Updates- September and October

Aashayein

(Updates for September & October)

“And now when things seem dark and hard and difficult to face

The memory of that little boy helps me in my race

For all of life is like that race with ups and downs and all

And all you have to do to win, Is rise each time you fall

“Quit! Give up! You’re beaten!” they all shout in my face

But another voice within me says; “GET UP AND WIN THE RACE”

That's exactly what we did at Aashayein.Each time we fell, we re-affirmed ourselves to our aims and rose again.

Month of September and October had been really eventful and full of bustling activities. Some of the major developments were:

1. Initiation of regular academic classes for kids. A qualified teacher has been appointed who takes classes from Monday to Friday.

2. A Core Team of Aashayein has been set up responsible for taking major decisions in the project. Volunteers to be recruited in this team were selected based on their availability and commitment.

The core team comprises of:

I) Project coordinator & account manager: Prachi Aggarwal

II) Volunteer coordinator: Prachi&Swastik

III) Event coordinator: Anandita

IV) Publication coordinator: Zulaikha

V) Skill building session coordinator: Deboshree & Vipra

3. Three volunteers have been appointed to keep a track of the kid's progress as well as of the teacher.

4. Skill building classes have been going on with great fervor and would be continued in a similar manner. Another step is the introduction of Music and Art classes.

5. English classes have been started every Sunday to improve the reading and writing skills of children. Along with that a session of GK is being done regularly.

6. Volunteer meet has been happening regularly at second Sunday of every month along with the collection of Meal a Month.

7. Self evaluation and Introspection of the volunteers through the means of a questionnaire with the intentions to improve the quality of work and to increase their contribution to the project.

Some major events that happened in last 2 months were:

University Awareness Drive:

-Light to lighten-

http://picasaweb.google.com/aid.delhi/UniversityAwarenessDrive2009#

Our aim was to create awareness among the students about the kind of work we at AID Aashayein are involved in and various other pertinent social issues.

The Awareness drive was initiated in Kirori Mal College where the screening of AID Aashayein movie was followed by a brief talk about the project. To spread awareness about AID and Aashayein, raise funds for the children, a stall was put up to sell hand painted shirts worth 200/- each. Along with that we also distributed pamphlets of AID and Aashayein among the interested students.



This was followed by an awareness drive in Indraprastha College for Women which took place on 5th of September. While the movie Poison on the Platter based on Genetically Modified Foods was screened in the Seminar Room of the college by the Women's Development Centre, the Aashayein stall was put up alongside. Mr.Selva Ganapathy gave a talk on GM foods and its potential threats to us and why it should be avoided. This was followed by the screening of the Aashayein video after which Anandita and Deboshree gave a brief introduction of Aashayein, its present activities and its future aims to all the students present.

As a part of fund raising, T-shirts with the AID logo and the slogan of BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD were sold in various colours (blue,red and white) along with hand made bags. Fortunately, our initiative was met with a lot of enthusiasm by the college students who poured in with names to volunteer.

Diwali stall in Corporates

-Another successful venture of Aashayein-

http://www.facebook.com/delhi.aidindia#/album.php?aid=155443&id=107287737145

To create awareness and raise funds for Aashayein, a novel idea of putting up Diwali stalls was initiated. This was done in collaboration with Jagriti. The hard work put in by the volunteers to make beautiful diyas and candles along with chocolates and envelopes was met by an enthusiastic response.

The employees at ST Microelectronics and Evalueserve were astonished by the plethora of multi-coloured items on display at our Diwali stalls. The Diwali stall catering to the employees of the company was set up by Prachi, Deboshree, Zulaikha, Swastik, and Anchit. It was a grand success for the team, which was overwhelmed by the response for their products. With a theme of Diwali essentials, the Aashayein stall was crowded with impressed buyers who bought things in bulk.

Whilst the employees of the corporate left with exciting artefacts to flaunt this Diwali, the team of Aashayein and Jaagriti walked back with smiles and a sense of satisfaction for bringing the cause closer to its vision

Diwali celebrations at Aashayein

-Fun and frolic all the way-

http://www.facebook.com/delhi.aidindia#/album.php?aid=156136&id=107287737145

http://www.facebook.com/delhi.aidindia#/album.php?aid=156327&id=107287737145

The Diwali celebrations at Aashayein encompassed two days.The main theme of the programme was having a great time with the kids.

