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| 23rd August 2007: Narmada School |
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Friday, August 17, 2007
Another picture of Maumita in school uniform. EduAid programme has come about at a very good time for her: her family was finding it hard to sustain her education in Calcutta, and was already considering going back to their village where it would be cheaper. Apparently it was a difference of only Rs. 200 (US $5) per month.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Launching EduAid
Why EduAid?A society that does not take care of its marginals is a society bound to be marginalised. While the implications, philosophical, moral or historical of the previous "thought" or statement may be debated, I am of the opinion that the degree of marginalisation of individuals, families or groups in a society should be the primary benchmarking criterion for ascertaining the quality of life rather than the so-called living standards parameters or statistics we are bombarded with everyday through mass media.
What we do to change it for better therefore should be an integral part of our professional activities. This I think is true for success in business too, not only in politics or social service vocations.
At Inquiry Learning Solutions / Folios International, we are trying to do our best to make it an integral part with our People Aid programme. It is a very small step, to be honest, a minute fraction of our earnings. But it will make a difference,... and we will continue to pursue this in the future.
It gives me a sense of achievement today to announce that this month, in the 60th year of Indian independence, we have at last been able to reach a fraction of earnings from software development for schools, international and IBO schools, to support the education of the needy, the marginals who were just one generation ago mostly landless agricultural labourers, and now are a part of India's teeming urban poor population.
Forgive me the clichés, but the significance of this new beginning I hope will inspire us and others to walk down this path: yes, I feel a better sense of achievement than even the first full implementation of InquirySys at Renaissance College, the software we developed for years, or the launch of FolioMaker version 2.05 or version 3 ...
Here we are using some of those hard-earned dollars from some of the most advanced educational institutions in East Asia, India and Australia to help fund the education of little girls and boys who are can barely hope to study in the "cheapest" of schools with absolutely no facilities to talk about...
Thank you all who have made this possible ...
Here's the list of beneficiaries of our EduAid programme:
Anusua Modak, female, age: 5 years old
Class (Grade): Kindergarten 2
Address: Garia, Calcutta, WB, India
Daughter of Sukhendu Modak (aka Gopal), profession: helper for a motor repair mechanic (also recently we have recruited him as a night watchman at our development centre).
Gopal earns about Rs. 1500 per month at his day job, and now supplements his income at our centre as night watchman earning another Rs. 1500 for sleeping-in (except on weekends). So his total income is Rs. 3000 (approximately US $75) per month.
Living conditions:
Gopal lives with his wife and daughter in the inherited portion of house which is about 2000 square ft. (two rooms) with asbestos roofing and only drinking water source is from a deep tube well. The family of three spends about Rs. 175 per month for electricity.
No family savings, no medical insurance or allowances.
Some recommendations:i. Medical insurance (About Rs. 1000 ... annual premium?)
ii. Private coaching / tuitions especially for English may soon be required (from Grade 1). Usually costs Rs. 250/- a month. But we could cover this if our developers sign up for active community work.
iii. A Rs. 750/- for buying lunch every month at school
iv. Estimated Rs. 500/- for text books and stationeries.
Overall we are looking at about Rs. 2500 (approx. US $60) per month to support Anusua's continuing education.
Jui Das, female, 17 years old
Completed Higher Secondary (class/standard 12), just joined college for bachelor's degree programme
Address: Garia, Calcutta, WB, India
Daughter of Jashoda Das, profession: domestic help earning about Rs. 2500 per month (working at 6 places including doing dishes at our centre). Rs. 2500 is about approximately US $60. Jashoda is a single mother who has managed so far to give an education to her only daughter, Jui. Jui is good at studies and we hope one day she will complete college and become a professional in whichever field she chooses.
