ANNUAL REPORT 1998-1999

Dear Members,
It is my proud privilege to welcome you all to the ninth Annual general body meeting of CHETANAA. CHETANAA has completed eight years of its existence and we are happy at the steady progress the organization is making.

Today CHETANAA has 150 children who belong to very poor families. We have students from Nursery to Class VIII. We admit these children to Government schools and after school they come to CHETANAA where three teachers, employed by the organization, help them in doing their homework and try to strengthen basic concepts in various subjects. In
addition to reading and writing, children also learn about the importance of sanitation, cleanliness, morality and manners. They are encouraged to participate in National festivals like Independence day, Republic Day and Children's Day celebrated at CHETANAA.
Educational- cum recreational trips are also arranged for the overall development of these children. A brief description of the activities of CHETANAA during the year
1998-1999 is as follows:
Last year CHETANAA moved into its own building consisting of five rooms, a verandah and a front yard. It was purchased at the cost of Rs 1.25 lac ,collected in the form of generous donations from all sections of society in India and abroad. Although the building was not in a very good shape but we preferred to buy this as it is located in the Mirjapur village where most of our children live. We are happy to inform our members that this year we have got all the repairs done which includes plastering of the floors of three rooms, verandah, front yard, boundary wall and repair of ceiling. The hand pump, which was originally there in the front yard, was not working and was beyond repair. It was sold and a new hand pump was installed. The building was an also white washed, door and windows were painted. Barbed wire has also been fixed on the boundary wall for safety reasons. A Few chairs and three Durries were also purchased. A sum of approx. Rs 50,000/ was spent. In the previous years, due to the paucity of funds, we used to provide textbooks to the children up to class V. We are happy to inform that this year we have given textbooks to all the students i.e. up to class VIII.

Independence Day was celebrated on August 15,1998. Dr K.K.Rishi, retd.Professor, Kurukshetra University, hoisted the national flag and presided over the function. Children recited patriotic poems were recited and Ladoos were also distributed. We are grateful to
Dr Rishi who could come even though it was raining heavily.

On October 14,1998 children of class III-VIII were taken on a trip to National Dairy Research Institute,Karnal, under the supervision of Dr Sharda and Dr Asha Pande. Children visited the various sections of the milk plant and saw how the milk is collected, pasteurized and different products are made from the milk. They were served ice cream and lassi. We convey our thanks to the authorities of NDRI for giving this opportunity to our children. We are also thankful to the Vice Chancellor, Kurukshetra University for providing the University bus on concessional rates. On their way to NDRI children also visited the carpet factory in Sector 3, Urban Estate, Kurukshetra. Sh. Jagmal ji, the owner of the factory was kind enough to allow the children to see the making of carpets and durries. He also donated a small durri for CHETANAA. Children also visited flying club, Kunjpura, and were very excited to see the airplanes.

On Nov.14,1998, Children's Day was celebrated, sweaters were given to the children. We give sweaters to children in groups that each child gets sweater every alternate year. We are thankful to Mr. V.P.Chopra for giving sweaters on factory price.

Republic Day was celebrated on Jan.26,1999. Quiz competition, poetry recitation competition and games were organized. Mr. R.Bhardwaj, Lecturer, Govt. Senior Secondary School, Kurukshetra presided over the function. He himself is a product of a similar institution and was a great source of inspiration to our children. Mrs. Raksha Sharma, Mrs. R.Bhardwaj and Mrs. V.K.Asthana acted as judges. Prizes were given to children standing I,II,& III in different events. Prizes were also given to the best child of every class. Approximately 45 prizes were
given. Laddoos were also given to all the children and guests.

The trip of children of Nursery, class I and II was taken tomini Zoo, Pipli on March 25, 1999. Dr Sharda and Dr Nisha accompanied the children. Fruits were given to children for refreshment. Our thanks to Dr S.Ahuja for providing transportation for the trip.

Annual result of different classes was declared in schools on March 31,1999.We organized the prize distribution function on April 1, 1999. Dr Ruchir Puri, Research Engineer, IBM, New York, presided over the function and gave prizes to the children standing I, II & III in their classes. He brought candies for the children. He has also promised to support the education of two students. Ladoos were also distributed. The pass percentage of different classes are as follows: Class I 86% ,Class II 86%, Class III 79%, Class IV 82%, Class V 87%, Class VI 100% and Class VII 91%. In Total, 17 children have failed. The names of the position holders of different classes are: Class I: Madhu Ist,Ramshri 3rd. Class II: Suraj Ist and Sangeeta 2nd.Class III: Kapil Ist. Class IV: Mahavir & Punam Ist and Preety 2nd.Class VI: Shivratan 2nd. Class VII: Ramsevak I.The result of class VIII will be declared by the Haryana Board of Education sometimes in the last week of May,1999.