On Saturday,10th August,2009:The children sang the song-"Itni shakti hume dena" followed by various dance performances. They performed various dance styles which ranged from GIDDA to JAZZ to BOLLYWOOD and it was plain to see that they were having a wonderful time. After a little more of dancing with the children, snacks were distributed amongst them after which we called it a day.

Volunteers Present:

Prachi, Vipra, Harpreet, Srishti, Nikita, Deboshree, Renuka, Niharika, Zulaikha, Anandita

Diwali festivities are never complete without a few colors. Thus the celebrations continued on Sunday 11th August,2009 and the kids were in joyous mood to compete for the Rangoli competition.

Kids grouped themselves in pairs and started making the drawings with chalks and filling beautiful colors in them. With the rangoli designs so vibrant and volunteers decided to declare all of them as winners. Thus Aashayein team celebrated Diwali in a style!!! Volunteers present: Vipra, Mohit, Tavleen, Anisha, Prachi

Team Aashayein

New volunteers who joined us this month: Mohit, Renuka didi, Anisha, Tavleen, Niharika

Regular Volunteers: Srishti, Nikita, Deboshree, Vipra, Harpreet, Neelu, Swastik, Prachi, Anandita


To know more and receive regular updates about Aashayein:

Picasa:http://picasaweb.google.com/aid.delhi

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dUaGt9EnEg&feature=player_embedded

For Volunteering opportunities, please contact prachiaggarwal85@gmail.com

When the kids of Aashayein paid a visit to outer space

“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open”. This famous quote by our beloved Jawahar Lal Nehru, was brought to realisation at AID, when the ever enthusiastic kids of Aashaiyen and Jaagriti, were taken to the Nehru Planetarium, on the 8^th of November, 2009.

The journey began early in the morning on a Sunday, when the kids, gleaming with radiance and filled with excitement boarded the bus en route to the planetarium. The entire journey echoed with cheery voices and a small antakshri session between the kids and the volunteers. Getting off at the Teenmurti house, the kids were assembled and taken in. All went mum when we entered the planetarium. While we lay back on the flexible seats, the dome shaped roof, projected a beautiful display of the solar system, wooing our kids and scaring some. A Well informative session of our solar system followed, projecting different planets and their surrounding environment with excellent visualisations.

Our young astronauts further quenched their curiosity by visiting the museum, where different systems existing outside earth surface were explained in detail, with model replicas and pictures. An understanding of the basic concepts of science was considered crucial for children by Nehru, and his endeavour proved to be a success amongst the kids of Aasheyin and Jaagriti.

The kids were then given refreshments consisting of tasty patties, samosa’s, chips and cake. A small gaming session followed where a boy’s v/s girl’s team was made to play, what is popularly known as, ‘Dog in the bone’. The entire atmosphere was tense, as the girls and boys cheered and sneered at each other. In the end, the boys tasted victory! Next, was a fun game of ‘Passing the parcel’, where kids caught with the parcel were made to sing and dance.

The whole day left the entire team tired and exhausted but with a sense of achievement, as the kids walked back to board the bus, screaming for more!

Kudos to the team of Aashayein and Jaagriti , namely, Prachi, Zulaikha, Vipra, Deboshree, Anandita, Pinky, Nikita, Srishti, Navya, Vandita, Ritu, Anchit, Ankit, Mohit, Pallavi, Saurabh, Vivek, Chandan for making this day another memorable addition to the list of initiatives working towards the cause.

Zulaikha Rahman

For photographs, visit http://www.facebook.com/tos.php?api_key=4afca19df87d1f06a2d7ec108b6a507f&next=index.php%3Fr%3D8008%26_fb_fromhash%3D32ffdaa6cc05a731eddbcfb5bc2cfcda%26ref%3Dnf&v=1.0&canvas#/album.php?aid=165518&id=107287737145&ref=mf

AID Delhi magazine November 2009

Pratibimb

As the spirit of Diwali celebrations continue in Aashayein and Jaagriti

A splendid event held by Aashayein and Jaagriti in promoting awareness and bringing people closer to its cause was held at Evaluserve, Gurgaon on 12th October, 2009. A Diwali stall catering to the employees of the company was set up by Prachi, Deboshree, Zulaikha, Swastik, and Anchit. It was a grand success for the team, which was overwhelmed by the response for their products. With a theme of Diwali essentials, the Aashayein stall was crowded with impressed buyers who bought things in bulk.

