Greetings from OPEN.We wish everyone a Happy Holiday season, and a Happy and Prosperous New Year 2025. We mark the completion of 21 years of operation with your support.
Post-secondary education: Ignite scholarship program
As previously reported, 94% of the 52 final year students for the 2023-24 academic year graduated on time, and 67% found jobs or had higher studies planned at graduation.
We have found that these children really benefit from help in spoken English, mock interviews, and resume-writing. English classes will be held by Mr.Naren of Power My English in January and February, 2025.
We expect our budget for this academic year to be around $25,000, benefiting about 100 children. Scholarships are capped at Rs.20,000 per year for 2 and 3 year college/polytechnic students; and are capped at Rs.30,000 per year for 4 and 5 year college students.
Students are predominantly in college for B.Com., B.Sc., 2-3 year Polytechnic, or 4-year Engineering degrees. Most students in this program are poor, with average family income of Rs. 8,200 per month, and we only admit new students to this program after income verification and house visits or video calls, as appropriate.
Many of our past scholarship recipients remain in touch with us. Ms.Kowsthuba Rajagopalan, an Engineering scholarship recipient, worked at Honeywell India and then pursued a Master's degree at Eindhoven University, The Netherlands, and after graduating, is employed in The Netherlands as an Automation Engineer.
Ms.Anjana Jayashri, an Engineering scholarship recipient, worked at Tata Steel and then pursued a Master's degree at Texas A&M University, and after graduating, is employed in the US.
Supplemental education: English classes by Vidyarambam
We continue working with Vidyarambam Trust and delivered their Easy Learning Englishsupplemental classes to 3000 children in classes 5-8, at 9 Government schools in Chennai. Our budget for academic year 2024-25 is $33,000.
The plan is to continue classes at these schools for multiple years so that a child that starts in class 5 for academic year 2022-23 will receive 4 years of instruction in English.
Skills involved are tested for each students using about 5-7 minutes of questioning and evaluation. Letters, words, sentences, paragraphs, negative sentences, jumbled words organization into sentences - are some of the skills tested. These metrics are closely aligned with the ASER reports released by the NGO Pratham, and measure actual outcomes. We continue visiting the various schools supported by OPEN to monitor progress made by the children.
Keeping slum children in school: After-school center run by Turning Point Trust
The Turning Point Trust aims to keep children of slum dwellers in Kannagi Nagar, Chennai, in school. An after-school center for 125 children is being supported by OPEN. Students come to the center for help with academics, and are obtaining about 67% marks on average. Monthly family income averages Rs.8,500 in these blue collar families. Turning Point conducts various activities for children to increase their exposure to the world, and counseling sessions about staying out of trouble.
Given the importance of board exams, Turning Point has started special coaching for 10th standard students in Math and Science both before- and after-school. The center also continues spoken English classes conducted by Ms.Poornima of First2Minites for both the center staff and the students.
Turning Point are attempting to keep track of their children as they try to stay in school, go to college, graduate etc.
A Karthigai celebration was organized at the Turning Point Center.
K-12 Education: Ganapathy Iyer Girls’ Higher Secondary School
We continue our support of Ganapathy Iyer Girls’ Higher Secondary School, Gopalapuram, Chennai, with tuition and uniforms scholarships for poor children, and operating expenses for morning breakfast. Our budget is approximately $8,500. IGNITE scholarship counseling takes place at this school, as do the IGNITE English classes, so we have a long-running partnership.
We recently started a drive to improve grades at this school. Slow learners were identified based on their marks in reading and writing in Tamil and English, and marks in Maths. These students were given remedial coaching. Additionally, "Quick Maths" was started as an extra-curricular activity for 25 students from classes 6-9, and this class meets twice weekly for an hour. We are hoping to raise the floor for all students at this school through these targeted activities.
OPEN needs you
The OPEN community has supported over 42,000 students in the past 20 years with over $1.3 million in grants. As always, our ability to fund these projects depends on your generosity. OPEN is a non-profit charitable foundation in India and in the U.S. Contributions in both countries are tax-deductible.
Contributions in USD may be made online or by check.
Checks payable to OPEN Inc. may be sent to one of:
Sriram Sankaran, 7213 Lembert Hills Dr, Dublin, CA 94558
Rajesh Ramadoss, 21 S Mountain Rd, Millburn, NJ 07041
Cheques in INR may be sent in favor of:
Open India Charitable Trust # 26/91, 3rd Street, Karpagam Avenue, R.A.Puram, Chennai - 600028 Phone : +91 77086-79797.
You may also donate online in INR thru NEFT/IMPS:
Bank: Canara Bank Branch: St. Mary’s Road, Chennai Account Number: 1 2871 01 01 8901 MICR Number: 60001 5037 IFSC Code Number: CNRB0001287
Please consider investing in India's future. To delay may mean to forget.
