Dobhi Village School (also known as Bodhgaya Project)

Primary Steward: Padmavalli Dakoju

Project Description

Location: Dobhi Village, Bihar, India. Area (urban/rural): Rural Primary Focus: Primary education for children from

low income families (dalits/tribals). Project Type: Formal primary school. Amount Requested (US$): Rs 131,400/ $2986

($1=Rs44) Purpose of Funding Request: Operational costs. # of Beneficiaries:115 children, 3 teachers

Project Goals

Current Condition of Beneficiaries: All the children are from very low income families (daily wage laborers). This area has one of the lowest literacy rate in India.

Short-Term Objectives: Provide opportunity of education to the rural children.

5-Year Vision – Provide basic formal education to underprivileged children in rural Bihar.

Community Involvement – Helps in acquiring land, volunteers at the school, help set up a dairy farm, sewing center.

Project Background/Impact

Background, that is, how did the request reach us? – Existing project. We funded this last year.

Sources of Information: Email contact with Nick Hansen (project liaison) and Deepak Kumar (chairman of the trust).

Successes/Impact Thus Far: The number of students attending school has increased. Almost nil drop out rate. Mainly impacted Dalit community.

Challenges: No new challenges mentioned. Last year they mentioned about political unrest in Bihar. No direct impact so far.

Organization Description Name of Organization: People First Educational Trust.

www.india-peoplefirst.org Background of Directors: Mr. Deepak Kumar, Chairman of the

trust. Dr. B. K Verma, Mr. Nanda Kumar, secretary. Other Activities of Organization: vocational training center,

sewing center for women, 16 more schools in other parts of Bihar and Jharkhand.

Impact on Community/ Beneficiaries Reached So Far: Approximately 2000 children in 16 villages.

Any red flags? Religious or Political Affiliations: No FCRA status: Yes

Existing Infrastructure/Facilities

Staff: 3 full time teachers Infrastructure: Using a rented building. Food/Medical Services: No

Curriculum/Pedagogy

Curriculum Currently Used/ Government Recognized?: Bihar government syllabus. Might move to central government’s syllabus.

Teaching Methodology: Formal Teacher/Student Ratio: 3/115, ~1:38

Expected Outcomes/What After?

What happens to beneficiaries after this program? – Many beneficiaries have moved on to government run secondary schools. Out of which many have passed matriculation and few have gone to the University.

Measures of Success – Don’t have database of all the former students and their current state.

Evaluation Methods – N/A

Budget for Requested Funding Total amount requested - $2986.00 Educational costs: per year (in dollars) Writing books 750.00

Pen, Pencils, crayons 382.00 Teaching material 273.00 Recreational items 136.00 & First aid supplies

Operational costs: Teacher Salary 1187.00

Rent 205.00 Administration 54.00 ----------------------- 2986.00

Budget for Requested Funding

Other optional costs:

Warm cloths and blankets – 250.00

Hand pump for the school and villager – 250.00

---------------

500.00

Other Funding Sources

Previous/Other Funding Sources – Asha Stanford, Trust gets funding from various sources.

If funding has been discontinued from another source, reasons for the same

One-Time Costs/Continuing? Plans for self-sufficiency – Trust has some land where they grow cash crops. No other plan mentioned.

Project Big Picture

Education Components - $2986.00 Non-Education Components - $500.00 Funding

NGO: Project: Our Component:

Site Visit Report

Site visit was done last year. No site visit done this year.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths/Opportunities Providing education

and opportunity to communities which otherwise don’t have one.

One of our first project in Bihar/Jharkhand region.

Weaknesses/Risks Input/Output type of

project Can not become self

sufficient in near future.

Steward Recommendation

School has been run without any issues in the last year.

More students have enrolled this year. Trust seems to be doing a good job with the money.

Project Discussion/Decision

Discussion (10 minutes)

Questions/Thoughts Arguments for funding Arguments against funding

Decision (5 minutes)

Round I: Need more information/Can decide today? If ready to decide: Round II: Fund/Do not fund

If decided to fund: Round III: Fund full amount/Fund part amount

Notes: 1. Please vote only if you are familiar with the project details and our

overall funding philosophy 2. Decision to be made by 2/3rd majority. Quorum of 5. 3. All projects must be resolved by the 2nd meeting