This section is intended to be a brief description of our projects for academic year 2014-15. For more detail on partner schools/organizations at which the projects were executed, please click on the paragraph headline links below. For Projects' description for other years, please use the menu on the left. For simplicity, project grants are quoted in USD, though a given project may have been funded solely by USD, by INR, or by a mix.

Vidyarambam Easy Learning English and Easy Learning Mathematics: Vidyarambam's ELE and ELM classes were conducted with OPEN funding at 6 Government schools in Chennai. Vidyarambam conduct diagnostic, mid-year, and year-end tests to measure the efficacy of their instruction.Total cost: $28,800. Number of children benefited: 2000. Results: The vast majority of children in the Easy Learning English and Easy Learning Maths programs improved by one grade from the diagnostic test to the final test.

IGNITE Post-Secondary Scholarships: This scholarship program for Vocational Polytechnic, Engineering, and 3-year Degree (B.Com, B.Sc, BCA etc) students is completely executed by OPEN. Number of students supported in 2014: 130. Cost: $20,800. These students come from poor backgrounds, and completing college is an achievement. Students Lakshmi and Chiranjeevi, graduates of this program, talk about this program and its effect on their lives in the linked videos.

Ganapathy Iyer Girls’ High School: This is a Government-aided school run by the Gopalapuram Educational Society. OPEN continued its scholarship program at this school by funding scholarships for 100 under-privileged students for books/fees. We also fund operational expenses for after-school classes that teach students the Arts, Karate, etc and provide a meal during the class. The total cost of this program is $18,200 and it benefits 200 children.

Ashraya Trust: OPEN provided funding to set up libraries, run by the Ashraya Trust, at 3 Government schools in rural Karnataka. The libraries aim to improve reading levels of schoolchildren by giving them the opportunity to borrow books at an appropriate reading level. The librarians monitor the number and reading levels of the books borrowed by each student. Total cost of program: $7,600. Students benefited: 600. Results: 50% of children improved their reading by at least one level over the course of the year.

Single Teacher Schools, Vivekanda Educational Society: “If children cannot go to school, then the school goes to the children” – claimed Swami Vivekananda. The Rural Development Society is the implementing agency of this unique project in Tamil Nadu. OPEN funds operation of 5 schools in Tiruvallur district. After completion of Class 8, students are supposed to move to larger schools in neighboring towns. Cost: $3,000. Number of students benefited: 180

APR Charitable Trust: OPEN funds $4,000 for a math teacher to provide after-school instruction at 3 schools supported by the APR Charitable Trust in Bangalore, India.

Samridhdhi Trust, Bangalore:  Samridhdhi supports the education of the children of migrant workers and slum dwellers in Bangalore. They specialize in running bridge schools, which provide remedial instruction for these children so that they may catch up in education to their age-appropriate level. They also provide scholarships for children who graduate from these bridge schools to mainstream schools. OPEN provided $1,400 for scholarships and living expenses for 7 children.

Turning Point Trust, Chennai: OPEN provides $1,100 towards after-school programs for slum children, run by the Turning Point Trust of Chennai. Number of children benefited: 50

Somasundaram school, located at Siravayal,  Kallal Taluk, Sivagangai, Tamil Nadu, has a total of 90 students in classes from 1 - 8. The school has 4 teachers who are paid by the Government. OPEN pays for the salary of an additional staff member to teach English and Computer Classes. OPEN also provided money for cupboards and cabinets at this school. Cost: $1,200

Malleswaram Shishu Vihar, Bangalore: OPEN provides scholarships for 10 children at this school, which takes in slum children from Malleswaram, Bangalore. Cost: $2,400.

Pudiyador center, Saligramam, Chennai: Pudiyador provides poor children access to Arts, Crafts and Painting, much the same as would a middle-class parent. They believe that this broadens the education for poor children. OPEN provided $3,000 for Pudiyador's center in General Cariappa Vocational School in Chennai. This program benefited 35 children.

Hope School, Chennai: OPEN provided $2,500 towards operational expenses and teacher salaries at this school run by the HOPE Foundation. This school serves the children of slum-dwellers in Kannagi Nagar, Chennai, and does not collect fees from its students.

Solapur District Schools, Maharashtra: The Rotary Foundation of Thane supports Government schools in Solapur district, Maharashtra. Schools in Solapur district have little funding from the Government. OPEN provided $3,300 for 1300 sets of schoolbooks for students in classes 7 and 8 at schools in this district, with set to be shared by 2 students. Number of students benefited: 2,600.