|
Project
Name: SVYM - VTTRC |
|
Date: 26Apr2008 |
|
|
Project Contact |
Asha Contact |
|
Name |
Parthiv Shah and Amy Huff Shah |
|
|
Address |
Swami Vivekananda Youth
Movement Hanchipura
Road, Saragur H
D Kote Taluk, Mysore District - 571 121 Karnataka,
INDIA Ph:
91 8228 - 265412 / 265413 / 265877 Mobile
-91 94480 79611 |
2913 Columbia Street San
Diego, CA 92103 |
|
Phone(s) |
see above Mobile
-91 94480 79611 |
860-214-4009, 207-217-0285 |
|
Fax |
|
|
E-mail
|
drrbalu@gmail.com
Compose Email:
drrbalu@gmail.com
Add
to Contacts |
parthiv_s@yahoo.com,huffamy@yahoo.com |
Please feel free to attach any additional sheets and/or information
such as brochures, press reports etc.
|
1. Name of the group/organization requesting
funds. Swami Vivekananda Youth
Movement (SVYM) Project: Vivekananda Teacher's Training Resource
Center |
|
2. When was the group established? The Swami
Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM) is a not-for-profit, non-religious,
non-political, voluntary organization. It was founded in 1984 by a group of
like- minded young medicos from the Government Medical College, Mysore. |
|
3. Briefly describe the motivation for starting
this group. In its initial years, the
SVYM ran two rural dispensaries at Chinnadagudihundi and Thumnerale villages.
In due course, it was decided to concentrate efforts in a single location.
Accordingly, the SVYM opened a clinic at the Brahmagiri Tribal Colony in
1987. Six years later, this clinic was shifted to Hosahalli Tirbal Colony,
where it would benefit a greater number of people. As time passed, the SVYM realized that healthcare
was just one aspect of bettering the tribals' lives. Sustained enrichment
could be achieved only through education, a steady earning and saving
capacity, a broader social outlook and a realization by the tribals that
their tomorrow could be better than their today. Responding to these and other needs, the SVYM now
runs a 10-bed hospital at Kenchanahalli and a 40 bed Multi Speciality
Hospital at Saragur. Further outreach services are provided through mobile
health units. The Viveka Tribal Centre for Learning at Hosahalli, a
semi-residential school, provides quality education to over 400 children. And
Community Development Programmes, which aim to create self-sufficiency
through pooled resources and education, are held regularly. The current proposal addresses one of the key
challenges that facing tribal students today- a lack of committed and trained
teachers willing to work in tribal areas. SVYM intends to overcome this gap
by training tribal students and enabling them to get a formal qualification
in teaching. This will not only help improve the quality of learning outcomes
amongst the tribal children, but also provide much needed employment
opportunity to the upcoming generation of tribals. With this in mind, Swami
Vivekananda Youth Movement has started the Vivekananda Teacher’s Training
& Research Center (VTTRC) at Hosahalli tribal colony. This institute will
now train tribal and rural youth in creative teaching and fill a critical gap
in the school delivery system in the area. |
|
4. Briefly describe the aims of your group. SVYM's core values
include: 1) Satya- Truthfulness, 2) Ahimsa - Non-violence, 3) Seva - Service,
and 4) Tyaga - Sacrifice. The SVYM vision is for a caring and equitable
society, free of deprivation and strife. The SVYM mission is to facilitate
and develop processes that improve the quality of life of people. The aims of SVYM in the context of the VTTRC are
to train and create value based teachers to meet the educational needs of
rural and tribal areas in Karnataka state. |
|
5. Does your group have any religious or political
affiliation? If yes, please describe the type of affiliation and the reason
for it. The Swami
Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM) is a not-for-profit, non-religious,
non-political, voluntary organization. The emblem of Swami Vivekananda Youth
Movement symbolizes the organization in letter and spirit, reflecting its
basic tenet of ‘Serving God in Man', as propounded by Swami Vivekananda. |
|
6. What non
education-related community development activities is your group involved in? In addition to education, SVYM
has activities in the fields as diverse as health, community development,
training, research, advocacy, consultancy and organizational management. In health, examples of institution based
activities include Vivekananda Memorial Hospital in Saragur, Vivekananda
Memorial Hospital in Kenchanahalli, and an Anti Retroviral Treatment Center
in Mysore. Community based activities
include programs focusing on outreach, reproductive & child healthcare
(RCH), water, sanitation & hygiene education (Nairmalya vahini), eye
care, control of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and numerous other. Additional information may be found at www.svym.net. |
|
7. List the school/s run
by your group, and their locations. If you are requesting funds for only a
