2007-2008 Annual Report

Financial Statement Income
Unrestricted:
008
Sudar 2
25378
Restricted:
7010*
Total:
$32388.00
Expense
India:
17044
New York:
15775
Total:
$32819.00
*Includes restricted and noncash income for New York operations.
students
Board of Directors Nicole Cloutier, President Melissa Fisher, Secretary Katherine Clark, Treasurer Pavitra Mehta Pooja Mottl Vimala Palaniswamy Zoe Timms (ex officio) Kathryn Ugoretz Staff Zoe Timms, Director Women from the poorest backgrounds come to Women’s Education Project (WEP) to pursue college dreams and careers. At WEP’s centers in South India: Sudar (“light” in Tamil) in Madurai and Ushassu (“morning light” in Telugu) in Hyderabad, students attend college preparatory and personal development programs. With energy, optimism and fortitude, they enroll in local colleges on WEP scholarships and prepare for careers. Women’s Education Project
Women’s Education Project is a 501(C)(3) registered in New York
with its first two programs in Madurai and Hyderabad, South India.
P.O. Box 1201, New York, NY 10021
www.womenseducationproject.org
A Year at
Women’s Education Project ...
as
Ush
WEP B
oard m
e
mbers
visit U
s
n ts
ude
t
s
su
a
eir
d th
t te n
hassu
Ac
aree
r le
ctu
re a
t
Su
dar
’s n
ew
cen
te
r
2007-2008 Newsletter
firs
la
ge c
e
l
l
t co
ss
Women’s Education Project (WEP) has had another eventful year. We have held informational fundraisers in New York, Massachusetts, Washington DC, and an exhibition in London—we are telling the world about our accomplishments! Sudar, Madurai, Tamil Nadu We moved! As of August, Sudar has moved to a brighter, bigger center accommodating more classes and study space. By September, the computer lab, library, and garden were being used by our students. New Students: Of fifty students attending Sudar, thirty received local college scholarships, and twenty are new to the center. Curriculum Developments: Computer and English teachers adjusted curriculum to develop employable skills. PageMaker, CorelDraw, and Photoshop were taught to students heading towards the graphic design field. English teachers added comprehension reading, academic writing and effective communication skills to their courses. Career Center: Sudar kicked off a monthly career lecture series. The first lecture was a field trip to Reliance Private Limited, a national energy company with offices in Madurai. There, students met administrators and learned about the company’s activities. • Mrs. Rajalakshmi, a restaurateur employing women from poor backgrounds, and who once represented India at the UN, told our students about her career. • Students were introduced to job opportunities throughout Madurai: non profits working for lower caste upliftment, street children, and AIDS education; the Gandhi Museum; a water purifying company; a data processing business, a bookstore, and a beauty parlor. • Three students went to Aravind Eye Hospital (an international hospital with its first center in Madurai) for a three month training in hospital management. Volunteer and Skill Development: Students celebrated the Hindu Festival Diwali at the Rajaji Elderly Home with dance performances and firecrackers. • An academic workshop (Learning in English, Objectives of Learning, Listening and Note Taking, the Academic Language, and Exam Preparation) continued for better college classroom learning. • In summarizing a lecture on women’s rights, Sudar Director Vijaylakshmi, demonstrated the Sudar spirit: “Ms. Ritamma, who spoke on this topic, invoked us to be courageous women.” Ushassu Program, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh In July, Katherine Clark, Treasurer and Zoe Timms, Director, visited Hyderabad and met the first Ushassu students. All from backward and scheduled castes and farming families outside of Hyderabad, they had left school in the tenth grade and taken low paying jobs. Their parents, mostly illiterate, now support their daughter’s studies and pursuit of careers. In May, Ushassu students attended our orientation program and in June started at college. Their ambitions include computer and software engineering, college teaching in Math, English, and Telugu (the local language) and medicine. Ushassu is developing its library to include health and environment books and preparing to host an upcoming health training program. Please visit us at www.womenseducationproject.org to learn more. The Board of Director’s would like to thank the following donors for their kind contributions in FY 2008: AARP Foundation Kirti Agarwal and Srinivas Poodari Satyawattee Ahmad Sylvia Barnes Georgia Barnhill Karen and Jeffrey Bean Alberta Bell Simone Blake Kimberly and Gary Blanchard Richard Boursy Kathleen Burch Catherine Cahill and William Bernhard Joyce and Rivelo Campagna Edward Carey Anja Chavez and Jim Petterson Katherine Clark* Sue and William Clark Joyce Clements Nicole Cloutier* Tessa and Glenn Cooper Nancy Copeland Janet Cragin Sally Cragin and Charles Warner Susan Cragin Pamela Crivelli Julie and Patrick Dawnay Susan Dekant Sheryl and Dana Demers Yuliya Didenko Mary Dobbin Jeanne Driscoll Barbara Murray and Charles Gordon Suzannah and James Muspratt Sue Nam Rita Narang FactSet Research Systems NetIP‐NY WEP New York Members Donald K. Feeley Scott Nutting Angela Ferguson Melissa* and Daniel Fisher Judith Parker David Perry Barrett Frelinghuysen Frank and Helen Garretson Rhonda Petree Naicy Pretill Kathryn Grado Encarnita Quinlan Audrey Heffernan Marina Romashko Monica Hinojos Nancy and Barry Reinbold Lauren Houston Judith and Jim Humphries Dee and Richard Robarts Jocelynn and Gale Hurd Tyler Roetzer Nicholas Isaak Susan and Michael Jones Trici and Tom Schraeder OmFactory Aliki Katsaros Vimala Palaniswamy* Vivian Kimball Anna Seastrand Katharine and Robert Pippa Shaplin Knuppel Kimberly Shaw Elizabeth and Geoffrey Anthony Snow Koetsch Jean and Michael Kressy Jalagani Srineel The Timms Family Nora and Robert Kuehn Kathryn Ugoretz* and Mary Ellen and Richard Lindsay Lovejoy Letarte Donna and Roderick Lewin Kay Ugoretz Nathan Ugoretz Achla Madan and Ashok Christine and Joshua Hingorany Carol and Carl Matthusen Vollertsen Nadine Cookman Martel Jane and Daniel Warner Fordyce and Holden Ann McCallum Williams Elizabeth and John Elizabeth Wilskie McLaughlin Gilda Wray Thomas Moloney Amy Wrench and Elise Morrissey Steven Davis Beverly and Thomas Mulholland * Board Member