Global Awareness and Development Speaker Series

Educating the Underprivileged in India

Agenda

• Welcome• Srinivas Venugopal• Asha

– What is Asha– Asha projects

Jeevan Gnanodhaya School for deaf

• Established in 1989, to provide formal education to economically constrained children with acute hearing disabilities via:- oral/speech therapy - vocational (industrial) education such as fitting,

sewing etc to make students competitive for industrial jobs with higher remuneration

– Recruitment of professionally trained teachers to impart sign language education to students

Asha’s contribution

• Infrastructure:– Hearing aids: behind-the-ear type for ITI students,

and regular pocket type for all others.– Construction and establishment of the ITI.– New school van, furniture and other school supplies.

• Recurring Expenses:

– Salaries of teaching and non teaching staff.– Food and medical expenses of the children

Emphasis towards Self Sustainability

• Construction of a wedding hall to provide monetary support through rentals during the wedding season

Future Challenges

• Recruitment and retention of specially trained teachers

• Provision of adequate essential commodities and food items despite inflation and steadily increasing prices