Living conditions:Mother and daughter lives in rented quarters which is about a 130 square feet cell of a room and includes a partitioned kitchen and has to share common lavatory built away from their room with three other families including the house owner. The roofing is made of terracotta tiles (leaks often in the Monsoons). Drinking water comes from tube well and washing/cleaning water from open well. The rent is Rs. 550 a month and electricity about Rs. 125, a total of Rs. 675 (US $ 17 approx) for the premises. Somehow Jasho manages to save Rs. 100 per month at the local post office.
Some recommendations:i. Private coaching/tuitions required for subjects like English, Bengali, etc.). Rs. 500/month. Again, let's hope we can get some hours from our staff.
[A thought: a teaching experience for developers involved in development of education software... makes good sense!]
ii. Medical insurance (may be a Rs. 250 per month allowance?)
iii. An allowance for buying lunch (Rs. 500)
iv. Books and stationeries: Rs. 750
Again we are looking at Rs. 2000 or Rs. 2500 (approx. US $ 60)...
[Another thought: Medical insurance should be extended to the whole family. The family supports education, we need them to be healthy!!!]
Maumita Halder, female, age: 3.6 years old
Pre-school/nursery
Address: Garia region
Maumita is Suchitra and Swapan Halder's daughter. Suchitra is too weak to work as regular domestic help these days. She tries to do some odd jobs now and then. Swapan is a "cycle-van" puller. These push pedal rickshaw-like "vans" are used to ferry heavy goods between small businesses. For sure, it is back-breaking work, and for it he earns next to nothing by any standards. The family's total income monthly is about Rs. 2800 (US $70 approx.).
Living conditions:Obviously no family savings or insurance. They live in a tiny room about 75 to 90 sq. feet in dimensions. Terracotta tile roofing. Drinking water comes from a Kolkata Municipality Corporation tap at certain fixed times in a day. Cleaning and washing water from a open well. They spend Rs. 660 (Rs. 530 + Rs. 130) for renting the room and electricity.
Recommendations:i. Mau's school fees and books costs Rs. 750 per month
ii. Food allowance: Rs. 1000/month (mother and child needs better nutrition!)
iii. Medical: Rs. 300/month and also medical insurance
An estimated total of Rs. 2250 + medical insurance can go a long way...
Benu's daughters, Shikha and Rekha are also beneficiaries connected to this programme and we have already been supplementing his income with an allowance to look after his children's education and welfare. Benu is our chef and office caretaker.
Today we will start disbursement of EduAid financial assistance.
- Shubho
What we do to change it for better therefore should be an integral part of our professional activities. This I think is true for success in business too, not only in politics or social service vocations.
At Inquiry Learning Solutions / Folios International, we are trying to do our best to make it an integral part with our People Aid programme. It is a very small step, to be honest, a minute fraction of our earnings. But it will make a difference,... and we will continue to pursue this in the future.
It gives me a sense of achievement today to announce that this month, in the 60th year of Indian independence, we have at last been able to reach a fraction of earnings from software development for schools, international and IBO schools, to support the education of the needy, the marginals who were just one generation ago mostly landless agricultural labourers, and now are a part of India's teeming urban poor population.
Forgive me the clichés, but the significance of this new beginning I hope will inspire us and others to walk down this path: yes, I feel a better sense of achievement than even the first full implementation of InquirySys at Renaissance College, the software we developed for years, or the launch of FolioMaker version 2.05 or version 3 ...
Here we are using some of those hard-earned dollars from some of the most advanced educational institutions in East Asia, India and Australia to help fund the education of little girls and boys who are can barely hope to study in the "cheapest" of schools with absolutely no facilities to talk about...
Thank you all who have made this possible ...
Here's the list of beneficiaries of our EduAid programme:
Anusua Modak, female, age: 5 years old
Class (Grade): Kindergarten 2
Address: Garia, Calcutta, WB, India
Daughter of Sukhendu Modak (aka Gopal), profession: helper for a motor repair mechanic (also recently we have recruited him as a night watchman at our development centre).
