ASHA-MIT
PROJECT SUMMARY: Vocational Training Center at BALGRAM.
Introduction:
India Sponsorship committee is a voluntary organization started 30 years
ago. It has grown into a large organization with several prominent
donors and collaborators with app. Rs 140 lakhs in assets and an annual
budget of Rs. 45 lakhs. They have asked for funds for a Vocational
Trainee Centre (VTC) which trains young boys and school dropouts to
become financially self- supporting as electrical wiremen, welders,
fitters and electronic repair servicemen. In addition they have the
following activities.
1. "Balgram" at Lonavla. This is a residential home for about 80 orphan
children who have been taken off the street. This is
run in conjunction with a
2. Primary school at Balgram from Kindergarten to Class 4.
3. Urban Community Development Project for women and girls, Pune.
4. Educational support program for children from the Dharawi
slum (Mumbai).
5. The Vocational Trainee Centre (VTC) at Balgram.
ADDRESS:
India Sponsorship committee,
Mathurdas Estate Building, 43/45 Colaba Causeway, Mumbai 400 039.
(Mailing address- P.O. Box 6060, Colaba, Mumbai 400 005)
Telephone- Mumbai (011-91-22) 202-1287, 202-0393.
Grams- SPONSORIND
LEGAL STATUS:
Registered under SRA and Bombay Public Trusts Act.
CONTACT:
Dr. Usha Krishna (email- usha.drram@axcess.net.in)
17, N. Patkar Road, Mumbai 400 007
Fax- (011-91-22) 363- 2429.
OR THROUGH Ms. Amala Krishna (amala@lohtse.mit.edu)
LOCATION:
Headquarters at Mumbai. The project itself is located near
Lonavla, about 90 km. from Mumbai, near two stone quarries surrounded by
shanty villages. Easily accessible from Mumbai by road and rail.
DESCRIPTION:
Lonavla is a popular resort for urbanites from Bombay and there is an
active hotel industry in the region which offers employment to suitable
trainees. Balgam is located in the surrounding (mainly agricultural and
hilly) forest area.
The VTC caters to youths from the surrounding 30 kms, which have
completed school at least uptil Class 8.These are given vocational
training which "keeps them off the streets, builds self- confidence,
teaches them a skill and enables them to get employment and become self-
supporting." The VTC trains app. 70 students a year, mostly sons of
farmers, workmen, and (rarely) govt employees (postmen, clerks etc).
The VTC currently offers 3 courses, namely, two 6- month courses (Electrical
Wireman, Welding and Jointing) and one 1- year course (LERS Radio and
Audio servicing). The final examinations are conducted by the
Maharashtra Dept. of Technical Education (DTE) which awards the DTE
certificate to successful candidates (average 75% pass rate over last
two years.) The follow- up studies on graduates of the course show that
all the graduates who passed obtained suitable employment as
electricians with local shops/contractors/companies and are earning an
average of Rs. 1,300/- p.m. There are 4 instructors, of which 2
instructors are diplomates. All instructors are given a week of training
at SIEMENS in Bombay every year.
The students pay a tuition fee of Rs. 75/- p.m. but those who cannot
afford the fees are exempted (however, tuition fees cover only 15% of
VTC expenses; the rest is covered by donations) In addition there is a
donor shortfall this year and funds are also requested to cover the
shortfall.
FUNDING:
The VTC would like to introduce 2 additional courses (Mechanical Fitter
and LEAVS- Audio and Video Servicing)by July 1998 and also to increase
the number of students trained to 120 per year. Funds are requested to
cover one-time capital expenses for set- up of these 2 new courses (Rs.
1,60,000/- or app. US$ 4000/-) and one year of expenses (recurring
annual expenditure) associated with administering this course (Rs
1,40,000 or app. US$3500).
Funds requested do not include cost of administrative help from
Balgram, building space, electrical fittings and test equipment for
which funds have already been committed, as these are already available.
ANNUAL EXPENSES OF THE VTC are summarized below.
