ÿþ <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" > <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> <title>Vibha Xpressions Vol. 4, No. 3 | March 2008</title> <style type="text/css"> body { background-color: #ffffff; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; } table { background-color: #FFF2BD; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; border-color: #336699; font-size: 10pt; } td { background-color: #FFF2BD; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; border-color: #336699; /* padding: 5px; */ } h1 { font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-style: bold; font-size: 10pt; text-align: center; color: #ffffff; background-color: #604D86; padding: 5px; } p { padding-top: 3px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 2px; } li { padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 5px; } img { border-style: none; } .style9 { font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #604D86; } .style11 {font-size: 7pt} .style12 {font-size: 8pt} .style13 { color: #660000; font-weight: bold; } </style> </head> <body> <center> <table width="799"> <!-- Header --> <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFF2BD"> <td colspan="2"><table width="100%" style="border-style: none; background-color: #FFFFFF"> <tr bgcolor="#FFF2BD"> <td width="75%" align="left" nowrap style="border-style: none"><a href="http://www.vibha.org" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.vibha.org/Xpressions/Vol_2_No_1_Jan_2006/VIBHA_140x57.gif" border="0"></a><a href="http://www.vibha.org/Xpressions/" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.vibha.org/Xpressions/Vol_2_No_1_Jan_2006/VIBHA_XPRESSIONS_400X57.gif" border="0"></a></td> <td width="25%" align="right" bgcolor="#FFF2BD" style="border-style: none"><p align="right"> <a href="http://www.vibha.org" target="_blank">www.vibha.org</a> </p> <p align="right"> <a href="mailto:info@vibha.org">info@vibha.org</a></p> <p><font style="font-size: 8pt">Vol 4, No. 3 | March 2008</font></p></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFF2BD"> <td colspan="2"><!-- FIXME: Message from the Editor --> <p></P> <p align="justify">2008 promises to be a great year for Vibha. This year we will scale up two of our key projects, Doorstep School and Sikshana  more about this scale up effort in our March and April issues. Our annual walk run event has taken on a completely new avatar. Rebranded The Dream Mile, there is a major thrust to make it supremely successful in all action centers. Read about how the Bay Area Action Center successfully organizes this event year after year. Vibha s volunteers make this organization what it is. Details about our Volunteer Awareness Week can be found in this issue. A great year for Vibha means a great year for the deserving child. We reach out to you, our patrons to help us accomplish our 2008 objectives... </p> <p></P> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFF2BD"> <td width="50%" rowspan="2" bgcolor="#FFF2BD" style="background-color: #FFF2BD"><!-- FIXME: Project profile here --> <h1> <strong>Volunteer News</strong></h1> <p align="left" class="style13">Volunteer Awareness Week: April 7  13</p> <p align="justify">Volunteers are the lifeblood of Vibha. Across 14 cities in the US and many others in India, more than 825 volunteers donate their time, energy and skills to improve the lives of underprivileged children in India and the US.</p> <p align="justify">This year's <b>volunteer awareness week is from April 7th to April 13th</b>. The volunteer awareness week celebrates the teamwork and collective passion of all our volunteers across the globe for the cause of the underprivileged child. It is also the time when we actively seek out others who might share the same passion and make them part of the ever-growing Vibha family. </p> <p align="justify">And who is part of this Vibha family? A physician in Atlanta, an economics researcher in Illinois, software engineers in Dallas, a business analyst in Columbus, an architect in Sacramento, an entrepreneur in the Silicon Valley, a student in Minneapolis, a home-maker in Washington DC, in short, real people, people just like you. All that binds them together is the cause of the underprivileged child. </p> <p align="justify"><b>You can help us grow this family</b>. We know that you and your friends share the same passion. Watch for more information about the upcoming campaign to learn how you can celebrate being part of the Vibha family and how you can help the family grow. Lucky winners will be recognized and also receive exciting prizes.</p> <p align="justify">Write to us at <a href="mailto:volunteer@vibha.org"> volunteer@vibha.org</a> and tell us how you plan to celebrate Vibha Volunteer Awareness Week at your Action Center. We have come a long way from 4 volunteers in 1991 to 825 volunteers in 2008. Hold a meeting. Recognize the contributions of all of your volunteers. Invite your friends and family to volunteer or contribute in any way they can. And help our family grow so that we can we can provide a brighter future for a few more underprivileged children.</p> <h1>The Dream Mile: The Bay Area Success Story</h1> <p align="justify">In 1998, the Atlanta Action Center of Vibha conceptualized an informal walk/run event to promote Vibha amongst local residents. The idea was to attract enthusiastic walkers and runners and utilize proceedings towards Vibha s project disbursals.