view report - The Akanksha Foundation

excellence
excelLence
Bpeassion
lief
belief
commitment
D
Determination
www.akanksha.org
passionperseverance
vision
vision
Mumbai
The Akanksha Foundation
Voltas House ‘C’, TB Kadam Marg, Chinchpokli, Mumbai - 400033
Tel. : 022 2300253, Fax: 022 23700253, Email: [email protected]
Pune
The Akanksha Foundation
Thermax House, 14 Mumbai-Pune Road, Wakdewadi, Pune 411003
Tel.: +91 20 25540007 / 8, Email: [email protected]
annual report 2008-09
Aspire. Achieve. Be the Change.
vision
perseverance
commitment
determination
ge
belief
n
cha
passion
A leader is one who knows the way,
goes the way and shows the way.
John C. Maxwell
excellence
change
About Us
03
Centres
07
Programmes
21
The School Project
34
Impact
38
Team Akanksha
39
Financial Report
40
Acknowledgments
48
01
About Us
The Akanksha Foundation is a not for profit organisation
that educates less privileged children. Since its
inception, Akanksha has impacted over 6000 children
through its after-school centres and municipal schools
run in partnership with the government.
Vision:
One day, all children will be equipped with the education,
skills and character they need to lead empowered lives.
Mission:
To impact the lives of less privileged children,
enabling them to maximise their potential and change their lives.
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Why Akanksha?
India’s greatest inequalities persist because of a school system that is failing millions of its children
The literacy rate is still just 61%1
7.5 million still don't go to school2
of the students who do, only 52% reach standard 53
In the existing schools, 25% of teachers do
not show up to work. And only about half of those who show up actually teach.
This presents a staggering problem. In Mumbai alone, 2.3 million children live in slums and on the
streets. Akanksha exists to give its children the education, training and skills to change their lives.
1 Census 2001 / 2 Aser 2007 / 3 World Bank Report 2007
History
The Akanksha Foundation was started in 1990 with a simple idea. There were thousands of slum
children who needed and wanted to be educated. There were thousands of college students
who had the energy, enthusiasm and time to teach these children. In addition, several schools
had spaces available, which provided ideal teaching environments. Bringing together children,
student volunteers and spaces, the first Akanksha centre was born.
Registered as a charitable society and trust in 1991, Akanksha has grown from an organisation of
volunteer college students to a professional institution with over 700 staff, teachers and volunteers
with a mission to provide educational opportunities to less privileged children.
Akanksha believes
An early start with good basic education is the best way to help India's low-income children help
themselves.
All children need a balanced education that focuses on both intellectual and emotional
development.
Each of us has a responsibility to improve the situation in which our children live. Akanksha
encourages people to think about what they can do— contribute money, time, expertise or space.
Parents are partners, and communities have the resources they need to be successful.
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Centres
Groups of children focused on a variety of activities
such as lessons on literature and math, self-study or a
heated discussion on the latest news headlines—this is
a typical session in an Akanksha centre. Each group of
up to 30 students is managed by a teacher, a social
worker, a helper and an Assistant Education Manager,
along with a group of volunteers. The centre team
works towards a common goal—ensuring that the
children learn and have fun. Using innovative, fun and
practical teaching methods, students in our centres
are taught English, Mathematics and Values.
Akanksha's goals are simple, clear and uniform for all students.
The centres aim to provide the children with:
·A strong educational foundation
·A deep sense of self-esteem
·A good time and a space where they can be children
·The support to successfully complete secondary school
·The means to prepare themselves for a job.
“A leader sets an example by
exhibiting values of perseverance,
excellence and humility,
and motivates others to do
the same. A leader adds that
little extra to make the ordinary,
extraordinary. A leader is someone
who achieves the harmony of head,
heart and hands.”
Poorvi Shah, LTL teacher.
“For me,
I am the leader because
when there is no one,
I push myself on my own.”
Muzakkir Sayyed,
Worli 4 Centre.
Teachers as Leaders: We believe that the
people who nurture, guide and educate our
children are leaders and we ensure that their
leadership skills are developed to the fullest. It is
this belief that led us to choose leadership as a
theme for the Training Institute in 2008. The
Akanksha Training Institute is a month-long
training programme designed to help prepare
the teachers for their roles as educators. It is
divided into three parts: Residential Training,
Education Convention, and Practical Training.
This programme helps teachers to become
familiar with their new roles, develop their skills,
connect with peers and form a rapport with the
central office team.
Centres 2008-09
Mumbai: Centres- 35, Children- 1429
Pune: Centres- 26, Children- 1224
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Centre Highlights 2008-09
This year brings us another big step closer to greater learning and more success. Like every year, this year
was marked by many successes, events and activities for our children.
Results to prove that our children are learning: We are proud that several children from our centres have
sat for and successfully completed class tenth and twelfth.
SSC (Secondary School Certificate) Results: Of the 49 students who appeared for the SSC exam,
39 students secured a passing grade. Of these, 5 passed with Distinction and 11 passed with 1st
Class.
HSC (Higher-secondary School Certificate) Results: Of the 32 students who appeared for the
HSC exam, 30 students secured a passing grade. Of these, 3 passed with Distinction and 15 passed
with 1st Class.
Aptitude tests: A total of 35 students were tested for their aptitude, interest and personality last year.
Based on the results of these three tests, each student was counselled and given career
recommendations. In Pune, the tests were conducted by a psychologist at Jagannath Rathi
Vocational Guidance & Training Institute (JRVGTI).
Scholarships to ensure higher learning: We aim to ensure that our children continue to learn even after
school. To help the students who are entering college or pursuing other courses, we disbursed a total of of Rs
2.5 lakhs to 67 students though sholarships. The Ra Foundation continued to support our students through
The Ra Education Project by providing residential schooling. The programme aims to provide an opportunity
for transformation, by changing the education and living environment, and supporting the child and his/her
family throughout the process until the child has completed her/his education.
Computer programme to ensure technological literacy As many as 129 students attended the NIIT
Computer Programme. The course was aimed at providing introductions to the fundamentals of computers,
MS Office, and Internet along with typing training.
Fun activities to aid learning:
Literary fest: A Literary Fest was organised for the centres in Pune on August 30, with the theme
‘Open Books, Open Minds'. To kick-off the event, our teachers performed a play on how a student
gets introduced to the world of books and reading.
Music and dance: Students from Pune centres participated in a musical performance presented by
the Frankfinn Institute of Airhostess Training. Students from St. Crispin's Home in Pune were trained by
dancers from Shiamak Davar's Victory. Art Foundation. The students performed in four shows with
1500 other children.
Celebration: Viacom18 celebrated ViaCommunity Day on April 17 by inviting our students to their
office. The children shared what they had achieved during the year at Akanksha. They also had the
opportunity to interact with their favourite MTV video jockeys.
Teachers' Day: Teachers' Day was celebrated on September 5 in all centres. The teachers received
a special gift made by the students as well as gifts sponsored by Cadbury and Raymonds BeHome.
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Teachers as Leaders:
The academic year began with the Residential
Training for new teacher as well as the Education
Convention for all teachers.
Residential Training: Held at the HDFC Training Centre
in Lonavala, this was an intensive week-long
introduction to the Akanksha’s history, culture and
goals. The sessions helped teachers understand
their own styles of leadership, gave them insights into
education in the country and pushed them to reflect
on their learning. Akanksha alumni also talked to the
teachers about their experiences at the organization.
“Two contrasting personalitiestogether they made a whole.
Jo reminded me why I had joined
Akanksha—because I cared.
She taught me to love freely and
totally for that is what our kids need.
And Shukla taught me that
mediocrity is never enough,
we must push for excellence.
The only thing that
limits us is ourselves.”
Anjali Sabnani, a veteran Akanksha teacher.
“You can teach a student a
lesson for a day, but if you
can teach a student to learn
by creating curiosity,
she will continue the learning
process as long as she lives.”
Lekha Menon, a new Akanksha
teacher.
Education Convention: The Education Convention
was held at St. Xavier's College in Mumbai and at
the Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies
(SIMS) in Pune. The Education convention was
attended by new and returning teachers from
centres and schools and was also open to
teachers from external schools. The week-long
programme comprised sessions covering various
educational and professional development
topics such as planning, implementation,
literature circles, leadership skills and the theme of
'Teacher as a Leader'. These sessions were led by
our trainers and guests from various public and
private institutions. Several guest speakers from
the American School also participated in the
sessions. The convention was kicked off with
inspirational addresses from our keynote
speakers: Jo Chopra, Founder of the Latika Roy
Foundation and Shukla Bose, Founder of the
Parikrma Humanity Foundation. The speakers
shared their vision and revealed how teaching
and leadership are closely linked.
Practical Training: The new teachers also underwent a two-week observation- and reflectiondriven experience, including visits to our centres, and to the communities from where our children
come.
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Child Welfare (Social Work)
The Social Work Department is the link between the centres and the communities. Social workers
conduct monthly parents meeting and empowerment sessions. They interact regularly with
parents to resolve social issues ranging from child abuse, domestic violence, health and hygiene
to alcoholism, stress due to unemployment, and gender discrimination. The Social Work team is an
integral part of Akanksha, and brings out the essence of true leadership.
Child Welfare Highlights 2008-09
Each year the Social Work team organises awareness
programmes and medical camps for Akanksha students
and their parents. Some of the programmes organised
this year were:
Women's Day: In Pune, we celebrated Women's Day on
March 8 and provided the mothers of the children with
information on specific laws relating to women and
organisations that support women by providing legal and
other aid.