Gopal earns about Rs. 1500 per month at his day job, and now supplements his income at our centre as night watchman earning another Rs. 1500 for sleeping-in (except on weekends). So his total income is Rs. 3000 (approximately US $75) per month.
Living conditions:
Gopal lives with his wife and daughter in the inherited portion of house which is about 2000 square ft. (two rooms) with asbestos roofing and only drinking water source is from a deep tube well. The family of three spends about Rs. 175 per month for electricity.
No family savings, no medical insurance or allowances.
Some recommendations:i. Medical insurance (About Rs. 1000 ... annual premium?)
ii. Private coaching / tuitions especially for English may soon be required (from Grade 1). Usually costs Rs. 250/- a month. But we could cover this if our developers sign up for active community work.
iii. A Rs. 750/- for buying lunch every month at school
iv. Estimated Rs. 500/- for text books and stationeries.
Overall we are looking at about Rs. 2500 (approx. US $60) per month to support Anusua's continuing education.
Jui Das, female, 17 years old
Completed Higher Secondary (class/standard 12), just joined college for bachelor's degree programme
Address: Garia, Calcutta, WB, India
Daughter of Jashoda Das, profession: domestic help earning about Rs. 2500 per month (working at 6 places including doing dishes at our centre). Rs. 2500 is about approximately US $60. Jashoda is a single mother who has managed so far to give an education to her only daughter, Jui. Jui is good at studies and we hope one day she will complete college and become a professional in whichever field she chooses.
Living conditions:Mother and daughter lives in rented quarters which is about a 130 square feet cell of a room and includes a partitioned kitchen and has to share common lavatory built away from their room with three other families including the house owner. The roofing is made of terracotta tiles (leaks often in the Monsoons). Drinking water comes from tube well and washing/cleaning water from open well. The rent is Rs. 550 a month and electricity about Rs. 125, a total of Rs. 675 (US $ 17 approx) for the premises. Somehow Jasho manages to save Rs. 100 per month at the local post office.
Some recommendations:i. Private coaching/tuitions required for subjects like English, Bengali, etc.). Rs. 500/month. Again, let's hope we can get some hours from our staff.
[A thought: a teaching experience for developers involved in development of education software... makes good sense!]
ii. Medical insurance (may be a Rs. 250 per month allowance?)
iii. An allowance for buying lunch (Rs. 500)
iv. Books and stationeries: Rs. 750
Again we are looking at Rs. 2000 or Rs. 2500 (approx. US $ 60)...
[Another thought: Medical insurance should be extended to the whole family. The family supports education, we need them to be healthy!!!]
Maumita Halder, female, age: 3.6 years old
Pre-school/nursery
Address: Garia region
Maumita is Suchitra and Swapan Halder's daughter. Suchitra is too weak to work as regular domestic help these days. She tries to do some odd jobs now and then. Swapan is a "cycle-van" puller. These push pedal rickshaw-like "vans" are used to ferry heavy goods between small businesses. For sure, it is back-breaking work, and for it he earns next to nothing by any standards. The family's total income monthly is about Rs. 2800 (US $70 approx.).
Living conditions:Obviously no family savings or insurance. They live in a tiny room about 75 to 90 sq. feet in dimensions. Terracotta tile roofing. Drinking water comes from a Kolkata Municipality Corporation tap at certain fixed times in a day. Cleaning and washing water from a open well. They spend Rs. 660 (Rs. 530 + Rs. 130) for renting the room and electricity.
Recommendations:i. Mau's school fees and books costs Rs. 750 per month
ii. Food allowance: Rs. 1000/month (mother and child needs better nutrition!)
iii. Medical: Rs. 300/month and also medical insurance
An estimated total of Rs. 2250 + medical insurance can go a long way...
Benu's daughters, Shikha and Rekha are also beneficiaries connected to this programme and we have already been supplementing his income with an allowance to look after his children's education and welfare. Benu is our chef and office caretaker.
Today we will start disbursement of EduAid financial assistance.
- Shubho
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