objectives with which I had come to Dimili were

1. To discern for myself whether India continues to have the genius of yore or whether that genius is no more

2. If India still has that genius whether it could be revived

3. Whether I could play any role in that rejuvenation if any were possible

4. Incidentally repay Dimili to the extent possible, the debt of our six brothers who were educated because of it."

His efforts have been amply rewarded. His work grew into the NGO Bhagvatula Charitable Trust that works in 40 villages directly and influences work in hundreds of villages -- for example at one point in time it was running 700 Non Formal Centers until it trained local NGOs there to run them themselves. Vast acres of waste lands on the rocky hill slopes are now prospering into lush green farmlands. A model for holistic development, BCT is well known for work in reclaiming wasted land, setting income generating activities by village initiatives, women's empowerment, and education.

A very modest person, Parameswara Rao is not eager to claim responsibility to things he/BCT initiated -- for example the anti-arrack movement in AP portrayed in the film "When Women Unite" was triggered by a story in the literacy textboks about a village where women stop their husbands from drinking. What the film does not mention is that the story is a true one from Marripalem, one of the BCT villages.

Parameswara Rao has been in several national level committees and has tried his hand at coordination with several NGOs. He has definite views on interaction with the govt etc. based on his successes and failures. He was actively involved in a national campaign to make elementary education a constitutional right for all Indians. Dr. Rao has also travelled to several countries visiting development efforts and providing expertise as consultant to international projects. He has also inspired the formation of India Literacy Project and Rejuvenate India Movement.

Press: New model of education needed for rural India. The Hindu – Business Line, dated Saturday 27 August 2005. http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/08/27/stories/2005082702571900.htm

http://www.ashanet.org/madison/events/prao99.html


Dr. H. SUDARSHAN

A medical doctor by qualification Dr. Sudarshan has dedicated his life to social development in India. He started his career in 1975, with the Ramkrishna Mission Health Projects. During this period, he worked in the Himalayas (Uttar Pradesh), Belur Math (West Bengal) and Ponnampet(Uttar Pradesh). In 1980, he established the Vivekanada Girijan Kalyana Kendra (VGKK). The organization works with Soliga tribals in the B.R. Hills of Karnataka. The objective of VGKK is to empower the tribal people to realize their dream of a self-realiant, united and progressive community. VGKK has been successfully carrying out several programs in the tribal area in education, health, community organization, revitalization of traditional medicines, bio-diversity conservation, sustainable agriculture, rehabilitation of displaced tribals, low cost housing, social forestry, tribal cooperatives and promotion of appropriate technology.

He also started the Karuna Trust in Yelandur, for rural health and development.
Together with India Literacy Project, Karuna Trust has created the first integarted model of education in the state providing access to anganwadis and schools to all children from the age group 0-14. As acknowledged by the Block Education Officer, the Yelandur block has only 105 children out-of-school.

He has been awarded the Padmashree in 2000, the International Distinguished Physician award given by the Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) in 1995 and the Right Livelihood Award in 1994. Dr. H. Sudarshan has held important positions in various state and national organizations. To name a few: a member of the Executive Committee of the National Literacy Mission, the chairperson of the Karnataka Task Force on Health and Family Welfare and a member of the Karnataka Task Force on Education.

Dr. Sudarshan's work has been acknowledged by none other than the former president Dr. A P J Kalam, who also visited the area in Oct 2006. The following, an excerpt from Dr. Kalam's address at the residential tribal school of Kalinga Institute of School Sciences at Bhubaneswar on 29th Nov 2006, speaks for itself. "Recently, I visited BR Hills in and I found substantial new developments has taken place in this area. I can see a "New Tribal Hospital", roads and education environment and above all the earning capacity of the tribal citizens have been increased with the technology resource centre as a base. Previously, they were selling honey at Rs. 6 kg. whereas now they are selling at Rs. 60 per kg. There are solar lamps, health insurance, quality schools available in the rural complex. Dr. H. Sudarshan, is an inspiring architect of this societal transformation."

Press:

http://www.rightlivelihood.org/sudarshan.html

http://www.india-movement.org/NGOs/dr_sudharshan_bio.php

ILP Documents

Sindhu dug out old Partners meet (2001) report, it has been added to the ilpindia.org site. This as well as other reports are available at http://www.ilpindia.org-a.googlepages.com/annualreports

ILP Partners meet, 2-4 Aug, 2007

ILP Partners meet

2nd 3rd and 4th August 2007

Venue: Indian Social Institute, Benson Town, Bangalore

Theme: Improved School and Classroom Environment for improved learning.

The aim is to enable partners to initiate action for improved learning environment at the village level through Village Education Committees.