CURRENT ADDITIONAL EXPENSES
EXPENSES for 2 more new courses
for 3 one-time and EACH year
courses CAPITAL RECURRING
expense expense
96- 97 96- 97 97- 98
Rs. Rs. Rs.
Salary to Staff 1,40,000 45,000
Staff benefits PF etc 7,000 4,500
Training materials 1,06,000 74,000
Electricity 5,200 2,000
Repair and maintenance 14,000 3,000
Travel and conveyance 6,500 2,500
Books 4,000 6,000
Books 4,000 6,000
Other expenses 13,300
Furniture 42,000
Measuring/test'g equpmt 68,000
Tools 50,000
TOTAL (in Rs) 296,000 1,60,000 1,40,000
(app, in US$) 7,400 4,000 3,500
DATES:
They would like to start the 2 new courses by July 1998 if
possible. Recurring expenses would be for the '97-'98 fiscal year.
COMMENTS:
Overall the impression of the organization itself is highly
positive. They seem to be highly experienced (>30 years) and motivated,
and are very well organized (auditing, newsletter, report with case
profiles and photographs, collaborations with UK and France, prominent
donors.) There are some concerns, however.The coursework involves
specialized adult technical/vocational training. As this course has only
been run for 2 years it seems possible that a glut in the electroninces
job market may arise within a few years, and graduates may not be able
to find employment. Also the recurring expenses are quite high. In any
case it will not be within our capacity to fund the totals
requested.Perhaps we can cooperate with AID-Boston, which is also
considering this proposal.
Nishi - Based on the projects meeting of Jan 12, 98.
Various concerns were expressed reagrding this proposal as follows.
a) Is the project overseen by a committed volunteer rather that a paid
( and possibly less committed) employee?
b) Why are the recurring expenses for tools and salaries quite high?
Are new trainers to be hired? Surely once tools are acquired they do not
need to be purchased afresh every year? Perhaps we could request an
itemization. Also recurring expenditure is hard to monitor and trace.
c) Likewise for one-time capital expenses. Cost for training materials,
furniture and equipment is high and we would like to see some sort of
itemization. What sort of equipment will be purchased? Is furniture really
necessary?
d) Is the program really targeting especially needy/ deprived sections of
society? The photographs seemd to indicate that the
candidates may possibly not be from the socially most deprived sections and
may have alternate careers choices available to them.
e) Finally it was questioned whether funding this sort of project is in
keeping with our goal of promoting basic literacy. However it
was decided that a good 'mix' of project types is desirable and in any case we
have funded similar projects in the past (CWC).
Vinay - Based on the projects meeting of Feb 01, 98.
The main concern was if the intended course will indeed benefit the most
disadvantaged sections. It is always difficult to judge how disadvantaged
any section of society is and helping youths from poor families acquire
skills that directly lead to higher paying jobs is indeed a noble task.
But from Asha-MIT's perspective, since we fund small projects, the amount
requested (~ $8000 in just one year) is very high and almost rules out
funding the entire project. Furthermore by looking at our other projects
we have to decided between students who have gone to school, have
dropped out for various reasons and would like to improve their job prospects
by having vocational training in a semi-urban setting or
rural children with no hope for any schooling due to non-existent schools.
On voting, we decided that we will consider only the fitters course
since it would reach a more poor section.
SOURCE:
Letter to ASHA- MIT through Abhijit, dated 6.11.97
HISTORY:
Proposal given to Vinay by Amala Krishna
Discussed in projects meeting 01/12/98.
Visited by Vinay Kumar on 01/08/98.
Discussed in projects meeting 02/01/98.
STATUS:
Nishi- Awaiting joint discussion on 1/10/98 by ASHA and AID-Boston
which is also considering this proposal
Meeting arranged with Balgram representative Dr. Usha Krishna from
Bombay on Thurs Jan 15th at 7 pm
Vinay- Awaiting the details of the fitters course only for consideration.
SUMMARIZED BY:
Nishi, 1/7/98.