Akanksha Update March 2008
The Akanksha Foundation is a non-profit organization that educates less privileged children. Over the past 16 years, Akanksha has managed to create opportunities for over 3000 children through 62 Akanksha centers (37 in Mumbai and 25 in Pune) 2 schools & 4 KG centres.
Akanksha Mumbai
Education
March has been a very busy month for education. The assessments took place in the first two weeks of March following which the assessments were graded and scored for all centers. We are in the process of looking at performance in language and math across centers in order to understand trends and areas that would help us plan better for the coming year. Assessments this term were a much smoother process because we had a lot of help from volunteers who we trained specifically for assessment and grading.
The teachers meetings this month looked at lesson planning and assessment scores – data driven instruction. The training was directed at helping teachers use assessment data to analyze performance and enhance planning.
Spaces still remain a serious concern and we are looking for a temporary space for the
The Year End Projects are starting in April and will take place from the 14th of April through the 22nd of April. Centers will use the project as a way to showcase learning over the year. This is a great opportunity to go to centers and look at the childrens learning. You can contact education@akanskha.org for a copy of the schedule.
Beyond School
Beyond School is trying to plan an intensive course in math and language for its students entering the 10th standard in June. People interested in volunteering for the month of May should contact Sudeshna at beyondschool@akanksha.org.
Many more mentors are needed for students starting in June, so interested volunteers should contact Connie at conniefernandes@gmail.com
The Financial Aid Program is beginning its process for students planning to pursue college or a vocational course in June.
We are still in the process of looking for a quality computer course we can enroll our students in starting in July– people who know of good courses please contact Sudeshna at beyondschool@akanksha.org.
Learning to Lead
We had a round of interviews for the selected candidates and have shortlisted about 8 candidates for LTL2 and LTL3 which include non Akanksha students as well. We will be assessing few more Holy Name school students.
We have been pushing the students for academic performance and some students have shown improved results. They all begin final exams end of March.
LTL 1st summer session will be from 14th April to 30th April when it will be running for longer hours. The next summer session will be from 2nd June to 13th June which will include a summer retreat as well
Social Leadership Program
Vinita didi and Parind bhaiya conducted 2 sessions with the SLP group making them aware about Rights to Information. It was a very powerful session and the students left feeling very empowered. We formed community wise groups and have formed an RTI application on various problems like the slum rehabilitation, ration card details etc!!!
Priya didi and Shama didi conducted a session on leadership and its styles. Michelle didi conducted a session on the life of Cesar Chavez and she also designed a game on Free trade. It was a very interactive and strong session. She drew connections with the leadership style and the free trade policy and how the scenario in
We are working on the summer internships and all our leaders have found a placement with an organization working on issues of their interest.
The recruitment process in on and we are making presentations to all the interested candidates. We are also in process to design a very tight process for recruitment.
Akanksha Teacher Fellowship
The program comes to an end in a month and hence the focus is a lot on Math and English revision. Sima didi conducted a session on dealing with stress while Ruchi didi conducted a session around art and using the imagination.
Human Resources
We finished all our staff appraisals and found that the forum was used well to give open and frank feedback and to build an atmosphere of care and concern for every individuals growth. The month of April will see all our teachers being appraised along with centre reviews.
We continue to look for the right teachers for our centres and hope that the ads we have been placing and the other recruitment efforts will pay off in time for the new teachers to join our intensive one month long training institute in May.
Social work
The Social work team had a training session on Rights to Information by Vinita Singh and Priya Agrawal from Satark Nagrik Sangathan. This helped us have a better understanding of the act and help our parents. It was also the topic for our parents meetings and has proved to be very helpful in empowering the parents. We thank Vinita Singh, Mr. Parind Shah, Priya Agrawal and Mr. Ashok from Satark Nagrik Sangathan for conducting the meetings for us.
Mankhurd had a eye camp by Haji Bachoo Ali. They screened 300 children and found out that 2 of them need to undergo some surgery and a few need spectacles. They are going to perform the surgery for free and give out spectacles on discounted rates.
Finance
The financial year is coming to an end and we can not thank enough all our supporters of 2007-08 who through donations large or small help us to reach out to so many children. We look forward to your continued patronage in the new academic year and to more stories of success and hope for the future.
We would like to thank all those who have raised funds for us through the Mumbai Marathon, to date we have received Rs 27,63,494 through Give India as pledges and corporate challenge sponsorships.
We have available CD versions of our annual reports for 2005-06 and 2007-08, anyone who wishes to receive a copy please do send us an email with your name and address and we can have them couriered to you.
Programs
Sports
At the unveiling of the Barclays Premier League Trophy at the Cooperage grounds our Akanksha Football team Under 12 – 14 took part and won the silver medal and came runners up in this tournament. Football practices are on the Oval Maidan.