Our best seller for the day was a Rs.150 worth Pooja thali with Ganesh ji and Lakshmi ji engraved with poise on the top and a round of small diya’s encircling the rest of the thali. Our new diya’s with carvings of a Ganesh, swans, and swastiks and embedded with mirrors and stones were marked by elegance. It was an aura of a carnival with potpourri’s, home-made chocolates, gift packs, homemade candles and fancy shagun envelopes decorating the entire counter.

An impressive effort by all the volunteers was marked with immense success. Whilst the employees of the corporate left with exciting artefacts to flaunt this Diwali, the team of Aashayein and Jaagriti walked back with smiles and a sense of satisfaction for bringing the cause closer to its vision

Regards
Zulaikha

Rangoli Making Competition

Diwali festivities are never complete without a few colors. Thus the celebrations continued on Sunday and kids were in joyous mood to compete for the Rangoli competition.

Kids grouped themselves in pairs and started making the drawings with chalks and filling beautiful colors in them

Participants- Pooja, Sarawati, Pinki, Shikha, Ekta, Maya, Kalpana, Uma, Pinki, Shikha and surprisingly 2 boys, Rehan and Abhishek.

Volunteers present: Vipra, Mohit, Tavleen, Anisha, Prachi

Volunteers decided to declare all of them as winners. Thus Aashayein team celebrated Diwali in a style!!!

Diwali Celebrations at Aashayein

Aashayein Diwali Celebrations

The Diwali Celebrations at Aashayein started at around 2:00PM today.

VOLUNTEERS PRESENT-

1) Prachi

2) Vipra

3) Harpreet

4) Srishti

5) Nikita

6) Deboshree

7) Renuka

8) Niharika

9) Zulaikha

10) Anandita

The main theme of the programme was having a great time with the kids.

The children sang the song-"Itni shakti hume dena" followed by various dance performances. They performed various dance styles which ranged from GIDDA to JAZZ to BOLLYWOOD and it was plain to see that they were having a wonderful time. After a little more of dancing with the children, snacks were distributed amongst them after which we called it a day.

By Deboshree

AIDINDIA - Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka Flood Relief

Current Efforts (Immediate Relief) The Immediate need assessed is that of huge 30X40 plastic sheet (called Barka) - 2 per family and at least 2 blankets. The total cost would come to around Rs.1600/- per family. The following items are useful at this time:  Food Items: Rice, Dal, Cooking oil, Sugar Non-food Items: Soaps (anti-bacterial), Slippers, Blankets (in good condition), plates and glasses. Provisions for food and clothing are being supplied as per the needs in the following places: Nagula Dinne village in Kurnool district, AP (one of the worst affected villages in the area) 2 shelters in Weepangandla mandal in Mahabubnagar district, AP Potnal, a village in Manavi Taluka, Raichur district, Karnataka. Contact / Collection Point Hyderabed Srihari D - +91-9390002143 - sriharidu@gmail.com Kiran V - +91-9701705743 - kiranvissa@gmail.com Suresh D - +91-9703654585 Bengaluru Sathish Sundaram - +91-9900505975 sathish.sundaram@gmail.com Bengaluru: Community Health Cell 85/2, 1st Main, Maruthi Nagara Madivala, Bengaluru - 560068 Tel: 25531518 Secunderabad: 134A East Marredpally,  Secunderabad - 500026 Contact: Vidya J @ 9394006036

 

DONATE ONLINE : http://www.eurekachild.org/andhra-karnataka-flood/

 

 

Urgent appeal for millions affected by

Floods in Andhra Pradesh & Karnataka, India

As of Monday, 5 Oct 2009, more than 200 people are reported dead and an estimated 2 million displaced from their homes due to incessant rains and floods in Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka that started in southern India from Thursday, Oct 1.

