Prasanna Jyothi Annual Review

1
Prasanna Jyothi Annual Review

• September 23rd, 2007
• Stewards Sharanya Rao (Assisted by Santhosh,
  Rajiv Savitha)?

2
Review Two Parts

• Part 1
• Brief overview of background
• Latest update on kids and PJ's
  progress
• Recent Site Visit
• Part 2
• Annual Budget Review (Oct '07-March
  '08)

3
Brief Background

• Located in Puttenahalli, situated off JP Nagar,
  Bangalore.
• Home for disadvantaged GIRL children.
• Boarding and education taken care by Ashas SAC
  since 2003.
• Number of children 22 (excluding Kusuma)?
• 3 to 23 yrs
• There are two activities of this Trust.1.
  Transformative Education programs (primarily a
  program titled LIFE (Living In
• Freedom, An Enquiry) devised and
  conducted by Swamiji Sukhabodhanandaji
• 2. Child care and education center PJ

4
Brief History

• Prasanna Jyothi Trust had submitted a proposal
  for a project to support destitue/orphaned girls
  in Bangalore in Spring, 1994 at Asha Berkeley
• Support from Berkeley between 1994-96 two
  pictures created by PJ kids was on calendar.
• Break in funding between 96-2000
• Shanmuga visited PJ and new proposal was
  submitted.
• Seattle supported between 2001-03
• Asha Austin was born as a satellite in 2002 and
  this project was taken over from Seattle and
  funded for the first time in 2003.

5
Social Context

• Urban Setting
• Parents from low income groups daily labourers,
  vendors .
• Parents are divorcees or widowed. There are
  orphans too.
• Kids leaving PJ
• Will to succeed and be independent.

6
Map of PJ (rough ))?
Ground Floor
First Floor
Gate
Room 3 with TV, and 2 closets neatly arranged
Room1
Small House
Kitchen
Staircase
Entry
Room2 with computer
Staircase
Garden
7
Satisfied Kids..

• Very happy about schools they go to.
• New Catering Unit (up to 100 people daily)?
• Well equipped for school and with clothes
• Multiple talents in kids, either picked up from
  school or otherwise.
• Multiple games kids play.
• Older kids take care of younger kids..
• Kusumas supportamazing.

8
Latest Updates about PJ..

• Most kids preparing for first term exams in
  second week of Oct
• Plans of converting the Catering Unit into Small
  Scale Industry (SSI)
• Main Concern Water Logging in front of school
• Related Concern Water Logging leading to kids
  falling sick.
  Any suggestions to help??
• Still under discussion
  Currently each
  kid needs Rs.30000/- a year. SAC provides 240
  per kid now. Right now, remaining funds supported
  by other means
• Elizabeth wants to get in touch with Vinutha
  
• Budget review in progress with Sundari Mami this
  week.

9
Latest Updates about kiddos..

• Kid A Finished B.E. Joined IBM Chennai
  
• Kid B Working on nursing course
• Kid C Actively helping with catering unit
  (Plans to expand the catering unit)?
• Few kids joined NSVK.
• Every Kid in Prasanna Jyothi was promoted to the
  next grade/class. Many of them won awards/prizes
  in competitions and sports in school.
• All kids put up a splendid dance-drama

10
Nature of the visit.

• Unannounced ..
• Weekday after school hours (4pm-ish)?
• Visited by Anita Komanduri and Savitha
• Spent close to 3 hours
• We had a blast! )

11
A few concerns..

• Constant 'pull outs' from PJ.
• Assistance in tuition and after-school coaching.
• Water-logging problems
• Advanced teaching material may help.Only one
  computer now.
• More playing material may be useful