This section is intended to be a brief description of our projects for academic year 2013-14. 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: $11,600. Number of children benefited: 600.
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 2013: 100. Cost: $17,500. These students come from poor backgrounds, and completing college is an achievement.
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 $12,800 and it benefits 200 children.
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: $3,100. Number of students benefited: 180
APR Charitable Trust: OPEN funds $2,600 for a math teacher to provide after-school instruction at 3 schools supported by the APR Charitable Trust in Bangalore, India.
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 a 25-liter water filtration plant. Cost: $900
Malleswaram Shishu Vihar, Bangalore: OPEN provides scholarships for 10 children at this school, which takes in slum children from Malleswaram, Bangalore. Cost: $2,300.
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 $1,100 for Pudiyador's center in General Cariappa Vocational School in Chennai. This program benefited 35 children.
Hope School, Chennai: OPEN provided $10,500 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.
Santosh Charity, Bangalore: This charity runs a home for underprivileged children. OPEN provided $4,000 towards the schooling and boarding of 6 children at this home.
Siragu Montessori School, Chennai: OPEN provided $7,000 towards teacher salaries, and operational expenses for the school's free lunch program, utilities etc, at this school, which benefits underprivileged children from the Avadi area of Chennai.
Jaigopal Rashtroththana Vidyalaya, Bangalore: This school caters to lower-income children. OPEN provided $3,500 towards scholarships and uniforms for 20 children of migrant workers.