“A true leader is someone who
changes people's lives by being
an example for them.
Who keeps his/her promises and
is not a hypocrite. A leader is
someone who inspires others to
change the world.”
Nazir Sheikh, Xavier's Centre.
Parents meeting: A session called 'The right for each child
to be born' was conducted for parents of children newly
admitted to Akanksha. It focused on the practice of
female infanticide. Parents were also informed of the
importance of immunization.
Career advice: A session was conducted for parents of
our older students on 'Preparation for careers and career
opportunities after class X' by a resource person from
Kotak Livelihood Advancement Business School.
Helper's Day: We celebrated Helper's Day across centres on October 23 and 24. Each centre
prepared and presented a special 'Appreciation Book' to its helper along with a Diwali gift.
Medical camps: The Social Work team conducted several medical camps across centres in
Mumbai and Pune that included general health, eye and dental examinations.
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What our children have to say about leadership
“Today, I have become a leader of my community. In my community none of the girls
have passed their class X but I have. Today I am in a college and doing well in my studies.
In my community, many girls and parents have been inspired by me. So now parents
have been sending their daughters to school and the girls feel they can study and have a
good job. I am happy that due to me, girls are getting a chance to study.”
Rita John, Xavier's Centre.
“I think that I can become a leader by being honest, careful, helpful,
respectful, and obeying the group.”
Shahid Sheikh, KGM 2 Centre.
“My leader is my dad. My dad's name is Babu Shankar Ghorav and he is 50 years old. He is intelligent. He
works carefully. He respects others. He teaches me how to behave. I have to act like my father and I
will become a leader.”
Sachin Ghorav, KGM 2 Centre.
“To be a leader there is no age limit. Even a five-year-old child can stop
another child from eating outdated sweets. He can become a leader for the
child. You can be a leader at any time, any age, and any place.”
Jyoti Reddy, Xavier's Centre.
“L- Listening to everybody's thought
E- Educated
A- Activist
D- Dedicated
E- Eager, enthusiastic
R- Respectful”
“A leader has a vision
He is kind
He walks with his team
Not minding whether he stands up front
Or behind
A leader reflects, a leader sets free
A leader is you...A leader is me.”
Ganesh Kokare, Worli 1 Centre.
Gauri Kirtane Vanikar, Education Manager.
“A leader uses his or her brain, heart and gut in unison, that is, unison of reason, courage and
emotion. This results in action and not reaction.”
Hem Agrawal, Sponsor.
“A leader is one who truly believes in you, who guides you, who helps you to take right decision.”
Kavita Singh, Worli 1 Centre.
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Centre Stories
These stories represent some of the outstanding members of our team and our alumni—their
commitment, beliefs, drive and passion. Further, their stories demonstrate the power of education.
Salimunnissa Noor Mohammad Shah, Alumnus
Amrita Ghosh, Volunteer
Salimunissa, an Akanksha alumnus, is a first-generation
learner in her family and now helps her siblings with their
studies while attending college and working part-time
with Akanksha's Art Department. As someone who has
taken control of her own life, she displays the very
leadership qualities that we want to inculcate in our
children. According to her, “a leader should walk the talk,
be altruistic and not egoistic.”
“Many years ago, when Akanksha functioned from a tiny office room located at the St. Xavier's college
hostel, I volunteered to teach 4 students—Naida, Sangeeta, Meena and Mallari. There was no syllabus
and no clear idea given to us volunteers, so I thought of games, crossword puzzles and quizzes. The
group grew to include Maria, Selvaraj, Babu, Jaya and many, many more children, who were full of life,
energetic (though malnourished) and mischievous. With bright shining eyes on good days showing
innate intelligence, and dull eyes on other days hazed by pain from beatings, abuse, lack of sleep or
even substance abuse.
During the monsoons, the kids who would come from the pavements of P. D'Mello Road would be
soaked to the skin because the BMC had broken their shanties to clear the footpaths. They would be
hungry since stoves could not be lit in the pouring rain. We volunteers would bring leftovers donated by
the Oberoi hotel to feed the kids. One of my first lessons was learnt—everyone has innate humanity.
Since then, many volunteers have joined, many centres have opened and teachers have been
appointed for all the centres. We now have a manual with a syllabus, timetables, progress reports,
mothers from the community who help at centres, various outings, creative activities, songs. We also
have sponsors who donate stationery and equipment and help with art classes, drama workshops,
football and hockey and participate in the Mumbai marathon for Akanksha— there is a buzz
everywhere.
There are new challenges now—teenage hormones, anger management and igniting and sustaining
motivation. Akanksha is growing with the kids, but we need to grow faster and be the adults with the
answers that can help guide them and give them career options.
Can I, as a volunteer, help a child grow to be a better person? To make informed choices? To not get
drunk and hit his wife? To plan a sustainable family and not be pressurised? To have the confidence to
dream of a goal? To be disciplined enough to work towards a goal? Can I as a volunteer help the centre
teachers to go through the dark, despairing and frustrating days with humour, joy and hope? I must
continue to try, to pass on to the kids what others have given to me. After all Akanksha has given me the
opportunity to do this.”
Nirmayee Sanghvi, Teacher, Colaba Municipal Centre
Being aware is education
“Before joining Akanksha, I worked with an NGO for 9 months. I had heard about Akanksha from a friend
and joined as a volunteer when I was in college. That was the beginning of a long and exciting journey! I
have now been a part of the foundation for 10 years and have worn several hats along the way. I
volunteered part time at the office and was an assistant education manager for a while. Now I am
focussing on my centre, which is at the Colaba Municipal School.
We started the Colaba Centre as it enabled us to run a morning centre. We set goals for our children in
speaking, reading and writing English and Math. We are constantly striving to help children understand
and apply what we are teaching. However, I think that more important than education is a value system.
Our larger aim is to empower the children to make their decisions and not pity themselves. 'Work hard', is
the motto that I use with them.
To internalise values we discuss a lot of real life cases. There was a girl who got married at 14. By the time
she was 18 she had three kids and looked haggard and malnourished. So we discussed how education
can prevent an early marriage and can empower people to make the right decisions. We then spoke
about contraception. Even if they are just saying these things, they would internalise it somewhere and
perhaps think about them. We can hope to keep them informed and aware and show them the right
steps.
Salimunissa studied in Akanksha for nine years. She is
currently in her first year of B.A.in Sociology.
Salimunnisa's parents moved to Mumbai from UP
eighteen years ago. She is the eldest of three daughters.
Her father works in a cemetery and her mother works in a
company that manufactures photo albums.
As a student, she designed sets for Akanksha's theatre
productions and participated in art exhibitions and
auctions organised by the Art Programme. Salimunnisa
specialises in Madhubani and Gond styles of painting.
Being in Akanskha has taught her to be more confident and outgoing, perform well in school and secure
admission into college. She feels that it is because of Akanksha's intervention that she is able to pursue
higher studies. At school, Salimunissa was weak in Math and consequently attended the extra Math
classes held at an Akanksha centre during weekends. The extra classes helped her pass her
examinations. The English lessons held in the centre have helped her read and write English fluently and
have empowered her to be confident and perform well in school and college. Because of her
education, Salimunissa is now able to help her younger sisters with their schoolwork, help her parents
with their documents and bank work and even other people in the community with work that requires
reading or writing.
She says: “I am interested in social work because when people come to me with their problems, I want
to help them the way I got help from my Didis in Akanksha. I want to be a social worker. I got information
on how I can become a social worker during the career counselling sessions in Akanksha. During these
sessions, they told us about different jobs in social work and gave information on Masters in Social Work
(MSW) and that is what I will do now. After that I want to work with an NGO. I am especially interested in
children's issues and the various problems the children face such as sexual abuse. I want to help give
them self-confidence and a sense of safety.”
Ruchi didi, one of Salimunissa's art teachers says, “Sali can do anything that she sets her mind to. She has
always been a student who has fought the odds, never given up on herself or her circumstances. She's
an inspiration to me because she has the ability to not just smile but shine in the most difficult situations.
Her ability to be warm and caring and committed is outstanding.”
All these years at Akanksha, have made me grow as a human being. I have been exposed to a whole
new world. My approach to a lot of things has changed. I have learnt to be empathetic and have learnt
that when you want to help someone—teach them how to do it instead of doing it for them. My learning
experience at Akanksha has been extraordinary.
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Ram Dhangar, Alumnus
Ram is another student who has struggled against odds and disciplined himself to reach his goal. He
leads by example. Ram joined an Akanksha centre in 1999 in class VII and was a student in Akanksha for
7 years. He lives with his parents and has 2 sisters and a younger brother. They own a shop and have
rented part of their house. These were the sources of income that supported the family and the
children's education. After graduating from Akanksha, Ram worked with Akanksha as a Social Worker.
While completing his education, he also worked part-time and gave tuitions to earn his pocket money.
He has completed his Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) in Banking and Insurance from KC College in
Mumbai. Ram currently works for the BNP Paribas Bank while pursuing a Masters degree in Commerce
through correspondence.
Ram Dhangar, Alumnus
While in Akanksha, Ram participated in drama classes, computer classes and the Mentor Programme.
Ram's mentor helped him with his academics and gave him information on different careers. Ram says
that his mentor gave him exposure to a world very different from his own. He enjoyed the drama
classes and was a part of three drama productions in Akanksha. He was also part of a show directed by
Raell Padamsee called 'Bollywood Hungama'.
