SLUM SCHOOLS

Below is an abbreviated summary of the monthly costs at several of Project Why´s schools:

    -Primary Sanjay School: $322.50 for 80 children
    -Primary Okhla School: $232.50 for125 children
    -Primary Govindpuri School: $207.50 for 65 children
    -Early Education Govindpuri School: $235 for 35 children
    -Senior Secondary School: $312.50 for 80 children

Below, please find a series of emails and blog entries from Anouradha Bakshi that describe some of the daily challenges and victories that unfold in Project Why´s efforts to run schools “deep in the slums” of New Delhi:

From: anouradha bakshi [mailto:anouradha.bakshi@gmail.com]
Sent: Thu 9/27/2007 9:39 PM
To: William Oppenheim
Subject: Re: money transfer

Thank you so much for this very precious gift of love and trust. In can assure you that it will be used in a way worthy of your trust and belief in us.
I have informed the bank and will tell you as soon as the funds are credited into our account I will send you some recent pictures of okhla and sanjay colony but if you go to
http://projectwhy.org/newokhla.htm
and
http://projectwhy.org/newsanjayprim.htm
you will find a picture gallery you can click on and it is updated regularly
we also try and update the page each month
Last month we had a bit of a shock
http://projectwhy.blogspot.com/2007/09/full-circle.html
when the local politicians wanted to take over our school,but the matter is now settled and we have been told that we can continue unhindered
If you go to our blog page
http://projectwhy.blogspot.com/
there is a label that says OKHLA
you can get some of the history of the place there!
As always believed in honesty and transparency with my funders I have to tell you that all our centres live with a Damocles sword hung over their heads and can bes raised or demolished any time
http://projectwhy.blogspot.com/2007/09/will-it-wont-it.html
as was the case with our gypsy camp.
Let me assure you - as one year is a long time - that if that were to happen, we normally relocate and begin a new outreach almost at once.
One of the reasons that we have decided to include a primary section in our women centre is because of the loss of the Gypsy camp!
When Reid comes back I will explain this to him and he will then be my best ambassador.
In case you need any more informatin please do let me know
bless you
fond regards
anou


From: anouradha bakshi [mailto:anouradha.bakshi@gmail.com]
Sent: Tue 9/11/2007 3:27 AM
To: William Oppenheim
Subject: Re: supporting project why

Dear Willy
I am overwhelmed by your generous offer and have no words to express what I feel.
Let me try and answer some of your questions:
as you know we run support systems as I strongly believe that in a country where free education is a constitutional right f every child, it is the the duty of th state to run schools. Unfortunately because of their poor quality of teaching we are faced with a proliferation of private schools and the government schools have fallen even further.
There is talk of privatising all education and that makes my blood run cold as it would men the end of education for the poorest of the poor.
In Delphi government schools run 2 shifts: morning for girls and afternoon for boys. We just do the opposite. In a city where the drop out rate is almost 70% we have been able to ensure that no child that came our way dropped out and have even got some first class results in Board Examinations of class X and XII!
some of the situation is explained here
http://projectwhy.org/primary.htm

we  try and go deep into slums where the children are find space to teach'
Okhla is a reclaimed garbage dump (Reid has seen it) and Sanjay Colony and Govindpuri are in tiny hovels that we took on rent.
Both sanjay colony and okhla are located close to the okhla industrial estate where there are lot of migrant workers. We have a predominance of people coming from states like Bihar, Jharkand, Uttar Pradesh and Nepal. They are of all castes and creed. We have a large number of muslim children.
we charge a rupee a day or 30 rs a month because I feel it is important that parents understand that in today's world and age education is as important as food or shelter, however we do not send back a child of the fee is not paid but call paents meeting to try and make them understand.
Or school is open to anyone who is willing and we often have surveys to convince parents to send their kids. Often we help mainstream the kids too and get them admission in municipal schools.
You will be surpsrised to know that sometis we have children enrolled in class IV who cannot read or write. We follow the curriculum of the school and teach all subjects.
For the past 8 years every child that has come to us has passed his school examinations.
Our learning aids are simple: often it is text books, charts, stationetry, puzzles, and so on.
Future plans Willy is to have more primary centres to reach out to the children who are in need.
I may not hve answered all your questions but when reid comes back I will ry and explain my vision and approach better.
take care
and thank you for being there
anou

Dear All

We are proud to announce the opening of our centre for women and children on October 15th.

