Why Gyanada?

Lily Das & Me,Tollygunge, Kolkata (2004)

At a Glance

West BengalCapital: KolkataPopulation: 91 millionGender ratio: 51% (male), 49% female

Male literacy: 82.67%Female literacy: 71.16%

At a Glance

MaharashtraCapital: MumbaiPopulation: 112 millionGender ratio: 52% (male), 48% female

Male literacy: 89.82%Female literacy: 75.48%

At a Glance

Delhi Capital: New DelhiPopulation: 17 millionGender ratio: 53% (male), 47% female

Male literacy: 91%Female literacy: 80.93%

At a Glance

JharkhandCapital: RanchiPopulation: 33 millionGender ratio: 51.5% (male), 48.5% female

Male literacy: 78.45%Female literacy: 56.21%

Even More Sobering Stats

RTEPrimary school: near universal enrollment, free education

Even More Sobering Stats

Only 30% of Class III students could read the texts meant for Class I students — vs 50%, 4 years ago

Similar decline in arithmetic skills

Government schools still terrible, even rural and slum-based parents know this

Absent teachers

Girls still disproportionately dropping out of school — after free primary school.

Simple things: 45% of schools do not have access to separate or usable toilets for girls.

Enrollment declining in major states of the last 4 years especially for girls between the ages of 11 to 14

How we can make a difference

Shift the effort away from ‘send girls to school, any school’, to ‘send them to GOOD schools’

Think beyond financial contributions: the Gyanada roadmap

Collect data and track progress of girls’ education in areas we function in, as granular level of education data research vs other non-profits’ macro data (e.g. Pratham’s excellent education data)

The story so far

Crowd-funding Private funds

US$8500 US$14000

1, 223, 100 INR

Where do the funds go?KolkataCalcutta Rescue (since 1991)

MumbaiSalaam Balak (since 1988)

DelhiCalcutta Rescue (since 1997)

JharkhandPratigya (since 2007)

Right: list of all 36 female students to receive the funding for academic year 2013-2014

Where do the funds go?Muskan Sri Ramborn 2007

Family monthly income: 800 INR (S$18.40)

Father is a labourer. Lives with her grandparents. Small rented room.

Serious about her studies.

Where do the funds go?Priyanka Singhborn 2004

Family monthly income: 1500 INR (S$35)

Father died when she was a child. Mother is sole breadwinner but pampers Priyanka. She’s an average student but she goes to school regularly.

Transparency, accountability...

We are registered as Gyanada Foundation Limited in the Republic of Singapore, a company registered by guarantee (first step towards becoming a VWO or charity)

We are working towards official non-profit / charity status once we have an established track record (Singapore government regulations)

We have a board of trustees and members whose jobs are to make sure that the accounts are in order

Transparency, accountability...

Every member of the team who is affiliated to an organization in India that receives funding is required to have oversight from two managing directors and a third party when funds are being disbursed

There will be a page dedicated to transparency on our website which will show where we stand

Lists of the girls who receive the funding will be available to all donors

We will make our funding and disbursal situation clear and transparent in our report to the board and donors, every 6 months

If you want to go to India to visit the girls you have sponsored, we will connect you

Want to do something?

Our crowdfunding campaign: Less than US$1000 to go!

Cheque or bank transfer? See Harsh after this.

Contribute in other ways? See me after this!

Want to sponsor more than one girl? Yes please!

Corporation? We can work on a programme together.

Ideas!

Gyanada Scholarship India

Gyanada Singapore: low income Indian families to benefit?

Talent Development Programme

Non-academic Bootcamp

Your ideas? Tell us.

Questions?

Q & A

Thank You