few of several schools, please specify which one/s. This proposal addresses a need for trained teachers willing to work in tribal areas. Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement has started the Vivekananda Teacher’s Training & Research Center (VTTRC) at Hosahalli tribal colony in Heggadadevanakote taluk in Mysore district to overcome this need. A total of 50 students will be admitted to the program. Out of this 25 students will be directly admitted by the Government through their admission cell. The remaining 25 students will be admitted by Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement. Out of this 10 students will be admitted from tribal areas of Karnataka and 15 students from other rural areas. Presently 20 tribal students are studying in the Center. 10 of them were admitted last year (2006-07) and 10 of them have been admitted this year (2007-08). Financial support is being sought for the education of these 20 tribal children. Preference will be given to tribal children who have graduated from the Viveka Tribal Center for Learning (see below). Additional schools that are run by SVYM but not part of this funding proposal include: Viveka – Tribal Center for Learning, Hosahalli. This semi-residential school for the tribals, started in 1988, has more than 400 tribal children children (most of them first generation school goers) studying from Classes 1 to 10. Situated in the lap of nature, this school adopts joyful, experiential and child-centered learning methodologies. Apart from the regular state-government prescribed syllabus, children are also exposed to yoga, computers, music, life-skill development activities, competitive sports and cultural events. Besides excellent residential facilities, all school children are provided wholesome and nutritious mid-day meals. The school also has a publication wing that is involved in the production of novel learning materials. The tribal museum in the school is an added attraction, showcasing tribal handicrafts, artifacts, herbarium of tribal medicinal plants and other things unique to their culture. The school is recognized by the Department of Education, Government of Karnataka and also the National Institute of Open Schooling. Viveka – School of Excellence, Saragur This school provides access to the rural and tribal communities of H.D.Kote Taluk to alternate systems of education at an affordable cost. As articulated by Swami Vivekananda the school visions education to be Life Building, Man Making, Character Making assimilation of Ideas. The school has about 250 children studying from pre-school onwards upto the 6th standard. The curriculum here is based on the concept of Multiple Intelligences and the learning is activity oriented and child-paced. The pre-school has co-opted the Montessori learning methodologies. |
|
9. Specify the type of
education provided (e.g. basic literacy, vocational training etc.). Vocational training: The teacher training
curriculum and syllabus as outlined by the National Council for Teacher
Education and the DSERT, Karnataka will be followed. Apart from this emphasis
shall also be given to Value education, contextually relevant education and
in Life Skill education. The program will be managed by a Principal with the
support of Teacher Educators, an Accountant and an Office Assistant. They
shall also be assisted by part time faculty in Music, Drawing, Computer
instructor and a sports teacher. |
|
10. Please tell us about
your teaching techniques (conventional vs. alternative). At the VTTRC emphasis will
be given to Value education, contextually relevant education and Life Skill
education. The program will managed by a Principal with the support of
Teacher Educators, an Accountant and an Office Assistant. They shall also be
assisted by part time faculty in Music, Drawing, Computer instructor and a
sports teacher. The adjacent VTCL school that is run by SVYM
should provide good examples of the teaching techniques that will be taught
at the VTTRC. This semi-residential
school for the tribals, started in 1988, has more than 400 tribal children
(most of them first generation school goers) studying from Classes 1 to 10.
Situated in the lap of nature, this school adopts joyful, experiential and
child-centered learning methodologies. Apart from the regular state-government
prescribed syllabus, children are also exposed to yoga, computers, music,
life-skill development activities, competitive sports and cultural events.
Besides excellent residential facilities, all school children are provided
wholesome and nutritious mid-day meals. The school also has a publication
wing that is involved in the production of novel learning materials. The
tribal museum in the school is an added attraction, showcasing tribal
handicrafts, artifacts, herbarium of tribal medicinal plants and other things
unique to their culture. The most obvious sign of SVYM’s child-centered
approach are its classrooms for younger students. Designed especially for children not accustomed to being
indoors, they have open walls. As
students get older, they begin to attend classes in buildings that are more
mainstreamed, with closed walls and tables or desks. Classes are often structured to allow
students to work at their own level.
For example, slower math students are allowed to work independently
and use beans for counting while others take part in a lesson for a larger
group. Classes are often structured
to be dynamic and keep up a challenging pace. |
|
11. What is the literacy
rate in the local community? The literacy
rate has been historically low due to the economic and cultural isolation of
the different tribal groups. Most
student can be classified as first generation learners. SVYM has been working with the tribals of
Heggadadevanakote in Mysore district for more than 20 years and runs schools,
hospitals, livelihood centers and micro-credit programs for them. The
education programs of the organization have now begun to see a lot of success
and new generations of neo-literates are now emerging amongst the tribals. |
|
12. Describe the socio-economic
background of the children and their parents (e.g. education, occupational).
