Greetings from OPEN. It is time for another quarterly update on our projects.
The Pudiyador center at General Cariappa school, Saligram, Chennai has been running an after school program with 41 students for the last 3 quarters. Students from Classes I to VI visit the center weekday evenings and weekends. OPEN supports the centre with operational expenses and infrastructure development. Last quarter, we got them a projector which will help students watch educational videos, web presentations and power point presentations. It will also come in handy to conduct lessons through Skype for the whole class. Cost $400/-
Somasundaram school, located at Siravayal, Kallal Taluk, Sivagangai, Tamil Nadu, has classes from I – VIII. They have about 90 students and currently have 4 teachers who are paid by the government. Earlier in year 2010, we supported this school for some infrastructure needs. This quarter we provided $1000 for:
One Computer and Printer.
Annual Salary for an additional staff member to teach English and Computer Classes.
Somasundaram School , Siravayal
Jaigopal Garodia Rashtrotthana school, located near Banaswadi, Bangalore: This English medium private school caters to kids from low income families. We have previously funded classroom construction at this school. This quarter, we sponsored school fees/notebooks/uniforms for 24 students. We get periodic progress reports regarding these children. Program cost $3000.
Santosh Home is a home for about 30 destitute children in Bangalore. OPEN supports 6 students this year for their educational and their living expenses. 50% of this support comes from 3 individual sponsors and OPEN funds the other 50%. We get quarterly updates on the progress of these students.
The Hope Foundation runs a school at Kannagi Nagar slum area near OMR, Chennai. The slum area predominantly consists of people from the fishing community and others who are economically backward. The school operates up to Class V and does not collect fees from students. The medium of instruction is English. OPEN funded the construction of two class rooms in this school last quarter. Phase I Construction is complete and the school is operational in this new building.
Hope School Classroom Inauguration
Siragu Montessori School - OPEN continues funding about 1.3 lakhs per month ($ 2200) for operational expenses which include tuition fees, salaries, maintenance of school van, boarding and lodging. OPEN also funded two sets of uniforms for 392 kids at a cost of Rs.3 lakhs. About 120 children are given residential care. Activity based learning system is used in teaching. The school continues to operate two buses to pick up and drop off children who come from nearby villages.
Jaigopal Garodia Foundation Schools - OPEN supported these schools by providing 100 benchand desk sets for this quarter. Cost $3000/
Virugambakkam - 43 sets
Manali - 43 sets
Tambaram - 14 sets
Fundraiser Event - OPEN and IGNITE conducted “RAGA & RHYTHM” on December 11, 2011 at Sir Muthu Venkatasubbarao Concert Hall, Chennai. The concert was sold out and the audience was treated to a phenomenal concert.The net proceeds from this fund raiser were about $35000, a substantial portion of which has been earmarked for the next batch of students in the OPEN-IGNITE polytechnic program.
OPEN Needs You
OPEN has been registered as a non-profit charitable foundation in India and the U.S. Contributions in both countries are tax-deductible. As always, our ability to fund these projects depends on your generosity. We request that (tax-deductible) contributions payable to OPEN Inc. be sent to Kumar or Ramprasad at:
Kumar Thiagarajan, 25470 Gimbel Dr, South Riding, VA 20547
Ramprasad Santhanakrishnan, 810 Graywyck Dr, Seven Fields, PA 16046
If you would like your contribution to go towards the Educate a Child program, please mention it in your check memo section.
Tax-deductible contributions may be sent to Sriram or Arvind in India in favor of OPEN India Charitable Trust: