IAFF ORPHAN EDUCATION FUND

MASTER PLAN

PREPARED BY

Dr. Subhas C. Mohapatra, President, IAFF

 The above orphans were abandoned at birth.

MISSION STATEMENT: Creating social leaders from India’s orphanages.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and execute a seamless educational protocol that will not only offer early childhood care and education, but will also allow each orphan to go as high as possible academically, vocationally and professionally and will thus offer leadership for social advances.

LONG TERM GOAL: To make the above fund available for every eligible orphan in India

SHORT TERM GOAL:  To make the above fund available for every eligible orphan in Orissa.

IMMEDIATE GOAL: To make the above fund available for every eligible orphan in the Nivedita Ashram, Patalipank, Kendrapara District. The Master Plan will be executed at this orphanage until it is optimized as an operational tool, after the whole plan or various components therein will be expanded to other orphanages of Orissa and, if possible, India, in that order.

PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: For the purpose of this Master Plan, an orphan is defined as a child who has taken up permanent residence in a registered orphanage regardless of circumstances which forced the child to seek residence in an orphanage. About 90% of Orphans in rural Orissa are female. These orphans fall under one or more of the following categories: 1) The child was abandoned at birth because it is a female child; it is not uncommon at the Nivedita Ashram to receive a newborn in odd hours of the night with the umbilical cord still attached. 2) One or both parents are deceased and the child is helpless. 3) One or both parents are alive but could not feed and clothe the child, and therefore surrendered the child to an orphanage.

          At this writing, the Central Government allocates Rs.1500/month/child until the child becomes three years old for a maximum of 10 children per orphanage; the Nivedita Ashram has at present 16 infants. After three years, the state government allocates Rs.500/per child/month until the child becomes 18 years old for a maximum of 50 children per orphanage; the Nivedita Ashram has at present 65 orphans. Thus, the number of orphans to be cared for exceeds the number for which government support is available. 

         Fortunately, some orphans get adopted (about 8-10 per year at the Nivedita Ashram). Some others receive sponsorship from benevolent individuals and families (at present about 5 receive such sponsorship at the Nivedita Ashram). But the number of such orphans is few and far between. Once the orphan becomes 18 years, she loses government support and therefore must leave the orphanage and be on her own. This is where major individual and social tragedies come to play. Prostitution, Sex-trade, Exploitation through low pay and bonded labor etc. are among the tragedies frequently reported in the news media. It is not hard to imagine that for every reported tragedy, many such unreported incidents occur. These individual tragedies quickly get transformed into intractable social tragedies because the clients of sex-trade are usually moneyed men who seek multiple partners. Some of these males get infected with STDs (sexually transmitted disease) including HIV-AIDS without being aware of their own clinical status because they are ashamed/afraid to seek screening and treatment. Thus, the STDs get spread widely. As horrific as the above tragedies might seem, even the greater tragedy is the inability of the society to use the hidden talents of the abandoned children. This is compounded by the fact that the social neglect breeds desperation, disappointment, resentment, anger and many other antisocial traits/behavior. 

PROPOSED SOLUTION: It is my personal opinion that, like hunger, the above situation is easier and less expensive to prevent than to alleviate after it sets in. Therefore, as outlined below, a seamless educational protocol has been developed to keep the orphans “off the streets” and “in the class room” until they move on to various professional careers. Various components of the proposed “seamless education protocol” are given below.

1. Early Care and Education: The Nivedita Ashram is already providing the orphans spiritual and formal education as soon as they become receptive to learning. Available resources will be used to emphasize education in Math, Science and Technology (including domestic science and computer technology) as early as possible and also to add emphasis on the mastery of English for spoken communication. Experts in “early child hood education” will be consulted to develop methods to identify the potential of each child as early as possible. In view of the fact that this is a highly variable trait, diagnosis, counseling and guidance will be a continuous process until each child’s potential and aptitude is identified. Of course, the assessment will become easier as the child matures and is capable of expressing her own preferences. Once such diagnosis has been accomplished, either appropriate education/training facilities will be developed at the orphanage or the child will be sent to an education/training center with needed financial support.

2. Intermediate Education: This includes children between 6-16 years old. If the aptitude/talent diagnosis shows that the child has high potential for scholastic accomplishment, appropriate coaching/guidance will be provided to optimize the child’s accomplishment. However, if the diagnosis shows that the child has limited potential for scholastic accomplishments, she will be advised to divert toward a vocational training rather than and aimless academic pursuit. These children, however, will be provided functional education (such as counting money, balancing checkbooks and expense sheets, and trade related education such as health care, welding, electronics etc) so they can use this knowledge in their future pursuits. Depending on economic reality, the vocational training will be offered either at an institution founded for the orphans or at a distant institution with needed financial support. Those children who will be guided towards vocational education will continue to receive, even after graduation, guidance, counseling and micro-financing until they are established in their chosen vocation.

3. Distant Learning: Computer technology will be used to offer distant learning and guidance wherever possible. This will not only compress the time and cost associated with travel, but will also enable IAFF to recruit experts who can give time on a voluntary basis. The possibility of such undertaking has already been tested successfully at Jahangirabad, near Salepur, through collaboration with ADIRE (www. adire.org), a NGO in Orissa.

4. Higher Education: Those who show high scholastic/academic aptitude will be given needed financial support to accomplish their chosen goals. This support will be in the form of student loans rather than “give-aways”. The loan will be recouped in installments once the student finds gainful employment. Loan refund will allow IAFF to offer revolving support to a larger number of orphans.

5.Vocational Education: Those orphans who fail to progress along the academic path will be provided vocational education with emphasis on technology rather than the traditional “sewing”, “knitting”, “handicraft” etc. Thus, vocationally trained girls will learn nursing, midwifery, and even welding, electronics etc., which will enable them to compete in a male-dominated society.

6. Adult Support System: It is envisaged that the educational protocol through which the orphans will progress from their infancy will help them develop an outlook called “thinking outside the box” in shaping their adult life, which, hopefully, will also include marriage and family etc. It is further envisaged that some of these adults will face marital difficulties faced by others in the society. Because these orphans will lack “family support system”, they will return to the sane orphanage where they grew up. Their children will receive the same care/education they themselves received while growing up at the orphanage. These returning adults will produce “goods and services” through additional vocational training if necessary, which will be marked through assistance from IAFF. It is to be noted that an “adult orphan” care is already in operation at the Nivedita Ashram for people abandoned by their children. This infrastructure will be augmented to handle new challenges resulting from returning adults.

PLAN EXECUTION: The Master Plan will be executed under IAFF’s “DEVELOPMENT WITHOUT GOVERNMENT” program. Under this program, IAFF has already established an Agriculture Institute at Barakoli, Subdivision Kamakshyanagar, District Dhenkanal, where organizations and individuals are being trained annually in “Integrated Farming System” and “Controlled Environment Agriculture”. An Energy Institute has also been established in collaboration with ADIRE at Jahangirabad near Salepur, Cuttack District, where research and development is under way for harnessing solar energy for rural development. The Nivedita Ashram will be developed into an Education Institute, in collaboration with AICF (Asian Indian Community Foundation-Western New York Chapter). Thus, the Ashram will become a model orphanage for replication at other locations within the state. A parcel of 10-acre agricultural land has already been procured for the Ashram through AICF. Land use plan is under development to bring sustainability through a stepwise approach: 1) Reduction in expenses for purchasing edibles, 2) Enhancing production of marketable value-added commodities for generation of supplemental income, 3) Procurement of agricultural tools and machines for use at the Orphanage and rental to the surrounding community when not in use at the orphanage, etc. This land offered a net profit of approximately Rs. 25,000 through coconut, fish, rice, pulses and vegetables during the first year of operation in the year 2005-2006.

         The administrative/management structure at the orphanage has been modified to bring operational efficiency and focused approach to achieve targeted goals in timely manner. Application has already been submitted to expand adoption from National to International spheres. When funds become available to support orphans beyond the Nivedita Ashram, this assistance will be offered statewide, and if possible nationwide. When assistance is made available beyond the Nivedita Ashram, this will be announced statewide through various web sites, newspapers and radio and TV channels.

         It is important that the spiritual education being imparted at the Nivedita Ashram Orphanage is not countered or offset by the modern educational methods to be adopted. To assure this, I went in 2006 for a 10 day training and observation at the Aurobindo Ashram in Pondichery. I was pleasantly surprised that the vision of Sri Aurobindo and Sri Ma has lead to an educational system that has annealed spiritual consciousness, technological education and improvement of living standard through the application of advanced technology to a holistic life style. Therefore, the challenge is not creative development of new methods, but rather diligence in duplicating the existing successes.