He says, “My time in Akanksha helped me more than my classes in the formal school because apart
from lessons in English and Math, we also studied and discussed current affairs and were encouraged
to give our opinion. I was an average student and was not very interested in studies. After spending time
at Akanksha I felt that I had become more mature, responsible and confident. When I saw the other
people of my age in my community, I felt that those of us who were in Akanksha had more knowledge of
the world around us and knew how to behave in front of outsiders. We even had sessions on good
manners. They (Akanksha didis and bhaiyas) took an interest in our careers and would give us advice on
which path to pursue. They called professionals from various fields to talk to us about their work. Each
and every person I came into contact with in Akanksha helped me personally by giving me a lot of their
time; they were like my friends. Akanksha also helps its students by giving them scholarship and, if
possible, training in its own office.”
According to Nikki Didi, Ram's teacher, “Akanksha has made Ram confident, responsible, and
respectful. When his elder sister was getting married before the age of 18, he objected to it and tried
convincing the family to delay the marriage. He was unsuccessful at that time, but is now able to
support his younger sister and has managed to convince his family that she should complete her
education. He has a group of friends that he feels very strongly about. He is always there for them. He
would also guide them if he felt that they were doing something that was not appropriate.”
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Programmes
The programmes in Akanksha are designed to provide a well-rounded education and life skills to the
students in its centres. The programmes introduce our students to creative arts, sports, technology,
leadership training, basic health awareness and career counselling.
Social Leadership Programme
The Social Leadership Programme (SLP) encourages our children to give back to society and
empower people to sustain that change. Inspired by Gandhiji's words 'Be the change that you wish to
see in the world', SLP introduces children to social issues and builds social leadership values.
Students learn to first change themselves, then their families and homes and finally, their communities.
Students, aged 16 and older, are selected for the
programme on the basis of their aptitude for critical thinking,
perseverance and ability to influence peers positively.
Through the two years, students are required to choose the
social issues their work will address. Once a week, the
“According to me, a leader
students are exposed to issues such as child rights, health,
is the person who really
communal harmony, disability rights and gender
brings change within himself
discrimination. At the end of the first year, students intern at
as well as others.”
various organisations, and follow up with a Service Project in
the second year.
Sunita Khare, SLP student.
SLP 2008-09
Mumbai: 22 children
SLP Highlights 2008-09
Highlights of the year were:
Learning about Rights: We want the students to recognise that all individuals have certain rights and
should be encouraged to exercise those rights. With this aim, a module on 'Rights' was presented to
our students. In this module they learnt about human rights, child rights, child labour, child sexual
abuse, gender discrimination and rights of women. Students also learnt about sexuality and rights of
transgenders. Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, the first to represent the transgender community in the UN and
founder of Asthitva, was invited to talk to the students. Muskaan, an organisation that works in the area
of child sexual abuse, also conducted two sessions.
Service Project: SLP students in Pune took the initiative to teach English, Sports and Art to 30
children at Father Agnel Ashram's Bal Bhavan in Wadgaonsheri.
Special Events: Every year, SLP students celebrate Indepedence Day, Republic Day and Gandhi
Jayanti by organising events that focus on social leadership.
Republic Day: SLP conducted two projects in Mumbai. For the first project, the students
performed a street play named 'Our Rights and Duties as Citizens'. The second project was
based on the idea of “Pay it forward” (passing kindness shown to you to another). For this
project, the students distributed about 100 glasses of free lemonade
in Mulund. In Pune, SLP mobilised 300 Akanksha children to show appreciation to the
community workers across the city. They created poetic 'Thank You' cards and presented them
to traffic policemen, security guards, cleaners and sweepers across the city.
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Independence Day: SLP designed four projects - a street play in Mankhurd named 'Our
dependence on others to keep our surroundings clean', a competition to see who could
collect the most garbage at Borivali National Park, a visit to a senior citizens' home, and the 'Be
the Change' walk that aims at connecting people from all walks of life.
Gandhi Jayanti: SLP conducted a peace march to spread Gandhiji's messages of peace in
the wake of the terrorist attacks that the country has been witnessing. Over 180 children
participated in this walk.
Street Play: To spread awareness on communal harmony after the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai, the
students performed a street play in Bandra, aimed to convey the message that humanity is the most
important religion.
Internships: In May, the students interned in organisations such as Salaam Balaak, Satark Nagrik
Sangathan, Asha Sadan and Dignity Foundation, CYDA, Alochna, Indian Sponsorship Committee,
KKPPS and the Katraj Zoo.
Fellowships: Three SLP alumni obtained fellowship from Ashoka's Youth Venture:
Shehnaz Sheikh: She started an initiative called 'Aasmaan Ko Choona Hai' to teach
community children.
Shubhangi Shinde: Through her initiative, 'Kartavya', she aims to raise awareness of
child sexual abuse.
Pranay Shinde: His project, 'Aasman, The Vibrant Youth', aims to encourage young adults to
volunteer for social endeavours.
SLP students in the spotlight: We are proud that three of our SLP alumni were recognised
and lauded for their outstanding contribution to society. Several leading newspapers such as
DNA and TOI featured their social ventures.
Ramesh Joshi: His organization, Ashayein, educates street children.
Shubhangi Shinde: Eighteen-year old Shubhangi's venture called Kartavya, fights to end
child sexual abuse through discussions and awareness campaigns.
Sumeet Gade: His social venture called Pragati aims to bring smiles on the faces of children in
hospitals by organising activities and games for them. The venture also looks to create
awareness about various diseases.
“Almost 53 % of children in India are being abused every day. I believe that every child has the right to a
safe and healthy childhood. So two of my friends, Supriya and Seema, who are currently teaching at
Akanksha, and I started our own venture named Kartavya. Kartavya means responsibility or duty. For
me it means that we all are responsible for the safety of every child in our society. Kartavya creates
awareness on child sexual abuse among parents and children by conducting parents meetings and
basic informative sessions with kids at Akanksha Schools, centres, local schools and communities.
Kartavya is now a year and a half old and reaches out to 150 parents and 200 kids.”
Shubhangi Shinde, SLP alumnus
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Learning to Lead Programme
This programme looks to hone leadership skills in students through achievement orientation, perseverance and
dedication. We believe that all children in this programme have the potential to become leaders.
Learning to Lead (LTL) seeks to identify those children from Akanksha and government-aided schools who are
motivated for leadership and academic excellence. The classes run 5 days a week at the Bombay International
School through the academic year. In addition, there was a three-week long summer programme in April and
May and a one-week holiday session during Diwali.
LTL 2008-09
This year, LTL had 3 batches
LTL1 – 10 children (7 in class XII, 3 in class XI)
LTL2 – 14 children (4 in class X, 10 in Class IX)
LTL3 – 16 children (10 Class VIII, 6 in Class VII)
LTL Programme Highlights 2008-09
Our aim is to ensure that students in this programme get the highest quality education and guidance to
encourage them to perform to their potential. We want them to be determined, competitive and successful.
Workshops: During the Diwali holidays, 20 students from class VIII and IX attended an eight-day
academic workshop conducted by the volunteers of NSS (National Social Service) wing of Sophia
College. The workshop included sessions on Maths, Science and Social Studies.
Retreats: All LTL students were taken for a five-day leadership retreat to Bangalore in June. At the
retreat, the students attended sessions on leadership and setting milestones, visited various companies such
as Infosys and Tech Mahindra and NGOs such as Agastya Foundation's, Mobile Science Labs, Bal
janagraha, Akshara's community library, Daily Dump, and Dream a Dream.
In December, a group of students, selected on the basis of performance and attendance, were taken on
a three-day retreat to Magic Bus, Karjat. The focus areas for the retreat were team work, listening, respect,
planning, problem-solving, getting out of comfort zone and taking initiatives. The students participated
in activities such as rock climbing, rappelling and team-building and community-building exercises.
Literature Circle: Under the Literature Circle Programme, the students read books such as The Last Lecture,
Mukhtar Mai, Unheard Voices, Tears of a Tiger, Red Scarf Girl, Wise and Otherwise and Homeless Bird. Through
these books, they learnt about various regions, states or countries, cultures, political situations, world wars,
communism, social issues, science, leadership qualities and values.
Research Project: Students of LTL3 conducted an ecology research project. As part of the research, they
visited organisations such as PAWS (organisation for animal welfare) and Awaaz (an organisation that
promotes environment protection) and wrote reports on environmental issues.
Academic achievements: Several LTL students proved their mettle in formal school and college examinations.
Some of our stars for the year were:
College: Tauqeer (72% FYJC Arts), Priyanka (64% FYJC Arts)
Class X: Shweta Nagaria (85.5% CBSE)
Class IX: Deepa (68% CBSE), Azim (70% SSC), Arif (75% SSC)
Class VIII: Eshwari (76% CBSE), Alfiya (71% SSC)
Class VII: Shubhangi (80% CBSE), Ganesh (73% SSC), Nirmala (83% SSC)
Class VI: Tabrez (77% SSC), Ganeshri (75%), Shamina (73% SSC) Ashwini (72% SSC), Shraddha (70% SSC).
24
25
LTL Stories
These stories exhibit what inspires our students to excel and how they set and achieve their goals. We
believe that these two students are well on their way to becoming successful leaders. We asked them
about their experience with the LTL programme and how it affected their lives.
Tauqeer Sheikh, LTL student
Tauqeer is a mature, hard working and determined individual. He wants to improve his family's living
condition. He dreams of becoming an IAS officer and living in a house on Altamount Road.
Tauqeer lives with his parents and a sister. His father is a tailor and works in the community while his mother
works as a housemaid. His sister has been sponsored by the RA foundation and admitted to a residential
school in Panchgani from this year.