The necessity of the goal is based on ILP’s observations that many ILP partners have promoted, rather, well functioning Community based Groups at the village level to add value to children’s education. It is also observed that over a period of time the discussions and inputs to these groups were limited to the structure of Education Committees, duties and responsibilities etc. In other words the focus was more on building the Managerial /administrative capabilities of the Education Committees. So it is the time that our partners take a stock of the growth of Village Education Committees and create scope for community participation with other dimensions such as factors influencing the quality of learning.

It is also relevant and appropriate time to discuss on the relevance of education as it is debated all over the country by some groups. ILP needs to take an initiative to elicit views from the Parents from marginalized communities, who are our target groups, and these views should form basis for us to demand the quality of education for their children. To do this we need to provide right kind of orientation to our partners who in turn build the right perspective with parents and children and widen the scope for discussion on relevance and quality of education.

Schedule

Day 1 2nd August 2007
9:00 – 9:30 Welcome and Introduction to the Meet Victor
9:30 – 10:30 Session 1 Community Participation, Dr. Niranjanaradhya, Senior Research Officer, NLSIU, Bangalore
10:30-11:00 Tea Break
11:00 – 1:00 Continue Session 1 and Interactive Session
1:00 – 2:00 Lunch Break
2:00 – 4:00 Session 2.Better School environment for Improved Learning, Dr. Padma Sarangapani, Visiting Fellow, NIAS Bangalore
4:00 – 4:30 Tea Break
4:30 – 6:00 Continue Session 2- Discussion
6:00 – 7:30 ILP sharing, Victor Tauro
7:30 – 8:30 Dinner


Day 2 3rd Aug. 07
9:00 – 10:30 Session 3 - JJ Act – A Review and Implications for NGOs
Vasudeva Sharma, Director Project – Child Rights Trust, Bangalore
10:30 – 11:00 Tea Break
11:00 – 1:00 Continue Session 3 – Discussion
1:00 – 2:00 Lunch Break
2:00 – 4:00 Life Skills Education Concept and Practice – Discussion Ms. Anita Ratnam, SAMVADA Bangalore
4:00 – 4:30 Tea Break
4:30 – 6:00 ILP Sharing Victor Tauro
6: 00 – 7:30 Open House ILP Volunteers and ILP Partners
7:30 – 8:30 Dinner


Day 3 4th August 2007
9:00 – 10:30 Open House ILP Partners – ILP Volunteers.
10:30- 11:00 Tea Break
11:30- 1:30 Re-looking into Indian Education Sri Pawan Kumar Gupta, Director, SIDH, Mussoorie
2:30 - 3:30 Continue Session – Discussion
3:30 – 4:30 Feedback and Conclusion
4:30 Tea

Photos of Bangalore Scholarship Children at their Homes

www.flickr.com More of ilpindia's photos tagged with bangalorescholarshipchildrenhomes

Post 10th Students : 2007_08 An update

Thanks to your contributions, we are able to support the post 10th education of all children who had passed their 10th and are continuing. Out of the 32 children who passed, 28 are continuing either in Diploma, ITIs or PUCs.

The total funds we required for Post the 10th Puraskara kids' education was: Rs. 95,103 and we have raised all the needed amount through contributions from generous individuals.

You may be also happy to know that G, who topped our list in Bangalore with 87.68% has got admission to Diploma in Electrical and Electronic at MEI Polytechnic, Rajajinagar, Bangalore. Thanks to Sudhira and Gangadhar, our volunteers from IISc who spent a whole afternoon, evening and the next day morning for Gunavathi's diploma counselling.

Learning from previous years' experience, we also organized Spoken English classes for the children in Bangalore town so that their transition from Kannada medium to English medium in their PUC and Diploma becomes easier.

Your unstinted support has inspired us to reach out to 200+ students in high schools this year.

Regards,
Sindhu

They will get by with a little help from their friends..

As many of you know the Karnataka State Board SSLC results were out on 24th of April and as usual ILP has its share of success stories about the children in the Puraskara (scholarship) program.

This year 33 of the scholarship recipients appeared for the SSLC exams. 'G' from Bangalore tops the list with a distinction-87.68%. Due to financial difficulties at home, 'G' had almost dropped out of school after her 7th standard to work with her mother as a domestic worker. With financial support from ILP's Puraskara initiative and encouragement from a local NGO, 'G' resumed school full time. She would now like to pursue her diploma in Computer Science. 'P', who worked in a bakery and distributed newspapers, 'K who sold flower garlands, 'V' who worked in the cotton fields in Raichur, 'S' who grazed cattle in Davangere have all similar stories of their journey from hardship to success. Today they are amongst the 10 students who have achieved a first class.

ILP's Puraskara initiative identifies such deserving children and provides them scholarships to continue their high school as well as guidance in their studies and post 10th careers. ILP thanks all its supporters especially MAD@HP, Diksha Trust and Sonim Technologies, Bangalore for their contributions during the academic year 2006-07.