</p> <p align="justify">In late 2006, it was decided to give the walk/run a new name and a fresh outlook. Vibha volunteers were challenged to come up with a brand-name and tagline for this event as part of a re-branding competition. Balaji Rajam (from the Bay Area AC) answered the call with his brand-name,  The Dream Mile and tagline,  A few miles for a million dreams . The Dream Mile, which is now Vibha s Flagship fund-raising event, was organized in 7 different cities across the US in 2007.</p> <p align="center"><img src="http://www.vibha.org/Xpressions/Vol_4_No_3_March_2008/DSC_0181.jpg" align="center" hspace="5" width="290px" height="230px" &nbsp; /></p> <p align="justify">The first Bay Area Walk/Run was in 1999 and the original venue was Vasona Lake County Park, a beautiful location in Los Gatos, CA. In 2004, the track was moved to Shoreline Park in Mountain View, CA, a wonderfully scenic wildlife sanctuary. This park is a track certified by the USATF. In addition, in 2005, a professional planning firm,  On Your Mark was employed to officially clock the runners. Such key enhancements to the Dream Mile are responsible for increased traction within the active runner community across the US.</p> <p align="justify">About 50 to 60 volunteers come together to organize this event which caters to over 450 participants. Detailed preparations start in January for the event which generally takes place in July. Rapid fire emails and weekly meetings set the frenetic pace for the million things that need to be taken care of to ensure that things go smoothly on D- Day. From booking the park for the event, to PR to the dry run a few days before, the process runs like a well oiled machine, year upon year. The Day of the Event starts at 5.30 am for these volunteers, and sheer adrenalin keeps them pumped up through the morning. The actual race starts at 8.30 and is generally done within the hour. Madras café serves up a delicious South Indian breakfast for the participants. There is a volunteer who makes sandwiches in addition, and there are always coffee and bagels. A carnival atmosphere with henna and face painting, a live DJ and a volunteer who challenges the brave of heart to a Chess match  all make the entire event fun, festive and happening. Runners start leaving by 11.00 am and the entire event is wrapped up by 1.30 pm.</p> <p align="center"><img src="http://www.vibha.org/Xpressions/Vol_4_No_3_March_2008/DSC_0456.jpg" align="center" hspace="5" width="290px" height="230px" &nbsp; /></p> <p align="justify">The enthusiasm, camaraderie and team spirit that drive the event are vintage Vibha. In 2007, the Bay Area Walk/Run was a resounding success, grossing about $35K in revenue. The Dream Mile event is also linked with a  Pledge Drive which reaches out to all volunteers and their extended social networks to attract donations for Vibha. In 2008, this drive will also include all the runners. If you are a resident of the Bay Area, be sure to mark your calendar and be present at this happening event.</p> <p align="justify">This year s Bay Area Dream Mile event is planned for July 29th. More details & Registration on <a href="www.thedreammile.org/bayarea" target="_blank"> www.thedreammile.org/bayarea</a> </p> <h1>Write To Us...</h1> <p align="justify">Your feedback is important to us. Vibha welcomes any comments, suggestions or questions you may have about our projects, programs, products, monitoring etc. If you are particularly interested in a topic and would like to see Vibha showcase it please <u><a href="mailto:xpressions@vibha.org" >let us know.</a></u></p> <p align="center"><img src="http://www.vibha.org/Xpressions/Vol_2_No_7_July_2006/July_06_09.jpg" align="center" width="312px" height="230px" hspace="5"></p> <p> <p align="center" class="style13">Together, we can do much more!<br> Dream a little! Do a Little!</p> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFF2BD"> <td width="50%" height="1668" bgcolor="#FFF2BD"><!-- FIXME: Program profile here --> <h1> Project Profile </h1> <p align="center" class="style9">DSS (Door Step School) Scale Up </p> <p align="center"><img src="http://www.vibha.org/Xpressions/Vol_4_No_3_March_2008/DSS11.jpg" align="center" hspace="5" width="312px" height="230px" &nbsp; /></p> <p align="justify">The mission of the Doorstep school is to use innovative programs to bring education to the poor children in urban areas, to help them make the transition to literacy and therefore, a brighter future. The concept of the Doorstep school was born in 1988-89 as a result of a study that determined the causes of high drop out rates of children who lived in slums around the Municipal schools. While the causes were many and varied, the consensus was that an alternative, non formal method of education was necessary. The vision was for a school that would not only take education to the very doorstep of these poor and marginalized communities, but also develop a supporting infrastructure that would prevent children from falling out of the formal education system once they enroll there. </p> <p align="center"><img