Tauqeer had severe health problems during his standard tenth board exams and managed to get only 51%.
He took admission in Wilson College in the Arts Department and was determined to get better results. His
teachers have been impressed with him. In addition, he obtained the highest percentage in History in the
eleventh standard and also got 72% overall. Moreover, he has been participating in extracurricular
activities in his college and is an active member of the English Literary Society, Arts Circle, History Society
and Hindi Parishad.
Shweta Nagaria, LTL student
Tauqueer has graduated from the Social leadership Programme of Akanksha and has helped with the
Aashayein project initiated by an Akanksha Alumni and funded by Ashoka Youth Venture. This project
involves educating street children.
Shweta Nagaria, LTL student
“My day is very different from that of my friends'. I don't get to play. I don't get to go out. I don't have time to
meet my friends and chat with them. In my world, I have just my school, LTL friends and didis (LTL teachers),
my few friends at home and of course, my family. Since I have joined the Learning To Lead (LTL)
programme, life has become more challenging and my days packed with classes, studies, homework,
commute and some household work. Yet I need to do this as my LTL Didi says there are no shortcuts in life.
I have been in Akanksha's Leadership programme, LTL since 2004. At LTL, I have been exposed to various
aspects of leadership through English, general awareness, structured thinking, case studies, service
projects, community research projects and leadership retreats. I have interacted with various leaders
such as corporate leaders, social leaders, professionals, student leaders and school leaders.
If I had one wish, I would ask God to increase the number of hours in my day because then I would get
more time with my family and will get my full sleep. My father is the only earning member in the family, so he
has to struggle a lot to keep my family of six moving as we are all dependent on him for our basic needs. He is
a mechanic in the water supply department of the government hence his pay barely covers the costs,
which includes our tuitions. We understand his state and do not demand a lot of things and stay content
with what we have.
I have realised how difficult it is for a girl to be educated and pursue a career while handling the social
pressures. As part of my leadership programme, I have studied various issues and case studies related to
women who have been successful despite facing various obstacles. I have even interacted with a few.
Ms. Naina Lal, CEO of HSBC, India and Ms. Anu Aga, Chairperson of Thermax India Ltd. are some examples.
Their stories and struggles have inspired me to stand up for my rights and not give up. I have also learnt from
them the values of service and giving back.
The effort has paid off. I scored 85.5% in CBSE, a first in LTL and Akanksha. In addition to studies, I have been
a successful athlete in school and Akanksha and have won several medals. On the leadership front, I was
the class prefect in the ninth grade and also received 'Most Commendable Effort' Award, the most
prestigious Award in our school. I was elected the Vice Captain of Blue House in Class XI and then the Head
Girl of the Army school in Class XI, the most coveted title.”
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Art Programme
‘Art for Akanksha' continues to be one of our signature programmes, enabling all our students to spend two years
immersed in imagination and creativity. The art classes aim at developing observation, perception and creative
potential through a curriculum that includes the basics of drawing and painting, craft activities, study of international
artists and traditional Indian art forms such as Madhubani and Warli. Students who show interest and promise in art,
graduate from Art Class into Design Class, where they begin designing Akanksha products and running workshops
for other children, usually from privileged backgrounds.
Art Programme Highlights 2008-09
Mumbai 220 children
Pune: 136 children
Art Highlights 2008-09
Our students were part of several exciting events:
Workshops:
Citi Group celebrated its Global Community Day with us through two events in May and August. In the
first event, 20 of our children and 100 Citi employees created a lively centre space by painting the
outside of the KGM centre with colourful motifs and planting in the central garden. In the second one, 40
of our children and 40 Citi employees participated in an art carnival, which had activities such as card
making and t-shirt painting.
Girls from the Art and SLP Programmes conducted an art workshop on block printing for women from
SNEHA, an organisation that addresses the special needs of women and children from the slums.
Competitions: In Pune, 15 children from our centres competed in face painting, mask making, photography, fancy
dress design, and information stall creation, conducted by the ‘Kids for Tigers’, Sanctuary India. Several schools and
NGOs took part in the event. The themes for the competitions included 'Climate Change and Environmental
Degradation’ and 'Save the Musk Deer'. Our students won prizes in photography and fancy dress competitions.
Exhibitions: Our Christmas Exhibition featured several products. The bright bags, furniture, candles, notebooks
and works of art were all designed to be symbols of belief and opportunity, creativity and fun, childhood and the
chance of a great future.
Art Stories
Several students in the Art Programme have been successful in pursuing careers in art and have made their mark
outside Akanksha.
Shirajul Khan, Art alumnus
“Shirajul has been part of Art or Programme for 9 years. Extremely shy and reserved,
Shirajul was the quietest child in the art class. Temperamental and emotional as a
child, during every art class he would end up arguing, fighting and leaving the art
class half way. However it was his passion for Art that would make him come back,
sit alone after the class and finish his work. Over time, art seems to have helped
Shirajul become more confident and emotionally balanced.
Shirajul has been part of every Art event in Akanksha. During Akanksha's art
auctions, he worked with well-known artists such as Paresh Maity, Anjolie Ela Menon,
and Sunil Padwal; he received praise from them for his work. He has participated in
Akanksha's Christmas exhibition held every year in one of our Board Member, Srila
Chatterjee's home and The Kalaghoda Art Festival. He has conducted art events at
birthday parties hosted by Akanksha, and painted murals for an NGO called Umeed
as well as a room for a six-year old child.
Currently, Shirajul is working on illustrations for a children's book named 'Miss Muglee
goes to Mumbai'. He is studying in first year of B.com in Lala Lajpatrai College. He
plans to continue illustrating for books and wants to study computer graphics.”
Sheetal Shah, Art teacher.
28
29
Football:
Akanksha's football team took part in the Vector X-mas Trophy Tournament organised by the Alphonso Academy. The team
reached the semi-finals. Anil Rathod, one of our players who scored 16 goals in the tournament, received the Highest Goal
Scorer award.
Akanksha's team played 9 matches in the fourth division of the Mumbai District Football Association (MDFA) tournament,
which began in July. We won 4 matches, drew 3 and lost 2.
The girls' football team played in a district level football tournament, and reached the semi-finals.
Akanksha's under-14 years team won the Silver Medal at the unveiling of the Barclays Premier League Trophy.
Hockey:
Akanksha's team reached the playoffs of the Mumbai Hockey Association tournament. The event was of special
importance as the Chief Guests for the day were Padmashree Dhanraj Pillay, Steve Turpie (CEO, Aviva Global Services),
Suresh Amin (Vice-President, Aviva Global Services) and Paresh Sharma (Senior Vice-President, WNS).
Sports Stories
We have several sports enthusiasts who were especially successful and were encouraged to take up sports as a full-time
activity; Nikhil is one of them.
Nikhil More, Sports alumnus
Sports Programme
The primary goal of the Sports Programme is for the children to have fun, understand teamwork and build self-confidence
through organised physical activities. The children participate in activities such as athletics, hockey, football and cricket.
“My favourite leader is Mahendra Singh Dhoni. He is the currently the captain of our Indian cricket team. Dhoni captained
the Indian team when it was in disarray after the Indians failed to qualify for the Super 8 in the 2007 World Cup. Dhoni
managed the team and led the Indian youngsters to win the 2007 T20 World Cup. The thing that most inspires me is his
never give up quality. Nothing is impossible for him. He has faith in the players and gives opportunities to youngsters. I like
him and he inspires me to become like him.” Arun, Worli 1 Centre.
Sports 2008-09
“Football is my passion and my life. It was not my childhood dream to become a football player but in
between it became my life. I started playing football when I was in the tenth standard. My role model was
Beckham and I wanted to be like him. I participated in school tournament and from that time I got the
inspiration to play football.
I learnt how to play professional football and was being selected for Air-India, but I had to quit the team,
which was very heart breaking for me. After looking at my skills, my parents started encouraging me to play
football.
In Akanksha, every year we have the Pankaj Jadhav Memorial Trophy Tournament among all Akanksha
centres. When I was a student in Worli-1 Centre, we competed in the tournament. My friends did not know how
to play proper football and that was a challenging task for me. It was difficult to teach new players and play
with them. We reached in the finals of the tournament and managed to score two goals in the last seven
minutes of the game and finally we won that tournament.
After seeing my performance, Akanksha gave me an opportunity to work in the Sports Department. Now I
am playing, working and enjoying with Akanksha.”
Mumbai: 410 children
Pune: 138 children
Sports Programme Highlights 2008-09
In 2008-09, Team Akanksha participated and received prizes in several internal and external events.
Sports day: The Sixth Annual Sports Day was celebrated on December 14. Over 500 children from 18 centres participated
in the event.
Athletics:
A total of 15 children from different centres were selected to participate in the Y.W.C.A. Sports Tournament, 2008 that took
place at the Back Garden in Colaba.
Out of the 25 children who participated in the Pune International Marathon, Sameer stood 46th in the 10 km (under17) race,
Alim 37th in the 7 km (under 14) race, and Pooja Wahile stood 8th in the 4.5 km (under 12) race.
In Mumbai, 30 children participated in an athletic meet organised by Concern India Foundation and the All-India Athletic
Federation at Priyadarshini Park. Akanksha won 4 Gold, 3 Silver and 2 Bronze medals.
As many as 350 children from Akanksha participated in the Green Marathon organised by The Institute of Chemical
Technology, Matunga. Selva Kumar came 4th in the race.
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31
Quotes from current mentors
“It (the programme) has made me grow, time and again, into a better human being; enabled me to
further reflect on certain aspects of life that I had "assumed" or "taken for granted"; provided
opportunities to interact with growing youngsters and see life/world from their perspective.”