According to the Press Trust of India (PTI), 400 villages in five districts in the state of Andhra Pradesh have been hit by the worst floods in 100 years. In Karnataka, heavy loss of life and destruction to property was in the northern districts of Bijapur, Bagalkot, Raichur and Bellary. Both in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, over 300,000 houses were damaged due to floods.

Those displaced are suffering acutely due to lack of food and clean water. This is an hour we all must come together and show our wholehearted support for the flood survivors. It is critical that the immediate needs such as food, clean water and medicine are provided to those affected.

AID INDIA is a volunteer movement, and a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization (tax ID 04-365260). Donations to AID are tax-deductible in the USA.

AID INDIA has experience in working on relief and rehabilitation in flood affected areas during Tsunami, Bihar and Cyclone Aila recently.

Right now AID INDIA is actively working with several partner organizations in Andhra and Karnataka for relief and rehabilitation of the survivors. It is committed to ensure that the funds get dispatched at the earliest. We hope you will help us maximize the support we can provide as quickly as possible. The need is dire and we all must act with the greatest possible urgency to rush aid and relief to those affected.

Please support the relief efforts by donating online.

or mail your cheques to:

AID INDIA

7/4, Besant Road, Royapettah

Chennai - 600014, India. Ph: +91-44-42636125 / 28350403.

Email: info@aidindia.in

 

DONATE ONLINE : http://www.eurekachild.org/andhra-karnataka-flood/

 

Pledge Meal a Month to Support Aashayein

 

At AID we believe in the importance of every one in more ways than one. We understand that Everyone counts and also that Every One counts. So, everyone has the ability to contribute One to bring about a meaningful metamorphosis in the society.

 

AID started in 1991 with this concept when a few students contributed their one meal every month for India's development. It is in continuation of the same trend that AID Delhi started the meal a month campaign in Delhi.

In this campaign, we ask people to donate "one" meal every month for any one of the causes/ projects on which AID Delhi is working. Through this campaign we hope to bring about a change in the way people donate. The cost of a meal may be different for everyone, but it holds the same value for all of us - rich or poor. So, everyone can participate in this drive. All you need to do is fill up the pledge form and our volunteers will get in touch with you.

You may decide to make a "directed" donation to any one of our projects. You may also decide to donate to "AID-India" and leave it on us to decide which project needs your contribution most. We assure you of complete transparency and will keep you updated on how contribution made by you and by many others is changing the way of life of hundreds of people in and around Delhi.

 

While this was a brief introduction to the meal a month program, you may be interested in knowing more about about how we keep our operational costs low. Please check out answers to these questions in our FAQ section.

Once you are comfortable, please come forward and pledge your "one" meal every month towards a better life for hundreds of people in and around Delhi.

 

At the moment, we prefer that you contribute at least three meals at a time on a quarterly basis. As our volunteer strength grows, it may be possible for us to be able to allow more granular (monthly) contributions.

All you need to do is fill up the pledge form and our volunteers will get in touch with you. So, everyone can participate in this drive.

 

Donations made to AID-India are 50% tax-exempt under section 80(G). 

To donate through a cheque or electronic transfer please go here.

Download Meal a Month posters

For further queries please contact us .

 

Donate to AID Aashayein

How to donate in India

ELECTRONIC TRANSFERS	If you have a bank account with internet banking facility, you can make an electronic transfer via internet banking to AID-India's ICICI Bank Account No 602201200299.
CHEQUES	Draw a cheque in favor of "AID-India" (ICICI Bank Account No 602201200299) and mail to: Selva, Delhi (see full address below). You may also deposit this cheque at any ICICI bank branch and send us the accepted (stamped) counterfoil of the deposit slip.
CASH	Cash may be deposited in any branch of ICICI Bank to the credit of "AID-India" ( ICICI Bank Account No 602201200299). To obtain the reciept, please mail us the accepted (stamped) counterfoil of deposit slip.

             

Following information may be useful if you have a different bank (Non - ICICI) account holders who wish to make e-transfer.
 