If any of your students are employed, please tell us about that as well. Heggadadevanakote is the
most underserved taluk in the district of Mysore. A large segment – both
tribal and nontribal is faced with the unique set of problems arising out of
resettlement and inadequate rehabilitation.
The population of the taluk is around 250,000 out of which about 14000
are tribals. 20 % of the taluk is thickly wooded forest and forms part of
both the Bandipur and the Nagarahole (Rajiv Gandhi) National Park areas. The
taluk is located Southwest of Mysore and has three major reservoirs. The main
economic activity is agriculture. The chief crops are cotton as the cash
crop, and ragi, which is the staple diet. As the irrigation within the taluk
is minimal, the produce depends on the vagaries of the rains. Agriculture is
the main breadwinning activity. The net profit that a farmer makes is further
decreased by the poor transport and market facilities prevalent. Many of the
villages lack all weather approach roads and very few of them have pucca
roads linking them to the taluk headquarters. Rains wreak havoc to the little
road connection that does exist making many places inaccessible during the
monsoon months. The housing conditions are poor with bad quality construction
and very little repair work over the years. The literacy rate prevailing in the taluk is 40%
for men and around 20% for women. The average annual income is around
Rs.15000-18000 per family. (Note: this data was taken from a 2005 proposal
document on the Ashs projects page) |
|
13. In addition to
education, does your group provide any other services to the children in your
schools (e.g. food, health care, clothing, etc.)? For the VTTRC proposed
herein, services will include uniforms, health care, exposure and educational
tours, examination fees, fees paid to the Government etc. At the adjacent VTCL, apart from the regular
state-government prescribed syllabus, children are also exposed to yoga,
computers, music, life-skill development activities, competitive sports and
cultural events. Besides excellent residential facilities, all school
children are provided wholesome and nutritious mid-day meals. The school also
has a publication wing that is involved in the production of novel learning
materials. The tribal museum in the school is an added attraction, showcasing
tribal handicrafts, artifacts, herbarium of tribal medicinal plants and other
things unique to their culture. |
|
14. Does your school have: Its own building(s): Yes No Number
Number and type of classrooms (e.g. Pukka): Yes
No Yes
No Yes No Toilets
Playground
Toys
Chairs & Tables Blackboard Library
Drinking water
Electricity
Computers Laboratory
Teaching aids (e.g. books/slates) |
|
15. How many children are currently enrolled in your school(s)? Male 10
Female 10 Age
Range |
|
16. How many staff are employed at your schools? Teachers Minimum Qualifications
Other staff
|
|
17. Average distance the children travel to attend
your school |
|
18. How many children have
gone through your program in the past five years and what are they doing
currently? Please tell us about their future education and employment
possibilities. The VTTRC will be a new
undertaking that is an offshoot of the extremely successful educational
activities of SVYM. As such, no data
is yet available about trained teachers and their post-training careers. The adjacent VTCL school has run successfully for
about 20 years. Recent statistics
include over 90% pass result on SSLC Board Exam (Source: 2007 report of VTCL
on Asha projects page) |
|
19. Do you
help your students with their future education efforts after they have passed
out of your school? Again, as VTTRC is a new
undertaking, not data exists yet.
However it is envisioned that teacher training graduates will be
assisted with job placement in tribal areas that may benefit from the
specialized training provided in the program. In the past, VTCL students have been helped with
placement beyond their schooling. This is a question that SVYM has constantly
tried to address but comes with challenges.