Chandrashekhar P., Marathon Mentor Group.
“The just two hours-a-week sessions, coupled with the kids not valuing time is probably the biggest
challenge. Next constraint would be the low expectations their parents keep from them, which results
in the kids not pushing themselves to their limit. Getting them to be sincere about the work at hand and
their studies/careers is also proving to be a tough task.”
Ashish Gulati, Marathon Mentor Group.
“This programme has helped me manage expectations by being more realistic and accepting people
and situations the way they are and helped me become more empathetic by developing greater
sensitivity towards the mentees' needs and understanding of the constraints they work with. Dealing
and interacting with some of these super-talented kids has also been a very enriching & humbling
experience.”
Laksmi Iyer, Marathon Mentor Group.
Mentor Programme
Guide, teacher, friend and helper – a mentor can mean any or all of these. Mentor Programme pairs
each child with a corporate mentor. They meet once a week, where mentors open the world of careers
to mentees and guide them through the difficult adolescent phase and help them with their formal
school studies. Mentees, in turn, offer mentors their friendship, respect and meaningful insights into
their world.
“Our mentees can become
leaders by their unfailing integrity;
ensuring there is no gap in their
thought, speech, and action to
enable growth of their
team/friends, and mentees.”
Chandrasekar P., Marathon Mentor Group.
Mentor Programme 2008-09
Mentors: 60
Mentees: 50
Mentor Groups: 8
Voltas Group
DSP Merrill Lynch
JM Financial
ICICI Bank
Yes Bank
Drive India Enterprise Solutions Limited
Saturday Dawnay Day AV Marathon Innova Group
Sunday RPG Group
Mentor Programme Highlights 2008-09
·Akanksha collaborated with Drive India Enterprise Solutions (DIESL) and JM Financial to establish
two new mentor groups.
Abhijeet Bhandarkar, RPG Mentor Group.
“I always wanted to do something to help others. In Aug 2003, I had taken a one-month break from work
(I work with L&T as an Engineer). During that time Akanksha had a broadcast on one of the FM radio
channels about need for mentors for their programme and I took up the opportunity. My motivation to
become a mentor came from my value systems. My Jesuit school taught me to give back to the society.
I also believed in 'Once Taught is learnt twice".
My mentee's name was Samy. The main concerns about him were poor attendance and not doing his
homework. However, whenever he attended, he gave his 100%. Whenever he bunked the programme, I
would give him a call and talk to him. Over time, he became very comfortable with me. He did well in his
SSC exams and later joined Siddharth College of Commerce and worked part-time in a departmental
store.
A few months of investing dedicated time with Samy and talking to him more than once a week over the
phone, helped him be more responsible and accountable. He had no choice but to change. He had the
assurance that somebody did care for him and wanted him to succeed. Akanksha gives the kids a
superb platform to improve their performance. After this, I was assigned a new mentee, Mahesh. He
was a great student. He had scored over 70% in SSC and wa
s aspiring to be an engineer. However, due to his stammering problem, he had low self-confidence. With
Mahesh I had to use a different approach— I mainly taught him to meditate and increase his
concentration power so that he could perform better. Today, Mahesh has successfully completed his
Computer engineering from Thadoomal Shahani College. Because of the programme, I was able to
learn that I must practice what I preach. If I instructed my mentees to come on time, first I had to
reach on time.
·A special Mentor Evening was organised on December 20, where all the mentors across different
groups interacted with each other and shared their experiences and challenges. The discussions
proved productive in finding ways to improve the programme in the future.
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33
The School Leadership Institute
Akanksha has established a School Leadership Institute, which provides a one-year training
programme that combines classroom-training forums with extensive field experience in schools and
communities. This institute equips a new batch of School Leaders (Principals) every year with the skills
they need to start and run excellent schools.Training, both in forum and fieldwork, focuses on effective
teaching practices, instructional leadership, team development and student engagement.
The School Leadership Institute has been developed by learning lessons from leading educationists
and management experts from India and abroad. In India, these include Citibank, McKinsey &
Company, The Riverside School and low-cost schools run by Parikrma and Katha. We have also learnt
a lot from international organisations such as The KIPP Foundation, New Leaders for New Schools,
Achievement First, Uncommon Schools in the United States and Future Leaders/ARK in the U.K.
We select School Leaders based on their passion for education, drive to achieve education reform, as
well as their leadership and management potential.
Some of our School Leaders
Our School Leaders (Principals) come from different backgrounds, but have a common goal—to
provide high-quality education for all children.
The School Project
While Akanksha was initially started to provide non-formal education to less privileged children, we
recognized the great need and demand for quality formal school education. To fulfil this need, we
partnered with the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) in Mumbai and the Pune
Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Thermax Social Initiatives Foundation in Pune, to run municipal
schools through a public-private partnership model. In 2008-2009, Akanksha operated four such
schools in Mumbai and Pune.
In these schools, Akanksha-trained teachers conduct each class; they are assisted by volunteers and
other support staff. We focus on providing quality education at a cost comparable to that of other
municipal schools. Tests conducted by external agencies show that our intervention in these schools
has significantly improved the student's performance.
The School Project aims to impact:
Students: Akanksha believes that every child can learn. By achieving a positive impact on the
students' grades in its schools, we hope to demonstrate that children from any background have the
ability to perform well.
Shalini Sachdev, Vidya Niketan Municipal School, Pune
Shalini holds a Master's degree in Social Work from Nirmala Niketan College of Social Work, and has
worked for many years in the development sector, including tenure with Pratham and Rahul Bose's
Foundation in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Having already served at the Vidya Niketan School
for a year, Shalini has a unique insight into school leadership and the skills it takes to make a school
successful.
Aniket Mahulikar, Savitri Bai Phule Municipal School, Pune
A former IT professional with an engineering degree, Aniket served as a volunteer in Akanksha for
three years before deciding to pursue education as his lifelong profession.
Purvi Vora, Abhyudaya Municipal School, Mumbai
With a Ph.D. in Science Education from Columbia University, Purvi has worked as a teacher in an innercity school in New York City. Equipped with technical educational skills and experience, she helped
start the Abhudaya Nagar Municipal School in June 2008.
James Sequeira, Supari Tank Municipal School, Mumbai
Teachers: Through its experience in the centres, Akanksha realizes the importance of great teachers
who are also true leaders. Through the success of our teachers in the schools, we hope to
demonstrate the value of great educators and innovative teaching methods and to encourage greater
professionalism in the filed of education.
James has a Master's degree in Social Work from Nirmala Niketan College of Social Work. In the MSW
field placements, he has worked for organisations such as Action for Good Governance and
Networking in India (AGNI) and Pratham Mumbai Initiative. James has been a social worker and
teacher in Akanksha from 2006 and is now a Coordinator and Social worker in the Supari Tank Municipal
English School.
The education system: The School Project plans to trigger widespread systemic reform. The
schools have maintained a cost per child that is comparable to current government allocations, thus
creating a model that can be adopted by state governments around the country.
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35
Akanksha's partnership with TSIF
In 2007, Akanksha and the Thermax Social Initiatives Foundation (TSIF) became partners in The School Project. This
partnership began working with the Pune Municipal Corporation when the Vidya Niketan Municipal School opened in
June 2007. While Akanksha handles the academic and training inputs, TSIF manages the government relations and
funding for these two schools. A team, consisting of the School Leaders supported by representatives from TSIF and
Akanksha, sets the strategic vision and manages the daily operation of the schools.
Schools 2008-09
KC Thackeray Vidya Niketan English Medium School, Pune
Classes: Class III to class VI
Children: 240
Savitri Bai Phule English Medium School, Pune
Classes: Senior KG
Children: 60
Abhyudaya Nagar Mumbai Public School, Mumbai
Classes: Junior KG to class I
Children: 100
Supari Tank Municipal School, Mumbai
Classes: Junior KG to class IV
Children: 180
School Project Highlights 2008-09
Extra-curricular activities for the children: Our school leaders constantly look for ideas and ways to organise extracurricular activities .This ensures that the children in our schools have the opportunity to participate in various events
and competitions. Extra-curricular activities for the children: The school leaders constantly look for ideas and ways to
organise extra-curricular activities, to ensure that the children get a well rounded exposure.
Celebrating: Vidya Niketan celebrated its 2nd Annual Day on March 25 to the theme of "The Power
within Me". Awards were presented by Anu Aga to children with exemplary attendance and
performance. The Supari Tank Municipal School celebrated its Annual Day on February 28 at the St.
Francis Church.
Spreading joy: Viacom18 partnered with Akanksha to celebrate the collective spirit of volunteerism
through ViaCommunity Day on April 17. As part of the event, they painted a classroom at the Abhyudaya
Nagar Municipal School with various cartoon characters. The cartoon character, Ninja Hattori
inaugurated the classroom and played games with the children.
Winning laurels: Children in the fourth standard of the Supari Tank School, Mumbai won the first prize in the
Balakotsav that was organised by the BMC at the ward level.
Purvi Vora, School Leader, Abhyudaya Municipal School, Mumbai
Celebrating festivals:
“Working here has been a very different experience. In the United States, I taught middle school and
Akanksha has been my first interaction with elementary school children. Initially, we faced a lot of
challenges. The parents had a hard time understanding why we follow so many procedures and rules
that are different from the BMC schools. We've managed to get most of them on board by increasing
their involvement in the school; parents are allowed to sit in on some classes and see what their
children are learning, ask questions about what's happening in class and have now formed a very
close bond with all of us at the school. We also have a very good relationship with the Head Mistress of
the BMC School that has donated space to us.
