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Akanksha Foundation

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What is Akanksha Foundation?

Akanksha Foundation aims

To provide high-quality education to children living in slums, where funds andgood teachers may be scarce

To expose children from slums to different environments and improve theireducation and job prospects.

Akanksha Centers operate before and after regular hours in donatedspaces.

For a few hours each day, children have access to outstanding teachingmaterials and personalized instruction from trained volunteer teachers.

Founder, Shaheen Mistri, 1990

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How was it identified?

Most children from slums find it difficult to compete in India'sformal, competitive job market.

Although English is India's official language, even children whograduate from these schools lack basic English language skills

Nearly half of enrolled students drop out during their first five years.

As a result, a generation of children is growing up illiterate and ill-equipped to bring itself out of poverty

There is a great need for schools which cater to India's poor studentsand give them a better education

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AkankshaFoundation

College

students

Slumchildren

Pockets ofavailable

spaces

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Impact

2400 Akanksha children come to an Akanksha center everyday.

Average attendance at an Akanksha center is 80%.

Drop out from the Akanksha centers is less than 10%. Over 1000 volunteers till date.

Employs about 150 people, who receive on going training both on aspects oftheir job but also participate in service projects.

The Akanksha girl marries around 2-3 years later in comparison to their sistersnot in Akanksha.

11 Akanskha children are interning in various roles within the organization suchas trainee teachers and social workers.

Akanksha has staged 3 successful Musicals. More than 700 kids have had aunique chance to perform in a professional show. 13,000 people have seen an

Akanksha employs 30 mothers from the community. They are either helpers inthe centers or package the Akanksha merchandise. This is a unique way ofbuilding community partnership.

Akanksha produced The Giving Sea Activity book and story/coloring booksfor teachers and children in the tsunami-affected areas. Over25,000 childrenwere covered under the Giving Sea program.

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How has Akansha sustained it?

Demand Capital Resources

Financial

Sustainability

SystemsHuge number of

uneducated

children who

need employable

skills

360 degree appraisal for teachers

Selection procedure to select themost deserving students, teachers,

volunteers

Standardization documents with

detailed guidelines for teachers,

mentors

Teachers, staff are salaried

and their development is

considered to be important

Building alliances with

various organizations

Volunteers, Mentors

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Donations from public

Fund raising centers in New York

and U.K.Fund raising events such as Art

of Akanksha, Drama clubs.

Salaries of the teachers and staff

School bus expenses

Centers located in underutilizeddonated spaces.

Source of funds Expenses

How has Akanksha sustained it?

Financial Sustainability

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Leadership qualities

Visionary Outlook

She saw that children were doubly disadvantaged by notlearning English

Existing system produces more dropouts than leaders

Determination

Persuaded her friends to provide educational

opportunities for children

Determined to provide different life-style to slumchildren

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Leadership qualities

Selecting a good team

Attracts talented teachers by providing them extraordinary support andprofessional development opportunities

Selecting helpers from the community

Recruiting volunteers who are committed to the foundation

Involving employees of the companies as mentors

Collaborations to accumulated social capital

Built a network of 63 Akanksha centers Collaboration with businesses and individuals to raise funds

Partnership with public schools

Brings together available resources like volunteers and helpers

Uses underutilized donated spaces

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Thank you