For me personally it is life coming full circle as I dedicate this centre to Kamala an extraordinary women and my mother.
For the past 8years I have been endeavouring to pay back what I felt I owed for the very privileged life I was endowed with. And for the past 8 years I did it in the memory of my larger than life father somewhat forgetting the woman who instilled the values that translated into my work at pwhy.

Mama was a social activist well before it was fashionable to be one and above everything else she believed in the total empowerment of women. Unlike many who blame men for the plight of women, mama thought that it was women themselves who were responsible for what befell them. I must confess it took me a long time to understand and accept this reality.

A few months back a woman of substance came into my life and that meeting set into motion an irreversible journey that ends with the setting up of the why women centre.

Located in Madanpur Khader village, the why women centre has two units: one is a small flat that will be a refuge for women who want to rebuild their lives, and the other will house a host of activities for children and local women all aiming at empowering each one to take responsibility for her life.

October 15th would have been Kamala's 90th birthday. It will also be the day when our centre starts functioning a fit tribute to a quiet woman of substance of yore years.

I hope you will support this new venture and help us make it a great success.

Love and blessings

anou

From: anouradha bakshi [mailto:anouradha.bakshi@gmail.com]
Sent: Mon 9/24/2007 10:28 PM
To: William Oppenheim
Subject: women centre

Dear Willy
As promised I am sending you some details about our women centre which has now grown to be a children centre with a residential wing for 3 women of substance!
In the ever changing urban scenario of delhi we in slums are at the mercy of a bulldozer and live with a constant Damocles sword on our head.
It dealt its first blow when we lost our gypsy camp last week:
http://projectwhy.blogspot.com/2007/09/will-it-wont-it.html
and led us to have to reinvent ourselves
http://projectwhy.blogspot.com/2007/09/new-journey-begins.html
This situation is going to continue as Delhi gears up to host a sports fiesta and in that drive hopes to wish away its slums and other ungainly sites.
That is one of the reasons I dream of planet why
http://planetwhy.blogspot.com/2007/10/planet-why-project-report.html
Our women centre also began from the heart as everything else at pwhy when I met N
http://projectwhy.blogspot.com/2007/06/woman-of-subtance.html
and a series of events beyond one's control
http://projectwhy.blogspot.com/2007/07/midway-mysteries.html
led to us setting up a women's home in a land where impossible things happen
http://projectwhy.blogspot.com/2007/08/number-nine.html
(sorry to take you on such a long journey but it is the only way to show how things happen and how important it is to be able to adapt and carry on)
At this moment we have found a place in a small urban village near a slum resettlement colony and hope to shift soon as the place where the ladies are now is pretty bad.
We have raised some funds but are still short as you will see in our expense sheet.
http://projectwhy.org/womenexpenses.htm
The above wil give you a picture of the nest steps we may have to take. The sports fiesta is in 2010, just round the corner.
 You have already been a huge help but i am sending you this information as we are still looking for sustained funds for the women centre.
In case you have any more queries please do let me know
take care
anou

PLANET WHY

De: anouradha bakshi [mailto:anouradha.bakshi@gmail.com]
Enviado el: sáb 2/2/2008 7:34
Para: William Oppenheim
Asunto: Re: checking in

Dear Willy

The last few weeks have been quite stunning....
what I had dreamt of, prayed for .. and never quite believed would happen suddenly fell into my lap.
for a long time the price of land and cost of building scared me and almost made me give up the planet why idea but someone up there thought otherwise.
I had been in touch via email with a lady and as things went on shared my dream with her.. she passed it on to her husband and somehow he decided to see it happen..
they are an Indian couple living in Singapore and jst like you I have never met them..
 I hesitantly told them about the almost 10 million rs needed for the land alone ans to my utter surprise they send the amount as an interest free loan with promise that they would find ways get it paid back and as we went along planet why became a reality ..
Vikram then added a new component to it: a foster care cum scholarship programme whereby20 kids from deprived homes would be given a chance to break free
(have attached the whole project for you)
I must confess that I became scared and tried tio shy away but then I realised that this was something I had done for Utpal and could now do for many others and thus accepted.
as this is new for us I suggested we start a trial foster home and the idea was accepted
http://pwhyfostercare.blogspot.com/
This is where we stand.. and I am excited and scared at the same time
I need your support all he way as it is not easy but then for me pwhy was not an easy end of life occupation it is a way to redeem myself and many others and pay back for all that I was given
so I hope you will walk along with me..
We need all the help we can get but above all I need the love and trust you have given me
and we do need volunteers..


anou