We currently teach students of up to class II. My vision for the school is to be able to admit students up
to class X and have all our kids graduate from here. More importantly, over and above achieving
academic excellence, I want our kids to develop the critical thinking skills, empathy and general
awareness that they would need to bring about change in society.”
Janmashtami: The Supari Tank School team celebrated Janmashtami at the school in a traditional
manner by breaking a pot filled with dahi (yogurt). All the other staff members joined in the
excitement and contributed with ideas and preparations. The children in the Supari Tank Marathimedium school were also invited to participate.
Christmas: A grand programme was organised in the school premises on December 22. The
children sang carols and participated in dancing and quizzes. Among the guests were Akanksha
staff members, BMC teachers, well wishers, volunteers and parents.
·
Honing leadership skills of our School Leaders: Highly experienced trainers and School
Leaders of the Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) from the US conducted a two-week session on
instructional leadership for Akanksha's School Leaders.
37
Schools
ASSET results
As its primary benchmark of success, The Akanksha Schools use the ASSET tests run by Educational
Initiatives (EI) to measure academic achievement through the entire schooling phase, beginning at
the third standard. This test benchmarks the schools' performance against the top schools of the
country on the EI developed learning standards. In addition, it provides teachers with data-driven
instructional strategies to improve their practice and student learning.
Vidya Niketan Municipal School continued to close its gap with the national average this year, and in
some cases performed better than the average. The maximum improvement was achieved with the
youngest batch of students, re-enforcing our belief in the necessity and impact of early intervention.
The results for different batches are shown below.
Std
in
200809
Impact
4
This year's results have been particularly heartening as 80 % of our children in the centres passed their
SSC exams and as many as 94 % passed the HSC exams. In addition, the ASSET test results from the
schools revealed that the children's performance continued to improve in comparison to the national
average.
5
6
Centres
Subject
Eng
Maths
Science
Eng
Maths
Science
Eng
Maths
Science
KCTVN
23.1
35.3
41.7
21.8
34.7
34.6
28.4
29.3
38.2
August-07
All
Difference
Schools
53.3
53.6
63.1
48
56.6
56.5
59.3
52.7
56.6
-56.7%
-34.1%
-33.9%
-54.6%
-38.7%
-38.8%
-52.1%
-44.4%
-32.5%
KCTVN
55.7
64
56.7
44.4
57.8
44.3
38.8
34.3
36.6
March-08
All
Difference
Schools
58.7
62.6
58.7
52.5
60.2
51.4
55.2
50.7
48.7
-5.1%
2.2%
-3.4%
-15.4%
-4.0%
-13.8%
-29.7%
-32.3%
-24.8%
KCTVN
45.9
57.9
55.8
44.2
48.7
49.2
42.8
38.3
43.2
March-09
All
Difference
Schools
46.5
55.1
56.8
50.1
50.1
54.8
54.1
47
54.7
-1.3%
5.1%
-1.8%
-11.8%
-2.8%
-10.2%
-20.9%
-18.5%
-21.0%
SSC results
A total of 49 Akanksha students appeared for the SSC
exam across Mumbai and Pune in 2008-09. In total,
80% of our students secured a passing grade, of which
13% (5 students) passed with Distinction and 28% (11
students) passed with First Class.
In Mumbai, the pass percentage was 81%, with 93% of
the girls and 71% of the boys passing the exam. In Pune,
the pass percentage was 76%, with 75% of girls and
80% of boys passing the exam.
HSC results
A total of 32 Akanksha students appeared for the HSC
exam across Mumbai and Pune in 2008-09. The results
showed that 94% of our students secured a passing
grade, of which 10% (3 students) passed with
Distinction and 50% (15 students) passed with First
Class.
In Mumbai, the pass percentage was 93%, with 95% of
the girls and 88% of the boys passing the exam. In Pune,
the pass percentage was 100%, with all 5 our students
passing the exam.
38
Team Akanksha
Mumbai
Pune
Teachers
64
42
Tutors
03
08
Staff
61
18
Helpers
39
20
39
Financial Report
Credibility Alliance Norms Compliance Report
Expenditure under Objects of the Trust
Expenditure under the objects of the trust covers the running cost of all Akanksha centres, schools
and projects including Teach for India. The expenses include salaries to teachers and social workers,
education materials, uniforms, transport to centres, repairs and maintenance of classrooms as well as
educational outings.
The social work department, which follows up with all the children in our programme, incurs expenses
on medical camps and follow up treatments, running empowerment sessions for the youth and
holding parent meetings each month for each group of centres.
Other expenses covered under this heading include teacher and staff training, project expenses for
SLP, LTL, sports and scholarships.
Expense
Centre expenses
INR
16,542,644
School Project
7,273,554
Learning to Lead Project
2,279,631
Vocational/Scholarships
1,710,534
Child Welfare
3,288,425
Teacher Fellowship Project
Programme Development and Implementation
Public Relations and Programme Awareness
NIOS
Teach for India Programme (see separate report)
Total Expenses
78,931
2,215,035
264,124
987
4,914,346
38,568,209
Establishment Expenses
Expenditure under this category covers salaries of core staff and other expenses within Finance and
Fundraising, Human Resources and Administration functions of those departments. The expenses
include printing of publicity materials, recruitment expenses and office-running expenses such as rent
and amenities, stationary and postage.
List of accreditations
Credibility Alliance
GiveIndia
Charities Aid Foundation
Identity
The Akanksha Foundation is registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860
(Reg no MAH/132/91/Bombay dated 13.2.91). The MOA and Rules and Regulations of the Foundation
are available on request.
Akanksha is registered u/s 12A of the Income Tax Act, 1961. The 80G certificate has been renewed up
to 31/03/2012 - DIT (E) MC/80G/1704/2009-10 dated. 19.5.2009
Akanksha is registered under the Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Act
FCRA 083780558 dated 18.2.96 for the receipt of foreign donations.
Name and Address of Bankers
Citibank – DN Road, Mumbai, 400001
Standard Chartered – FCRA – MG Road Branch, Mumbai 400001
HDFC Bank Ltd -Salary Accounts-Shapoorji Pallonji Mistry Building, Grd Floor, Dr Shirodkar Marg,
Parel, Mumbai 400012
HDFC Bank Ltd – Kondhwe, Khurd, Pune
Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd.- Art Project Account- Mittal Court, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021
Name and Address of Auditors
M/S Haribhakti and Co, Free Press House, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021
Governance
Details of Board Members (as at 31 March 2009):
Name
Shaheen Mistri
Anu Aga
Amit Chandra
Srila Chatterjee
Nandita Dugar
Ramesh Srinivasan
Neel Shahani
Somasekhar Sundaresan
Sex
Position on
Board
Occupation
Area of
Competency
Meetings
Attended
F
F
M
F
F
M
M
M
Chairperson
Vice Chairperson
Treasurer
General Member
General Member
General Member
General Member
General Member
Founder, Akanksha
Director, Thermax India Ltd.
MD, Bain Capital Advisors
MD, Highlight Films
Ex-consulant, BCG
Partner, McKinsey and Co
Sr. VP, India Infoline Ltd.
Partner, J Sagar Associates
Education
HR and SW
Finance
Arts
Strategy
Strategy
Finance
Legal
4/4
3/4
3/4
3/4
4/4
1/4
4/4
2/4
The Akanksha Board met 4 times in the FY 08-09 on 16th June 2008, 24th August 2008, 6th November
2008 and 5th February 2009. Minutes of the Board are documented and circulated. A Board rotation
policy exists. The Board approves programmes, budgets, events, and audited financial statements.
The board ensures the organization's compliance with laws and regulations.
The establishment expenses Rs 5,984,290 comprise 13 % of overall expenditure. This is lower than in
the previous year since we had incurred renovation expenses in 2007- 08. We have also increased the
scope of our projects, in particular with the expansion of The School Project and with the incubation of
the Teach for India programme (more details in the TFI report).
40
41
Accountability and Transparency
No remuneration, sitting fees or any other form of compensation has been paid since inception of the Foundation, to any
Board Member.
The following reimbursements have been made to Board Members
Travelling expense to Ms Shaheen Mistri during the year:
Rs 40,026 for International Travel
Rs 8,618 for Domestic Travel
Rs 54,265 Conveyance Reimbursement.
No other reimbursements have been made to any other Board Member.
CEO's remuneration: Two Board Members were employed as CEO. Ms Nandita Dugar took on the role after Ms Shaheen
Mistri who stepped into the role of CEO of Teach for India. The payment to Ms. Mistri for her consultancy position with Teach
for India is shown separately in the Teach for India Credibility Report.
Shaheen Mistri to 31 July 2008
Rs 360,000
Nandita Dugar from 1 August 2008
Rs 493,137
No other Board member receives remuneration. All contribute their time on a voluntary basis.
Remuneration of 3 Highest Paid Staff Members
Rs. 90,000
Rs75,000
Rs.60,000
Remuneration of the lowest paid staff member Rs 3000 (per month)
Distribution of staff according to salary levels (as at 31 March 2009)
Slab of gross salary (in Rs) plus
benefits paid to staff (per month)
Male staff
Female staff
Total staff
4
8
14
3
0
0
82
74
52
11
3
0
86
82
66
14
3
0
Less than 5000
5,000 – 10,000
10,000 – 25,000
25,000 – 50,000
50,000 – 1,00,000
Greater than 1,00,000
Total annual payments made to consultants (In Rs)
Number of consultants
Less than 5000
5,000 – 10,000
10,000 – 25,000
25,000 – 50,000
50,000 – 1,00,000
10
-
(The staff table includes the salaries of both staff and paid consultants in the respective categories)
Total Cost of National Travel by all staff during the year: Rs 413,774 includes reimbursement for local travel by social
workers, education managers and other staff as well as travel with beneficiaries and field visits to other projects.