Preparations for the football tournament L-3, 4,5&6 are getting under way. The tournament is on April 19 & 20, 2008 at
The
The art shop team has been busy getting together the many product ideas as well as the business plan for the shop. We are looking for Akanksha alumni who can take on part time or full time jobs in the shop. For those who are not aware of what the Art Shop is
the shop as an idea was conceived many years ago when we found an increasing demand for customized and special products made by the art project students. It appealed to us as a great platform to not only sell the products but to take up larger issues that Akanksha has always believed in the tremendous potential in every child, opportunities as being the only differentiating factor between less privileged and privileged children, that art is really an equalizer and a unique platform. We hope that the shop can weave together our beliefs and provide Akanksha students another career opportunity while spreading awareness about what we are doing.
Year End stock counts and inventory checks were another area of focus for the month of March.
April will be an exciting month with some interesting projects in the pipeline, our art class graduations and the special incentives that all the production and design class students will receive for their work through the year.
Education
The Teachers Meeting was held on the 1st of March. The focus areas were:
- Guidelines for assessments,
- Productive use of centre time post assessments
- Graduation Day
- Centre Review Meetings and Teacher Performance Appraisals
End of year assessments were conducted across all centres. The children were assessed in Language, Math and Values. The Education Department is completing all of the checking, scoring, and inputting of scores. These will be shared during Centre Reviews. Additionally, the Teachers Meeting in April will be focused on analysis of trends across Pune centres.
The preparation for Graduation Day has started. These will be held in the third week of April.
Training has started for a new teacher who has joined us in the last week of this month.
HR
We celebrated Womens Day with all staff members at Office. All year-end staff appraisals are being conducted this month.
Teacher Recruitment: We conducted campus interviews at
On 28th March we celebrated and felicitated all those who have been associated with Akanksha for 2 years and more (teachers, helpers, volunteers, staff and corporate sponsors).
Public Relations
Students from Kothrud afternoon (level 3), Karvenagar afternoon (levels 2 and 4) and St.Crispins 1 (18 kids) participated in a musical performance presented by the Frankfinn Institute of Airhostess Training. Our kids, Frankfinn students and representatives and all Didis and Bhaiyas had a great fun filled afternoon with music, dance and games
This month we also revived the book collection drive across private schools in Pune. As of now the response is pretty good. We are expecting more books to come in that will be used in our Mini Libraries in Centres in the next year
Our older level kids from Wakadewadi, FM1 and Karvenagar Afternoon centres had an opportunity to witness a French musical concert, at the
Social Work
Empowerment assessments were completed at all the centres KN(m), St.Crispins 2, Forbes Marshal 1, Sunshine and Wakdewadi.
We celebrated Womens Day across all our centres for the mothers of the children during the parent meeting. We started with information on some specific laws related to women and organizations that support women for legal aid and shelter in dire circumstances. Then it was fun time for the mothers where they played games and had special snacks.
Programs
Sports
54 Children from 3 Centres along with other schools and NGOs took part in a 5 k.m. walkathon organized by Aviva. 12 volunteers and staff also accompanied the kids.
15 children from Thermax, Karve Nagar 1 and Kothrud morning centres participated in a number of competitions like Face Paniting, Mask making, photography, information stall and fancy dress, conducted by the Kids for Tigers, Sanctury
Photography Competition– The topic for the photography was Climate change and environmental degradation. Our 5 children Karve Nagar1 sent 3 entries each. All the photographs were put up in an exhibition and were appreciated. Poornima Pol won 2nd and the 3rd prize.
Fancy Dress competition– In fancy dress the kids were supposed to dress like any endangered animal. Two kids from Kothrud Morning center won 1st prize and the 3rd prize. They dressed like a Turtle and the King Cobra.
Information stall We won the Second Prize in the information stall on any one endangered species. The theme for our stall was Save Musk Deer, its an endangered species. They displayed the information on why it is killed and what can be done for the conservation of this animal. Our kids spoke confidently. They also quizzed people to test their knowledge on Indian endangered species. The activities conducted at the information stall were interactive and interesting.
We used only eco-friendly material.
Social Leadership Program
We began with the module on Health this month. We had different resource people to speak about topics like health facilities, hygiene, common medical terms, tuberculosis and ill effects of tobacco usage.
We conducted the first mentor review meeting this month. On the basis of the development scorecard, we assessed the progress of each mentor and mentee on aspects of mentor-mentee relationship and personality development.
Mumbai : The Akanksha Foundation, Voltas House ‘C’, T.B. Kadam Marg, Chinchpokli,
Mumbai 400 033. Telefax: 23700253 Tel: 23729880
Pune: The Akanksha Foundation, 102, HEMOPAL, Next to Joshi Wadawala, Wakadewadi, Bombay Pune Road, Pune 411 005. Tel: 020- 25821000 and 25821001