AID-India
ICICI Bank
Branch: Royapettah High Road (RHR)
Branch location: Chennai
Branch MICR code: 600229007
Account No.: 602201200299 Account type: Savings

Beneficiary address:
New No 34, Rathenam Street
Gopalapuram, Chennai - 600 086
Phone: +91-44-42106493, 28350403

 

IMPORTANT: To receive a receipt for your donation, please send the following details to aid.delhi@gmail.com

1. Your name
2. Address
3. Date of donation
4. Amount of donation
5. Mode of donation (e-transfer, cheque, online) Your details for identification - Name of your bank and branch together with Cheque number or e-transaction ID
6. Mention beneficiary project as "AID Aashayein" in your email

Catalogue of Diwali products by Aashayein

The festival of lights and AID Delhi

If you are enthusiastic about the upcoming Diwali gifts and festive celebrations, how would it feel if your loved ones walk in and give you a betel leaf, popularly known as ‘paan’ as a gift ? Disappointed? You may want to look further, because in that betel leaf has been kept a special shagun for you!!

Such Shagun cards came into existence when the creative minds of the Aashayein and Jaagriti team got to work, to prepare Diwali goodies meant to be sold on the 5^thof October,2009. Prachi, Vipra, Srishti, Nikita and Zulaikha put forth a fabulous collection of handmade Diwali items for the employees of ST Microelectronics.

We were welcomed by cool breezes and rainy clouds that were almost considered to be non-existent in this hot and humid weather of Delhi. The event was held in the lobby of the organization connecting to the lunch cafe, which facilitated interaction with maximum employees. Various stalls had been put up from different NGO’s, displaying a splendid collection of various handicraft items, diyas, bookmarks, and cards etc to create awareness of their respective causes.

The team of Aashayein put up a colourful stall which attracted many towards the beauty of its products. A table full of handmade colourful diya’s were the main attraction. Whilst the shapes of the diya’s were an example of amplified creativity, the handmade candles carried with them an aura of their own. Potpourri was arranged in various forms; creatively designed envelopes took shapes of a scroll, a fan, the betel leaf etc. Gift packs with homemade chocolates and handmade cases were lavishly sold at the spot; a cute pram consisting of chocolates mellowed many. Diya’s were in shapes of the Ganesha, the Swastika, were big and small, were decorative and lush! However, the best sellers of the event were the beautifully painted sunflower diya’s that were sold in bulk. To add to the excitement, their prices ranged from only a mere Rs.20-25 each. Aashayein, also arranged for T-shirts with the inspiring quote of Mahatma Gandhi ‘Be the change you wish to see in the world’ printed in the front and a few hand painted T-shirts that were painted by our talented volunteers.

A successful event brought joy to the team of Aashayein and aided in its strive to continuously create awareness of the project in Timarpur, that caters to the education of underprivileged children. Kudos to the team for their contribution and efforts in bringing light into the lives of these children, this Diwali.

Also, if you want to be a part of this great initiative, do buy our Diwali products and help the kids of Aashayein and Jaagriti to have a better future.

Please contact prachiaggarwal85@gmail.com to buy these products.

Regards

Zulaikha

Aashayein blog : http://aidaashayein.blogspot.com/

Jaagriti blog : http://jaagriti-india.blogspot.com/

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) - Give back to the Community

Does your company need help in drafting your (Corporate Social Responsibility) CSR policy ?

Does your company need help in identifying NGOs which are doing some genuine work at the grassroots ?

Are you looking for a collaboration with an NGO in Gurgaon ?

If yes, you have reached the right place on the web !

Over the years, AID Delhi (a volunteer driven organization) has been providing valuable inputs to companies in adopting CSR best practices free of cost.

What can you do ?

1. Support an underprivileged community e.g. support our community learning centres in different parts of Delhi. Join our Adopt a Community Program.

2. Engage your employees in giving back to the society through AID Delhi's Corporate Volunteers Program.

3. Signup for AID Delhi's Payroll Giving Program and make a BIG DIFFERENCE.

OUR USP : Low admin costs & low eco-footprint as we are a volunteer driven organization

Please note that AID Delhi works closely with AID Gurgaon and AID Noida chapters and are collectively known as AID National Capital Region (NCR). You may visit http://delhi.aidindia.org to know more about our NCR wide activities.

Contact us to know more.