Total Cost of International Travel by all staff during the year: Rs 212,978 as below:
Name
42
Designation
Destination
Purpose
Gross
Expense (Rs.)
1
Ruchika Gupta
General Manager
U.S.A.
Model School Conference
66,463.50
2
Gauri Kirtane
Manager, Education
U.S.A.
Model School Conference
66,463.50
3
4
Vandana Goyal
Shaheen Mistri
Director, The School Project
Founder and Chairperson
U.S.A.
U.S.A.
Fundraising
Fundraising
40,026.00
40,026.00
Sponsored by
The Akanksha Fund and
Models School Conference
The Akanksha Fund and
Models School Conference
The Akanksha Fund
The Akanksha Fund
43
SCHEDULE VIII
(Vide Rule 17(1))
Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950
The Public Trust:- The Akanksha Foundation
Balance Sheet as on March 31, 2009
Registration no: F-14568 dated April 15, 1991
FUNDS & LIABILITIES
Rs
Trust Funds or Corpus
Balance as per last balance sheet
Local
F.C.
Rs
PROPERTY & ASSETS
Rs
Immovable Properties :- (At cost)
Balance as per last Balance Sheet
Additions during the year
Less: Sales during the year
Depreciation up to date
25,230,093
6,013,715
31,243,808
Rs
-
-
Additions during the year (give details)
Local
F.C.
Total
6,260,000
46,023
6,306,023
Other earmarked funds
(created under provisions of the trust deed or scheme)
Depreciation Fund
Sinking Fund
Reserve Fund
Any other Fund
-
Loans (Secured or Unsecured)
From Trustees
From Others
-
Liabilities :For Expenses (Annexure A)
37,549,831
Fixed Assets:- (Annexure C)
Balance as per last Balance Sheet
Additions during the year
-
-
1,936,603
1,936,603
Income and Expenditure Account:Balance as per last Balance Sheet
Local
F.C.
Total
(34,426,836)
52,041,349
17,614,512
-
Less Appropriation, if any
Add: Surplus (as per Income and Expenditure Account)
Less: Deficit
Local
F.C.
Total
3,766,983
22,041,015
25,807,998
Total Rs.
As per our report of even date
For Haribhakti & Co
Chartered Accountants
Dated: 30th September 2009
Rakesh Rathi (Partner)
68,903,821
Investments:(Annexure B)
43,422,510
5,279,328
644,383
5,923,711
Less: Deduction during the year
Depreciation up to date
Loans(Secured or Unsecured) : Good/doubtful
Loans Scholarships (Annexure D)
Other Loans (Annexure D)
Advances:To Trustees
To Employees (Annexure D)
To Contractors
To Lawyers
To Others (Annexure D)
Income outstanding
Rent
Interest (Annexure D)
Other income and asset receivable
Sundry debtors
Income receivable (Annexure D)
Cash and Bank Balances (Annexure B)
a) In Saving account
In Fixed Deposit account
b) With the Trustee
c) With the Manager
d) Other (Cash in hand)
Closing stock
82,908,944
2,934,832
2,934,832
2,988,879
49,749
78,155
127,904
25,550
1,106,092
1,131,642
140,866
140,866
199,129
-
199,129
8,470,030
686,953
47,172
9,204,155
212,548
Total Rs.
82,908,944
The above Balance Sheet to the bestof my/our belief contains a true account of
the funds and liabilities and of the property and assets of the Trust.
Dated:
Trustee
Trustee
The Akanksha Fund Inc.
The Akanksha Fund Inc. is a New York-based not-for-profit organization The Fund works with The
Akanksha Foundation, to advise and help fund the Foundation's innovative programs.
Founded in 1999, The Akanksha Fund's Board of Directors comprises individuals that have knowledge
of India and have spent time at Akanksha. They are dedicated to identifying opportunities for The
Akanksha Foundation, engaging in activities such as program development, creating awareness in the
United States, fund-raising, and facilitating volunteer visits. The Akanksha Fund supports the
programs of the Foundation in the following ways:
Funding Akanksha centres and schools
Sponsoring educational exchanges
Supporting teacher training programs and developing curriculum materials
Raising awareness about Akanksha in the US and building partnerships
Kids In Need Of Education (KINOE)
KINOE is a London, UK, based charity founded in 1996 after its original trustees had spent time in India
and had been introduced to Akanksha in its formative years. Since then it has raised over £750,000 to
send to educational projects in India and Nepal helping over 3,000 underprivileged children in both
countries. KINOE supports Akanksha by
Funding Akanksha centres and Schools
Funding other programs such as medical and Social leadership
Raising awareness amongst schools in the UK and other organizations
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47
Programme Sponsors
Sponsor
Programme / Space Sponsor
Accenture
Ad Astra Trust –UK
Aditya Birla Group
All CargoGlobal Logistics
Art Venture Singapore
Dhirubhai Ambani International School
Arisaig Partners
Aviva
Mankhurd 1
Holy Name 2
Worli 1 /Nehru Planetarium
VT BMC
Arts classes
Dhirubhai Ambani International School
Supari Tank
Aviva Arushi – morning
Aviva Anant -afternon
Karve Nagar 2
Koregaon Park/Sant Gadge Maharaj School
Kothrud 1 /Bharti Vidyapeeth School
Kothrud 2 /Bharti Vidyapeeth
Sunshine /Chatrapati Shahu Maharaj PCMC
St Crispin 1
St Crispin 3
Aundh/Shahir Annabhau Sathe
Wakdewadi
Bandra Petit School
GD Somani
Laxmi Nagar Municipal school
Beyond School Tutors
JB Petit
Mahalaxmi 2
St. Joseph's 1
Worli 2 / National Association for the Blind
St. Xavier's High School
Chuim 2
Chinchwad/FM Company Premises
Forbes Marshall 1/Hanuman Temple
Forbes Marshall 2/ FM Company premise
Wuuri
St Joseph's 2
Dapodi Ashram
Holy Name 1
Mankhurd 2
Campion School
Colaba Municipal
JJ School
KGM 2
Sitaram Podar 2
Sitaram Podar 1
Kirloskar 1/Depot Line Mitr Mandal
Kirloskar 2/Mauli Hall
Mankhurd JJ
Muskan/ Maharshi Valmik Community Hall
Yuvathi Sharan, Prabhadevi
LTL
Supari Tank School
Chuim 1
KGM 1
Mahalaxmi 1
Mankhurd - Alexandra
Rajashtan Mahila Mandal
St Stanislaus
The School Leaders Institute
Thermax 1
Thermax 2
Worli 3 / Glaxo
Worli 4 / Glaxo
Scholarships
Snacks at centres
St Crispin 2
Zensar – Morning and afternoon centres
Space donor for LTL
Carnegie Social Initiatives
Carnegie – Ad Lib
Chandrakant Agrawal
Citigroup Foundation
DSP Merrill Lynch
Drive India Enterprise Solutions Ltd
Forbes Marshall Ltd
Morwadi
Bhopkel
Galleon Group
HDFC
KINOE
KINOE – Punch Tavern
KINOE - MLIM
Keval Desai
Kirloskar Oil Engines Ltd
Individual Sponsor
National Grid
Novartis India Ltd
Tech Mahindra
The Akanksha Fund
Acknowledgements
Thank you to our Supporters
Akanksha supporters not only donate funds but also their time and expertise. Without their support, we would not have
achieved this level of success and we are truly grateful to all who have helped us in our journey. Aside from the donations,
we also receive numerous donations in kind by way of outings for centre children, classroom and conference spaces,
medical camps and stationary and study materials. There are a myriad of ways that people help us out and it is
encouraging to know that so many people help us in making a difference. We apologise if you are not listed as we try our
hardest to keep every detail and everything we receive is truly appreciated.
48
Thermax Ltd
Individual Sponsor
Western Union
WNS Global Services Pvt Ltd
Zensar Technologies
Bombay International School
49
Other Space Sponsors
Voltas Ltd. – Akanksha Mumbai Office space
Thermax Ltd. – Akanksha Pune Office space
HDFC – training centre at Lonavala for Akanksha's teacher training
Special Event Resource People & Sponsors
Literary Fest
1. Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies for space and volunteers
2. Vinci for helping organize the skit
3. Sonali Adkar for the story session
St. Xaviers College – Akanksha Education Convention (Mumbai)
Symbiosis – Akanksha Education Convention (Pune), Literary Fest
Pune Marathon
Merrill Lynch Investment Management and KINOE – funds for medical treatment
1.Symbiosis Nursery School for providing us the space
2.A special thanks to volunteers from WNS who helped manage the event successfully
3.Thank you to the following for sponsoring buses for transportation
·Mastek
·WNS
·Megha Tidke
·Zensar Technologies
·Tech Mahindra
D.Y. Patil Hospital (Pune) - conducted medical camps for Akanksha at free of cost, with the help of Dr. Patil
Sports Day
H.V. Desai Eye Hospital (Pune) - conducted free eye check up camps & treatment at subsidiary cost.