But our task does not end when these children complete 10th. Our volunteers in Bangalore resemble anxious parents, getting application forms from colleges, caste and income certificates, applying for scholarships and counseling them on what courses are best. 'G' will apply for the Diploma course at SJPU, Polytechnic Bangalore and stands a good chance to get it. 'K' who wants to become a lawyer has applied to Seshadripuram college. 'S' and 'B' want to pursue B.Com. We are assisting the rural children from Davangere and Raichur to apply for the Toyota Technical Training Course in Bidadi.

All these children also need financial support to pursue their post-10th education. Our objective is to see that no child is left behind. And as always we know we can count on all of you to assist them.

If you would like to support the post 10th education of these children, you could send your contributions to 'India Literacy Project' , No. 27, 2nd Cross Ramakrishnappa Layout, 3rd Floor Narayani Apartments, Geddalahalli, Sanjaynagar, Bangalore 560094;Tel:080-23519693. You will be eligible for a tax-deduction under the 80G section and we will send you an update on how your funds were utilized.
-Sindhu

Arivina mane locations and Directions

Arivina mane location and direction in google maps

Invitation to a Story Performance at Akiappa Garden Library, Yeshwantpur

"There have been great societies that did not use the wheel,
but there have been no societies that did not tell stories."
—Ursula K. LeGuin

The members of

Arivina Mane - A Community Library, Akiappa Garden,

Yeshwantpur, Bangalore

invite you to a Story Performance by Kathalaya this Thursday

(Read about Kathalaya at www.kathalaya.org)

Date:

Thursday, 5th April, 2007

Time:

11 am - 1 pm

Venue:

Arivina Mane- The Community Library, Akiappa Garden

11:00 Prayer

11:05 Welcome - Chief Functionary, Paraspara Trust

11:15 A Message for the Children – by the Guests of Honor from Motorola India Pvt. Ltd

- Mr. Sammy Sana, Managing Director, India Software

- Mr. Mohan Kumar, Corporate Vice President

- Mr. V S Ravindra, Operations Manager

11:30 The Community thanks Motorola - Mr. Elumalai, President, Community Based Organization

11:40 Story Performance - by Kathalaya

1.A spider who stole the sun

Props Used: Hand Puppets

2.Chinari the green worm who became a butterfly

Props used: Stick puppets

3. Shoe in the forest

Props used: picture stories

12:20 Mask Making

12:50 Vote of Thanks

Your presence means a lot to us.

Warm Regards,

Organizing Team

ILP and Paraspara Trust

Directions to the venue:

The library is located in Akiappa Garden, in a low income community facing the railway line Yeshwantpur

(north side cabin).

From Mekhri Circle:

* Take the CV Raman Road, past the Indian Institute of Science

* Go past the Circle opposite the Institute main gate, towards Yeshwantpur

*Take the first right. This is MS Ramiah Road – Take it towards Mathikere.
*Continue till the end of the road : Landmark Mathikere Bus-stop *Take a left at this junction.
*Go past Jai Bhuvaneshwari Bus Stop and the JP Park – which will all come to your

right.

*Continue until you hit a long wall- The road becomes a mud-track from here. Alight

here. One of our volunteers should be at this place. We will walk you through the mud-road to the community library. (Area is also called Mohan Kumara Nagar) The red and pink lines on the map give the directions from Mekhri circle.

(click image to enlarge)

ILP Mentor's Meet - Doesn't End Here: Miles to go before we sleep.....

The more you loose yourself in something bigger than yourself, the
more energy you will have.
~ Norman Vincent Peale

Dear Mentors & Volunteers,

We express our heartfelt thanks to all of you who made this Mentors Meet a success. Attended by 24 mentors & volunteers, it was a forum in which mentors shared their experiences, Mr. Pramod Kulkarni unveiled Prerana's plans for the coming academic year and we discussed various opportunities for volunteering at ILP.

This day wouldn't have been possible without the efforts of many and most of all, your esteemed presence. Your presence means a lot because in the process of taking this mentoring initiative forward, it helps us document your experiences which will come handy for the new mentors. We hope that all mentors would attend the future mentor meets.

I take this opportunity to thank -
Ruchira - Who did most of the work for me :-) I really mean it. She's helped in planning and execution which made this event possible.

Sindhu - For providing timely suggestions and inputs to organize in a better way, help obtain the documentary for screening, coming up with the volunteer activity list and briefing everyone at the Meet.
Akshatha - On whom I transferred half my burden of calling and following up with the mentors.
Devika - For taking care of the logistics and setting up t-shirts for sale.
Kiran - for volunteering to take minutes of the meet, even though documentation is a boring aspect :-)

Special thanks to all the board members and well wishers for your
inspirational presence.
"Thank You" to each one of you and please pardon me if I've missed any.

Regards,
Ashwin.(On behalf of Organizing Team)

Collage done by children

100_0328a
Originally uploaded by ilpindia.

Collage done by puraskara children

Library Concept Note