SVYM does have strong linkages with children who have graduated from
the school. They encourage them to pursue the further education in H D Kote
town, Mysore and some have even been sent to Bangalore. Occasionally students
find city life very challenging after growing up in such a remote forest
area. Those not pursuing mainstream education have been trained in a few
para-medical vocations and employed in the health projects of SVYM. Recently
a Career Guidance and Counselling center has been discussed to help and
address this issue both amongst the tribal and other non-tribal students in
the area. |
|
20. Are there any other
schools (Kindergarten/Balwadi, Elementary school, High school) in the area? If so, please list the schools and the range of classes
each of them offers. This is a teacher's training proposal. See item 7 for other SVYM run schools that focus on childrens'
education. |
|
21. Is your program
different from that provided at these schools? Please explain. As a
teacher's training program VTTRC will be very different from the standard
state training, both due to its location and focus on tribals, and due to the
innovative teaching methods that are put in practice at the adjacent VTCL
(See nos. 7, 10, & 13). |
|
22. Why are the children in your school/s not
attending government/other schools in the local area? The adults
in the VTTRC program will be specifically taught to develop expertise in
teaching with the local populations. |
|
23. Do you try to involve
the parents of the children in the running of the school (e.g. in setting the
syllabus etc.)? Please specify. Parents have
always been a key component of all SVYM education activities. It has been critical to involve parents
because they are usually not educated themselves, and many traditions that
exist in the community run counter to educational goals, especially for
education of girls. For example,
around the onset of menarche (13-14 years or grades 7-10), some girls who
return home for their school holidays often partner with another boy (usually
older than them) and begin to live together and don’t return to school. This
is often culturally accepted by the tribal community, i.e., parents don’t
necessarily discourage this.
Therefore involvement and education of parents has always been a
critical prerequisite to achieving educational goals. |
|
24. What are your
expansion plans for the future (e.g. adding more classes or schools)? In addition
to the VTTRC project to train teachers, a parallel proposal is being
submitted for a mobile science van project to bring science lab experiments
to the greater community. |
|
25. Do you have any
suggestions on how Asha can be a positive influence in changing the education
scenario in India? SVYM and
Asha have had a long and positive relationship. Continued support is necessary in the form of funding,
educational materials, guidance and best practices, and moral support on
important educational/social justice related issues. |
26. If possible, please provide us with the contact information of two
individuals from your community who can describe the impact of your program.
|
1 |
Name |
|
|
2. |
Name |
|
|
Address |
|
|
|
Address |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|
|||||
|
Phone |
|
|
|
Phone |
|
27. Asha for Education
requires reports from its projects every six months to continue funding. Please
provide the contact information for the person from your group who will be
responsible for these reports.
|
Name |
Dr. R. Balasubramaniam, President |
|
Address |
Swami Vivekananda Youth
Movement Hanchipura Road, Saragur H D Kote Taluk, Mysore
District - 571 121 Karnataka, INDIA |
|
Phone |
Ph: 91 8228 - 265412 /
265413 / 265877 Mobile
-91 94480 79611 |
Please feel free to attach any information such as annual reports, budgets etc.
|
28. What sources fund your
group’s activities at present? List the sources and the current and future
funding from each of them. If these funds are meant for a specific part of
your group’s activities, please describe those restrictions. Total cost per student per
year: Rs. 43,000 Support pledged by the
Government of Karnataka: Rs.
18,000 Participation fees from the tribal student: Rs. 5,000 ( Total sponsorship support sought per student: Rs. 20,000 Total amount required for supporting 20 students
for this year: Rs. 400,000 ) Note: Asha-San Diego has pledged to support 7 of
20 students as Rs ~140K. Therefore
the remaining 13 students would require support at a total of Rs ~260K |
29. Please
provide us with details of your projected budget for the next 3 years:
|
Year(s) |
Recurring costs |
Fixed costs |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
30. Salary
expenditure details:
|
|
Number |
Salary Range |
|
Teachers |
|
|
|
Paid
Staff |
|
|
|
Volunteer
Staff |
|
|
|
31. Please provide details
of the fixed costs of your school/s for the next three years. |
|
32. How many of your
students pay school fees? Please provide details. Each students will be asked to pay Rs. 5,000 per year of the Rs.
43,000 tuition if it is within his/her means. |
33. What
amount are you requesting from Asha, and for what specific purpose?
|
Items |
Amount |
One time / Annual |
|
Uniform Charges |
Rs 1,250 per student (total
Rs 16,250 for 13 students) |
|
|
Educational Materials, including textbooks,
work books, stationery etc |
Rs 1,750 per student (total
Rs 22,750 for 13 students) |
|
|
Laboratory Expenses (Sciences &
Psychology Lab) |
Rs 800 per student (total
Rs 10,400 for 13 students) |
|
|
Library Expenses |
Rs 400 per student (total
Rs 5,200 for 13 students) |
|
|
Exposure Trip Expenses |
Rs 1,200 per student (total
Rs 15,600 for 13 students) |
|
|
Special Sessions (using resource persons for
English language, Computers and IT; Creative Teaching, Soft skills and
Personality Development); |
Rs 2,600 per student (total
Rs 33,800 for 13 students) |
|
|
Food and accommodation Expenses |
Rs 12,000 per student (total
Rs 16,250 for 13 students) |
|
|
TOTAL |
Rs 20,000 per student (total
Rs 260,000 for 13 students) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|