I would also like to mention our benevolent donors whose help has gone a long way in realizing CHETANAA's objectives: This year we received a total sum of Rs 1,15,300/ as donation. CHETANAA received a cheque of $500/ from ASHA ,Seattle, US as onetime donation for the repair work needed in the building of CHETANAA. We are grateful to Ms Jayashree, coordinator ASHA Seattle chapter, US, for her interest and making the funds available when one of our members talked to her about this during her visit to US last summer. This is in addition to $1000/, which we expect to get every year from ASHA. ASHA is an organization run by NRIs in US for supporting the education of poor in India.

We express our gratitude towards Dr Dinesh Batra, Professor, Florida International University, Miami, USA, who is co-ordinator ASHA, Florida chapter, for taking keen interest in the activities of CHETANAA. Dr Dinesh, his wife Neema along with their children Neha and Rohan visited CHETANAA on Dec 26,1998. A small function was
organized in his honor. He talked to children and their parents. Shivmohan, a student of class VIII, read a report about the progress of CHETANAA as observed by him from class I, when he joined this School, till date. Dr Dinesh took his essay and posted it on
Website of CHETANNA. Neha recited some Sanskrit shlokas and Rohan distributed fruits, candies and pencils to all the children. Dr Dinesh presented a cheque of $1000/ to Dr Sharda, President CHETANAA. Also, he has promised to make more funds available for supporting the education of five more outstanding children. Names, photographs and other details of the five children have already been sent to him.

A sum of Rs 2400/-was received from Kala Ram Trust through Mrs P.Singh, Principal, Aggarsen School, Kurukshetra, in the form of scholarship for eight children. Mr. Sachin, Project Engineer, Siemens, New Delhi, has sent a draft of Rs 5000/- for supporting the
education of Ram Sevak and Rs 1000/- were sent by Ashish Taneja, Project Engineer, Maruti Udyog Ltd. Gurgaon, for supporting the education of Laxmi. Ashish and Sachin have promised to support the education of these two children in future also. A cheque
of $200/ was received from Dr Anjuli Nayak, Bloomington, IL.US. We are thankful to all of them for their generous donations. We are also thankful to Mr Pankaj Kukkal, Project Manager, Intel, Hillsboro, OR. USA, for donating a camera to CHETANAA.

Mrs. Shobha Kukkal from Faridabad visited CHETANAA, on March 21,1999,she was quite impressed by the working of the institution. She donated Rs 500/ for the Annual prize distribution function and later sent a draft of Rs 4100/ for CHETANAA. We are thankful to her for this and for sending some good poems for our children. Dr H.Taneja
Reader in Mathematics, Engineering College, Murthal, also visited CHETANAA and donated Rs 500/. Our thanks to him as well.

CHETANAA has made good strides this year but there are still some issues that need attention:
Though CHETANAA has got its own building in Village Mirzapur and our children have neat and clean space for studying, playing and other activities. But due to lack of sewerage system in village Mirzapur, there is always stagnant water around the building of CHETANAA. Since
there is no approach road to the building, children and teachers face a lot of problems especially during rainy season. Efforts are being made to contact people who can help us in getting a proper approach road constructed. We are also in need of regular and permanent teachers for CHETANAA. This year all the three teachers of CHETANAA left .Miss Meena got married and had to leave Kurukshetra. Miss Deepicajoined in her place on Nov. 5, 1998. Miss Anju and Miss Hema also left due to some family circumstances. Miss Asha and Miss Geetajoined CHETANAA on NOV.21,1998.

Our efforts to give special coaching to the children who failed last year in summer vacation could not succeed as most of the parents take their children to their villages. As a result, children cannot attend the classes. Perhaps more sincere efforts are required in this
direction. Our new teachers also need more guidance by the members of CHETANAA. More frequents visits by the members to the school might also be helpful.

DONATION AND SUBSCRIPTION
During the financial year 1998-1999, Rs 2200/ were received as membership subscription and Rs 1,15,300 / were received as donation. Total expenditure was Rs 84,494/-

ELECTION: On March 20,1999, in the meeting of CHETANAA, it was resolved that Dr Sharda will continue as President, Ms Daya Tuteja as Vice President, Dr Indra Handa as Secretary and Dr Nisha Garg as Treasurer.

Success of CHETANAA lies in the joint efforts put by all the members but the main credit goes to our President, Dr Sharda, who is the soul of the organization. We are really grateful to her for all her devotion, hard work and for the time she is spending without which CHETANAA could not be A Dream Come True.

We express our sincere thanks and gratitude to Mr. Roshan Lal Mittal, D.M., Haryana Agro. Fort & Chemical Industries, Sirsa, for maintaining the accounts of CHETANAA and extending full co-operation at all times. We also thank Mr. Rakesh Dhull, Chartered Accountant,
for auditing the accounts of CHETANAA. Our heartfelt thanks are for all those who have donated either in cash or kind, directly or indirectly towards CHETANAA. We assure our donors that each penny of their donation is being rightly utilized.

CHILDREN &HOUSEWIVES ENLIGHTENMENT TOWARDS A NEW AWAKENING ASSOCIATION (CHETANAA).
H.NO 43 NEW COLONY VILLAGE MIRZAPUR.
Regd. No 504, Distt. Kurukshetra, India