Proposal To, Shaily Shah, Project Head, Propel Ahmedabad Meet Rao, Center Head, Manav Sadhna, Ahmedabad Arpita Bhatta, Center Support Fellow, Ahmedabad Aarohi Joshi, City Team Lead, Ahmedabad Bhumika Bhandari, Project Head, National Team, MAD

Subject: To start Project Propel at Manav Sadhna Center, Ahmedabad

Introduction to Manav Sadhna: Its a Community Center located in Juna Vadaj providing educational support to kids of 1st to 9th standard living in Juna Vadaj Area of Ahmedabad. As this not a shelter home, most of the kids live with their parents or close relatives. Currently we are running Discover Project at this center since last 2 years.

Why propel might not be existing at Manav Sadhna?

Sr No Why no propel? Probable Solution

1 Insufficient volunteer capacity

There are hardly 7-8 kids. So we dont require many volunteers. Even a ratio of 1:2/1:3 can be adopted if required. (Something is always better than nothing!)

2 Insufficient project capacity/experience

Slowly and steadily we can develop the capacity. Also collaboration with external partners can be done to improve the situation.

3 Lack of Support from Center Authorities side

A meeting can be organised with them and requirement of the project can be explained.

4 It is mandatory for kids to be a part of MAD in the year previous to starting Propel.

I dont understand the reason, but I would like if we can make an exception.

5 We are not looking at extending shelter homes for Propel Nationally

I would like if we can make an exception.

6 Project has not stabilised yet

Project stabilisation always takes time and its a continuous process. I think we as a city have stabilised enough, and so can afford to take a small risk of expanding.

7 Any other problem? We can definitely brainstorm and work out on the solutions

Why Propel should be implemented at Manav Sadhna?

1. No support is available to the kids after 9th standard from center. 2. As kids leave with their parents, they are constantly exposed to family pressure of getting

married or leaving the studies or selecting a specific career. 3. Such conventional attitude highly affects the growth of the kids, as they are not able to

pursue the career of their interest or to continue with their studies. 4. Amidst all this, there exist a very high chance of kids loosing motivation in between, and so

constant motivation and guidance is required. 5. Also kids are not able to afford tuitions for the weaker subjects due to poor financial

conditions and so ASV can be a boon to them. 6. Kids feel inspired and confident when MAD volunteers interact with them, but this

interaction is not possible on constant basis if the project does not exist, as we are not allowed to meet these kids other than at the center.

If the project is not implemented, then there is high possibility that, all the efforts made during the discover project might go in vain. Already incidents have been noted, wherein a kid is forced to study something in which he is not interested or weak at, and so discovering his career interest through discover activities went useless. So there is an urgent need of implementing Project Propel in collaboration with Manav Sadhna center to provide required support to this kids who are highly vulnerable. I hope the concerned people will sense the importance and urgency of taking up this issue and hence will take the request forward. Thanks and Regards, Mihir Rambhia (+91-9624788147) Discover Intern, Ah-MAD-abad