Loyola and St Joseph's High school for their sports grounds
Shekhar Bonagiri
AVIVA and Tech Mahindra for volunteers and sponsoring the event
Symbiosis Nursery School - Mathathon
St Josephs and Loyola High School – Sports Day
Medical Resource People and Sponsors
Medicare Hospital (Pune)- for FM-1, FM-2 ,FM-3 & Sunshine centres
Mrs. Anand of Cedar consulting for sponsoring and organising three medical camps and the transport and snacks
for the Supari tank, Stanislaus and chuim centres.
Yerla Dental College, Kharghar for organising dental camp and the dental follow-ups for the Akanksha children from
the Mankhurd community.
Mr. Joseph and the Medical Camp team, BSES Hospital in collaboration with Larson and Toubro for conducting
general medical camps across the Akanksha Foundation, Mumbai centres
Mrs. Madhavi, Mr. Anil (President of Rotary club) and members of the Rotary Club Bombay Sea face for organising for
a dental camp for the GD Somani centre children on children's day in co-ordination with the interns and externs(Dr.
Khushbu, Dr. Jayshree & team of the St. George Hospital.
KIRIT BHAI for organising and conducting eye camps for the Worli centres.
GAIL ALAYA ladies club for organising and conducting the general and dental medical camps for the Laxmi nagar
and the Chuim 1 centres
The social workers and the medical camp team of paediatric ophthalmic centre, K.B.H.B. Charitable Eye Hospital for
conducting an eye checkup camp at SP centre.
Dr. Bela .N. Doctor; Dr. R. Pankaj Parekh; Dr. Paresh .C. Desai; Dr. Asha Karira; Dr. R.K. Anand; Mrs. Hiral Sarin, OPD
Manager and the doctors of the Dr. Balabhai Nanavati Hospital, Dr. Jyotsna Kirtane for checking our Akanksha
children free of cost.
UNICHEM Laboratories for providing de-worming medicines for our children in centres and schools.
SUN PHARMA Pharmaceuticals for ADDWIZE medicine for our ADHD children.
FACSE for conducting a session on child sexual abuse, providing a forum to discuss the sensitive topic and giving
us guidance on dealing with cases.
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50
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51
Resource People/Volunteers/Donors/Organisations
Andrew Hoover, Kay Clarke, Lynn Strawbridge, Joe Atherton
Ummeed
Mala Chadha, Vibha Krishnamurthi, Riona Lall
Priya Agrawal
Hem Agarwal
Sumit's Academy of Dance
Professor Mani
Jacquelyn Davis
Kiran Sethi
Jo Chopra
Shukla Bose
Delnaz, Mr. Thomas and his team at HDFC, Lonavla
Kanishka Sinha
Asif
Ramya Venkataraman
Bela Doctor
Dr. Meena Shiledar
Bhau Daji Lad museum has been very welcoming of our students and eager to have them
Manju didi's husband (Mr. Mall) from RBI who has kindly arranged for visits to RBI for our centres
Nanhi Kali
Dave Pickles (who biked to raise money for Akanksha)
Gabriella Poletta (volunteer who worked on video diaries with children from St. Xavier and also did some video
recordings in a couple of classrooms)
Nitin Das (did a play and some filming with Colaba centre children)
Poorvi Kunzru (set up a library in pune for our children)
Sara Christensen (level 2 language manual)
Anuja Agarwal from AVIVA for conducting staff training and sessions with our children
Mark from AVIVA – Football coaching for Crispins girls
Sangram for SLP sessions
Mrudang Bhaiya
Sujatha Varadarajan- Founder, Funtasktic Science for special sessions on science experiments and Childrens Day
activities
Shilpa Lath for Art workshops for Art Fest and Children's Day
Nitin Das- Filmmaker for conducting Theatre workshops
Prachi Sahasrabuddhe and Sayali Kulkarni - Architects for Model Making Workshop
Mrs. Sandy for extending her support towards counseling
Dr. Sharada Barve for supporting Zensar - Morning & Koregaon Park kids.
NMPP +
Path way
Mr. B. Chandra Sekaran
Shekhar Bonagere
Joe Rubelo - PDFA Joint Secretary.
Sushil Joseph - Go Sport Academy.
Uddan team - Akanksha Sport's Volunteer.
Dhanraj Pillay - Ex Indian Hockey Captain.
Sheetal Kharka - Maher Organization.
Mr. Charles - St.Crispins Home.
Shyam Pawar - Kohinoor Krida Mandal, Secretary.
Hari Bharti - PCMC School board.
Manshi Abhyankar - Neeti Solution.
Tambe Sir - PMC School board
Shiamak Davar's Victory Art Foundation
CYDA
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52
Alochna
Indian Sponsorship Committee
KKPPS
Muskaan
Katraj Zoo.
Father Agnel's ashram
Pune Diocesan Magazine “Life” for placing an Akanksha recruitment ad
Bishops School
DAV Aundh
Don Bosco
Symbiosis International School
RIMS International
Kids for Tigers
Mr. Anand Pawar from an NGO "Samyak
Shon Bhaiya from Green Peace
Students from ICFAI
LABS
Vikhe Patil School
J. J. School of arts
Shipla Lath, Marian
Maharashtra Cricket Board and Maher NGO
Ms Amani Jambhekar who volunteered with us and donated 300 storybooks from the Cambridge Press.
Sangeeta Shahney - HR Volunteer
Siddharth Bhaiya from Wipro took sessions on team building with the children
Hem Bhaiyya
Volunteers from Thermax Ltd are taking Accounts classes for a group of our Beyond school children.
Sandy didi, a practicing clinical psychologist, for conducting the session on understanding children's behaviour
Cognizant Technology Solutions
HSBC Technology and Services
HSBC Software Development (India) Pvt Ltd
Mastek Ltd
Cummins Sales and Services
AVIVA Global Services
Time of India 'Teach India' campaign
IBM India
Tech Mahindra Foundation
Tata Technology
Sybase
RadioCity
Times Jobs - for helping us with recruitment
Mastek Ltd
The Bombay Store
KPIT Cummins
Intelways Consultancy – for helping us with recruitment
3 Global Services
Credit Suisse First Boston
Café Coffee Day
KPIT Cummins
Taj Blue Diamond
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Education and Social Work Acknowledgements
Arpan for conducting a session and organising a street play for Beyond School children and the Social Work team.
Safe Kids Foundation for conducting session for educational centres the Social Work team on road safety.
Lata Poojari (Sofia College women's centre), for conducting a session on child marriage and communication for the
Social Work team.
Chandni Parekh (psychologist) for conducting a session on eve-teasing for the Beyond School centre children.
Avehi Resource centre for providing movies and other media aid
Akshara foundation for providing movies and other media aid
Alcohol Anonymous giving a talk on substance abuse to the parents.
Mumbai film division for movies.
Dev Tayde (Indicorps) for conducting a social-work session on child and community development.
Shweta from I-lead for conducting a session on grooming for the helpers.
Andha shradha nirmulan samiti for conducting a session for the helpers on superstitions
Arpita Ghosh for conducting a creativity workshop with the Social Work team
Unicef for providingmovies, posters, and manuals for empowerment.
Tanyushka from Glaxo for holding a discussion on sex and sexuality with Beyond School children.
Social work attended workshop on HIV-Aids to creating opportunity to work with children & parents by MDAC
Sahachari (Breast Cancer) for conducting a session on Breast cancer for the Social Work team
Rama Rajagopal conducting a math session at EC
American School teachers for the Ed Convention
Contributions
Contributions over Rs. 50,000
Individuals
Frances Dydasco
Tabassum Inamdar
Kishore Mariwala
Ishizuka and Tamagawa
Somasekhar Sundaresan
Nishant Sharma
Seshadari Bharathanan
DB Gupta
Sudhir Mehta
Harish Raman
Kamal Morarka
Kamlesh Sonawala
Vaijayanti Kaigonkar
Nilesh Gandhi
Prakash Mody
Jaydeb Banerjee
Shreya Gadepalli
Contributions between Rs 25000 to Rs 50,000
Individuals
Arpit Agarwal
Sunaina Mandeep
Pramod Krishnamurthy
Tapan and Mitra
Zaverben Shah
Jayabalan
Corporates and Trusts
Sir Dorabjee Tata Trust
Gifting Ideas Pvt Ltd
Equinox Films Pvt Ltd
Sanskruti Foundation
Reva Printery
Goodless Nerolac Paints Charitable Trust
Jagran Solution
Twenty First Century Wire Rods Ltd
Mumbai Marathon 2009
Corporate Team participants
Unichem
Novartis
MF Global
Thermax
Our sincere thanks to the H5 team and all the runners and pledgers
A special thanks to Mr. Amit Chandra our Dream Champion for raising Rs 25 lakhs
The Akanksha Foundation was awarded the highest pledge raising NGO for the SCMM 2009
Corporates and Foundations
Sequoia Capital India Advisors Pvt Ltd
CAF America
Pirojsha Godrej Foundation
General Atlantic Private Ltd
Hotchand Panjwani Foundation
ICAP India Pvt Ltd
Mastek Foundation
Group M Media India Pvt Ltd
Tata Sons Ltd
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54
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55
In loving Memory…
Latif Shaikh
We are sad to announce the death of Latif who lost his life to an illness on 26 June 2008. An Akanksha
alumnus, he was one of our brightest stars and a good human being. Our condolences and prayers
are with his family. Latif, we will always remember you.
Riniyo Bamin
Riniyo Bamin worked in the social work department for 3 years. She was the assistant manager for the
social work department when she resigned. She died of a car accident in her home town –Arunachal
Pradesh. Riniyo was known for her empathetic nature and her ability to develop the community. Her
leadership and dedication to the cause will always be missed.