Summary of events:

1. We received the proposal sometime in 1999. It was obvious that it was a ‘professional NGO’. It contained tons of stuff but the actual proposal was not clear. We put together a list of 20 questions (after 2 rounds of dicussions) and sent it to them.
2. They replied, but again we couldn’t make out what exactly the proposal was. It was vague and unclear in many ways.
3. Ranjith did a site visit.
4. We discussed it at a meeting, but we still did not have details on how they will use the money and what it is for. Also we didn’t have that much money to give.
5. Ranjith and Melli had a phone conversation with WARM. That made a lot of things clear. Based on that we wrote the letter below, and sent it in both Tamil and English, since we wondered whether the vagueness in the proposal was due to language problems.
6. Their response (faxed to the US because of postal strike in India) is below.

They are basically asking for money to conduct NFE classes to impart functional literacy. To quote them ‘this will help in things like applying for a govt. loan’ and similar activities, and help them in general in their daily life.

(Letter sent in Oct).

Dear Mrs. Shanti Krishnan,

How are you and everyone else at WARM? We hope you are doing well. We are very sorry for the delay in corresponding to you and hope to get answers to our questions quickly.

This is the letter following up on our phone conversation on Sept. 13th. From Ranjith’s visit and our phone conversation, this is what we understand:

  • WARM needs funding for running NFE (non-formal education) centers
  • These NFE centers give students functional literacy
  • Funds are needed for: salaries for teachers at the NFE centers, furniture for the NFE centers, educational materials, play materials, associated programs such as health camps, leadership programs etc.
  • Funds are also needed to identify and convince students to join the NFE centers

    Please correct us if we are wrong. We just wanted to identify the specific points in the proposal.

    If the above points are correct, may we ask a few more questions? I am very sorry that we are asking so many questions, but unfortunately we need to understand the project thoroughly to satisfy our donors here.

    1. What is the curriculum followed in the NFE centers?

    2. When are classes conducted?

    3. Are the people mentioned as ‘organizers’ in the proposal the teachers? If not, who are the teachers?

    4. We are short of funds right now. Will you be able to run the NFE centers if we only fund the education component but not the leadership program, health camp, awareness program etc. Will that be useful or not?

    Answers:

    1. Curriculum is attached. It is covered in 2 stages improving the standard over a period of 2 years. At the end of the first year, the child will be proficient in reading and writing in tamil and with numbers. He or she will qualify for admission to higher level education from class VI. They will send us the third year curriculum soon. The curriculum was developed by the State Resource Center for NFE (an autonomous organization funded by govt. of India which provides technical support in the area of development of curriculum, preparation of teaching/learning materials training of field functionaries, etc.

    2. The classes will be conducted from 6pm to 8pm. It is their aim to enroll children who are at present forced to take up employment to augment the income to their family as they hail from families of poor economic strata.

    3. The organizers are qualified people who will teach the students. They are responsible for all activities of the center - health camps, leadership training, motivation of parents and children, organizing awareness camps etc.

    4. The other programs were included to have a more integrated program touching upon several interconnected problems. But if we have funding constraints, they will try and mobilize funds from other depts such as the social welfare dept (govt. agency)

    Budget (Non-formal components only) (5 centers, 30 students each)

    Salary

    Project coordinator ??
    Organizer Rs. 1500x5x12         Rs. 90,000

    Training

    I month (5 days) (I phase)         Rs. 10,000
    IV month (3 days) (II phase)
    VIII month (2 days) (III phase)
    Rs. 1000/day x 10 days

    Educational materials

    Notebooks, slates, chalk,         Rs. 25,000
    blackboard charts, other aids
    Rs. 5000x5x30 students

    Play materials               Rs. 15,000
    (both indoor and outdoor)
    Rs. 3000x5x30 students

    Books and periodicals         Rs. 5000
    (newspaper, weekly,
    monthly magazines,
    moral story books)

    Exposure program             Rs. 6000