src="http://www.vibha.org/Xpressions/Vol_4_No_3_March_2008/DSS12.jpg" align="center" hspace="5" width="312px" height="230px" &nbsp; /></p> <p align="justify">Over the last 15 years Door Step School has evolved into an organization that caters to over 8000 children from over 40 communities in Mumbai and Pune, India. While this is noteworthy, DSS has been working hard on a major scale up effort. The goals for the scale up period to-date, were to provide: </p> <ol style="text-align:justify;"> <li>Non-formal primary education for out-of-school children 5-14 years of age </li> <li>Balwadi for out-of-school children ages 3 5 </li> <li>Crèche (daycares) for children below the age of 3 </li> </ol> <p align="center"><img src="http://www.vibha.org/Xpressions/Vol_4_No_3_March_2008/DSS13.jpg" align="center" hspace="5" width="312px" height="230px" &nbsp; /></p> <p align="justify">Currently, DSS runs 70 NFE Classes at 27 locations. Of these, 20 are at construction sites. DSS strongly believes that proper training and supervision along with regular appraisals and feedback helps create competent teachers who can accomplish excellent results in the classroom. The idea is to put in place adequate systems and processes that will assist and encourage with the organic growth and sustainability of this program. </p> <p align="justify">Since Feb 2007, efforts have been underway to start 2 locations every month catering to 3,000 additional children. By the end of 2008, Vibha s contributions to this worthwhile program will result in DSS being made available at 46 new locations, 150 classes and another 2,500 children. By 2011, the expectation is to have approximately 15,000 children at construction sites benefit from DSS, which will require about 375 DSS units to be setup </p> <p align="center"><img src="http://www.vibha.org/Xpressions/Vol_4_No_3_March_2008/DSS14.jpg" align="center" hspace="5" width="312px" height="230px" &nbsp; /></p> <p align="justify">Highlights of the scale up efforts include:</p> <ul style="text-align:justify"> <li>Classes at construction sites <ul style="text-align:justify"> <li>Preschool, Study and literacy classes </li> </ul> </li> <li>Other Activities <ul style="text-align:justify"> <li>Fully stacked library and resource center for teachers</li> <li>Book clubs  read and discuss at least one book a month</li> <li>These services will be funded by individual sponsors</li> </ul> </li> <li>Supportive Services <ul style="text-align:justify"> <li>Daycare, Supplementary nutrition for children < 6 years of age</li> <li>Transportation to and from nearby schools that the children are enrolled in</li> <li>The services will be supported by builders, individual sponsors and the transportation is likely to receive funding from the Indian Central Government</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <p align="justify">The roles and responsibilities of coordinators, teachers, and supervisors are clearly spelt out along with training programs and strategies to help teachers deliver more in the classrooms. Monitoring and evaluating the children s progress will also assist teachers and parents alike to send their children to these programs. The first generation learners are doing a tremendous job of advocating the program to their sibling and friends, resulting in more and more children being educated via the non-formal DSS.</p> <ul style="text-align:justify"> <li>Each location will have 3 classes (1 NFE, 1 Balwadi and 1 Study Class)</li> <li>Classes will have 15-17 children each</li> <li>The cost of the scale up effort for the next 5 years (2007-2011) is approximately 4.4 million USD</li> </ul> <p align="center"><img src="http://www.vibha.org/Xpressions/Vol_4_No_3_March_2008/DSS15.jpg" align="center" hspace="5" width="312px" height="230px" &nbsp; /></p> <p align="justify">Vibha is proud to support this stellar project and funded this project with $10,000 in April 2006 and $20,000 in May 2007.</p> <p align="justify">Listen to Rajani Paranjpe, Founder-President of the Door Step School at the annual Vibha Volunteer Conference in Atlanta, May 31-June 01, 2008. More details are at <a href="http://www.vibha.org/vconference" target="_blank"> http://www.vibha.org/vconference</a><br /><br /></p> </td> </tr> <!-- Contact Address --> <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFF2BD"> <td colspan="2"><p align="center"> Vibha 1030 E El Camino Real, #424 Sunnyvale, CA 94087<br /> Phone: 408-997-9992 | Fax: 775-593-1061</p></td> </tr> <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFF2BD"> <td colspan="3"><p align="center"> <a href="http://www.vibha.org" target="_blank">Vibha Main Page</a> | <a href="http://www.vibha.org/Xpressions/" target="_blank">Newletters Home</a> (Previous editions) | <a href="http://www.vibha.org/donate" target="_blank">Donate Online</a> </p></td> </tr> <!-- Disclaimer here --> <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFF2BD"> <td height="45" colspan="2"><p align="center" class="style11"> <font color="#336699" style="font-size: 8pt"> Vibha is a 501(c)(3) registered non-profit, non-religious, non-political organization that seeks to restore to underprivileged children their basic rights to food, shelter, health and education - in short, a future. <br> All donations to Vibha are tax exempt in the US.</font></p></td> </tr> </table> </center> </body> </html>