Check out our presentation below for an overview of our NCR wide work.

About Aid Ncr

Aashayein internship opportunities

Intern in North Delhi, near Delhi University

Aashayein Internship program provides ample opportunities to students to gain valuable hands-on experience in the field. It's a great opportunity to enhance your career opportunities, polish your management skills, develop you personality and much more. It could be an ideal launching pad and a testing ground if you are considering to opt for a career in the area of social work.

One can Intern on the following core areas-

• Programs
a. Education (underprivileged children, adults)
b. Health
c. Vocational training
d. Marketing of handicrafts, merchandise (Check out our products here : http://picasaweb.google.com/aid.delhi/Diwali2009ProductsMadeByAashayeinJaagriti#)
e. Fund raising, Corporate Social Responsibility
f. Awareness Generation Drives

Contact us here

Clay diyas by Aashayein and Jaagriti

Diya painting session at Anchit's place

Aashayein and Jaagriti volunteers got together on monday (sept 21st) at Anchit's place to paint diyas for the upcoming Diwali stalls in corporates. Check out the pics to get a glimpse of their hard work and creativity.

Most of the volunteers were doing it for the first time in their lives. Their efforts speaks volumes about their indomitable spirit to bring a positive change.

These stalls are a great step towards financial self sustainability of these projects.

Celebrate Diwali with a Difference

It was warm n sunny
It wasn't so pleasant
Yet AIDers were dere
till the moon was crescent

Keep on going guys
Make this Diwali special
Brighten up kids' lives
With your diyas and candles

:))

Himanshu Saxena

Buy Children's Paintings to Support their Education

On the eve of Independence Day, 2009, AID Delhi and AID Gurgaon in association with MyWebEra had organized a painting competition under the name “Udaan”. The competition, in its most healthy form among kids produced some creative and colourful results.

We are glad to share these priceless possessions with you- it is priceless because it is crafted out of the most purest abilities and enthusiasm by our children. 

AID Delhi and AID Gurgaon under its different projects named as Aashayein and Jaagriti in Delhi and Unnati and Disha in Gurgaon are initiatives to provide primary education to the underprivileged children and enhance their living by educating them on right nutrition and through various skill building exercises.

 “Udaan” meaning Flight (of Freedom) symbolizes the spirit of independence in the heart of every child. The ‘Udaan’ purpose was to make sure that the kids paint their imagination and dream.

The entire amount generated through the sale of the paintings will go towards the education and development of these children and to organize such events at a larger scale in future.

On behalf of the children, AID Delhi and AID Gurgaon, I present to you this opportunity to support and recognize the value and the talent of our budding generation and buy their paintings.

Looking forward to hearing back from you soon.

For further details, please contact me.

Warm regards

Anchit Goel (anchitgoel@gmail.com)

Founder and Coordinator

Project Jaagriti

Click on the poster to go to the paintings gallery.


Photos of the painting competitions held on 15th August 2009 at our project locations

Support a Cause, Buy Aashayein Diwali products.

Diwali products made by Aashayein

contact : prachiaggarwal85@gmail.com to buy diwali products.

University Awareness Drive at IP college, Delhi University

More pics here
The University Awareness Drive took place in Indraprastha College for Women on 5th of September.
The main aim of this drive was to create awareness about AID and Aashayein alongwith raising funds.
While the movie Poison on the Platter based on Genetically Modified Foods was being screened in the Seminar Room of the college by the Women's Development Centre, the Aashayein stall was put up downstairs. Selva Ganapathy gave a talk on GM foods and its potential threats to us and why it should be avoided. This was followed by the screening of the Aashayein video after which Anandita and Deboshree gave a brief introduction of Aashayein, its present activities and its future aims to all the students present.
As a part of fund raising, T-shirts with the AID logo and the slogan of BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD were sold in various colours (blue,red and white) along with hand made bags. Fortunately, our initiative was met with a lot of enthusiasm by the college students who poured in with names to volunteer.
Volunteers present were- Prachi, Swastik, Aditya, Ritu, Anandita, Nikita, Srishti, Vipra, Mohit, Vaibhav and Deboshree.

Check out our brochure (print, email, stick it on a notice board)

AID Delhi Brochure