OPEN: Organization to Provide EducatioN

Newsletter/Updates

Success Stories

In 2011-12 academic year, Ganapathy Iyer Girls High school secured 100% result in the std.X public examination held in the month of April 2012. 52 girls appeared for the examination. The school topper was T.Tamilarasi of English Medium with 463 out of 500. Second topper was D.Pragathy of English Medium with 449 out of 500 and school third topper was B.Sowmya of English Medium with 448 out of 500.Out of 52, 14 girls scored above 400 marks and 39 girls scored above 300 marks.

First mark in Tamil - 91
First mark in English - 89
First mark in Mathsl-98
First mark in Sciencel-95
First mark in Social Science-99

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OPEN: Organization to Provide EducatioN

How we started

In 2003, a close family member of one of us - a teacher at a Government school in Chennai, India - asked for financial help for her school so that they could construct a kitchen for their free lunch program. We were able to help the school with this request, and figured that more schools like this one would need help as well. We continued working with the Jaigopal Garodia Foundation that ran this particular school, to help this school, and found other schools like it that needed help. Fundraising among family and friends led to the need to formally register OPEN as a non-profit organization in the US, and eventually in India.

What we are now

We are a non-profit organization devoted to providing education for poor children in India. We run a scholarship program that benefits 120 students annually for post-secondary Vocational 3 year diplomas, 3 year B.Com., B.Sc. and B.C.A degrees, and 4 year Engineering degrees. We fund supplemental English and Math education programs, run by Vidyarambam Trust, in K-12 government schools in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. We fund extra-curricular reading programs through libraries, and science and arts clubs, run by Ashraya Trust, at four schools in rural Karnataka. We have funded classroom construction and provided furniture and other infrastructure to schools in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. We have funded after-school supplemental coaching in Math for children in government schools in Bangalore in partnership with APR Trust, and have funded Single Teacher Classrooms run by our partner Vivekananda Society in rural Tamil Nadu.

From 2003 to March 2023, we have supported over 40,000 underprivileged children through grants of over $1.2 million - grants towards scholarships, and towards infrastructure and operational expenses for schools catering to underprivileged children. Our overhead expenses have averaged about 2%, the main portion of which are payment processing charges for online contributions.

OPEN pie chart

We have been recognized a non-profit public foundation by the US Internal Revenue Service, and all contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by the US IRS. Here is a copy of our 501(c)(3) recognition. We are also registered as a charitable foundation in India under section 80G of the Indian Income Tax Act, and contributions in Indian Rupees are tax-deductible in India to the extent permitted by Indian tax laws. We are fully compliant with all tax filing requirements in the USA and in India.

Ignite: Educate A Child Scholarships

Donors can directly influence a child's life through OPEN's Ignite Scholarship program, which provides scholarships for needy children for vocational diploma, and college education. OPEN typically funds up to $400 annually for students in college. Students with fees in excess of this amount are expected to raise monies from other sources.

Contributions are suggested at one of the levels below. They are also welcome at any amount the donor sees fit.

$100 or $200: partial annual scholarship for a student in a B.Sc./B.Com./B.E. or Vocational training program
$400: full annual scholarship for a student in a B.Sc./B.Com./B.E. or a Vocational training program

Year

Summary

2020-21

Number of post-secondary students sponsored by OPEN: 66 (lower number of students than typical owing to the pandemic)
Graduation percentage: 73% graduate on time
2021-22 program budget: $14,000
Average monthly household income of students: $120 (INR 8,000)
Average 12th standard percentage: 75% for students in Polytechnic Vocational Training; 85% for students in B.Com. or B.Sc. programs; 95% for students in B.E. programs.

Mission and Goals

- To provide access to primary/secondary school and college education for poor children in India, based on need and merit.

- To ensure that education is actually related to the real life need of making a living.

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