FUND RAISING: The primary effort will be directed toward the traditional procedure of “donation solicitation”. Next emphasis will be given to submitting grant proposals to various funding agencies such as Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, UNICEF and Global Giving Inc., etc. Various NGOs in Orissa have also been requested to spare some of their resources for this objective and engage in raising donations in the rural areas. In this regard, NGOs already operating orphanages will be offered partnerships with IAFF. In addition, creative methods will be developed to raise funds through various “for-profit” undertakings such as craft sale, cultural programs, road-side car wash, community service for pay, and sale of agricultural produce and commodities etc. As stated earlier, two programs to be initiated soon are: 1) Purchase of a tractor for mechanization of agricultural operations at the orphanage farm and its rental to community farmers when it is not in use at the farm. 2) Purchase of solar lights (two have already been purchased) to help children’s education at the orphanage during power outage and rental of these units to the community when not in use at the orphanage. Other multiple use projects are under contemplation and economic evaluation.

FUND ADMINISTRATION: Donations collected inside India will be deposited in the IAFF NRO account at the Indian Over Seas Bank at Bhubaneswar. Donations and grant funds collected inside USA/CANADA will be deposited in accounts at the Community National Bank, Louisburg, North Carolina, USA. The dollar funds will be transferred to overseas account as needed while the remainder will be invested through certified financial advisors for higher returns, as is being done for existing IAFF funds. With rare exceptions to handle contingencies and small item purchases, for which cash transaction may be needed, all transactions will be made leaving paper trails for transparency and accountability. The Nivedita Ashram will function as the clearinghouse for all applications when the program is expanded to other parts of the state. After it receives the applications, it will screen them on the basis of eligibility criteria and send them electronically to IAFF for further evaluation. While the eligibility rules many need to be relaxed from time to time to meet exceptional circumstances, the basic eligibility will be female children living full time in a registered orphanage. A selection/award committee consisting of members of its advisory board or, through their recommendation, experts from outside the advisory board. The scholarships will not be a fixed amount. Instead, applicants will be encouraged to develop a budget through the assistance of the Orphanages where they reside.  Financial assistance will be granted in the form of an interest free student loan, rather than outright “give away”. The recipient will be required to sign an agreement with the IAFF that she will refund the money after gainful employment. The agreement will also contain a clause, which will encourage the recipient to make donations depending on her personal financial situation. The agreement will require the home-orphanage to stand as a guarantee for loans extended to its resident students. If any orphanage refuses to give guarantee, another orphanage/person will be eligible to stand as a guarantee.

USE OF FUNDS: In addition to providing educational assistance to the needy orphans, funds and interests earned on them will be used for a wide range of projects such as (but not limited to) construction of buildings (to provide residence and instructional facilities), sports facilities, hiring of teachers, coaching staff, and professionals for evaluation and counseling, purchase of stationeries and school supplies, including computers and distant learning tools etc. It is possible that some donors might prefer that their donation be not used for a given category. If they give their preferences in writing (no oral request will be honored), IAFF will make sure that their stipulations are honored. Because all funds will be pooled, this will be done at the time of budgeting. IAFF will not accept donations targeted for a named orphanage or orphan because this will amount to money transfer from donor to organizations/individuals, which is outside the charter of IAFF.

REPORTING AND ACCOUNTABILITY: All donations and grants, depending on whether they are received in the form of US/Canadian dollars or Indian Rupees, will be announced annually in The IAFF FORUM, the official publication of IAFF. In addition, reports will be prepared and submitted as per the requirement of a given funding agency. The Forum is published annually in the month of June and is distributed free of cost to attendees at the annual OSA (Orissa Society of the Americas) convention held during the July 4^th weekend. After the OSA convention, it can be obtained from IAFF at a cost of US $5.00 plus applicable postage. The Forum can also be read free of cost at the IAFF website http// www.iaff1.org (please not that following iaff, it is the number “1”, not the letter “l”). The report/announcement will contain the name of each donor and the amount of donation, provided that the donor has not requested anonymity. The annual report will also contain each recipient’s photo, biography and goals. To save money and time, there will be no annual audit or tax filing because, as per rules of US-IRS (United States Internal Revenue Service), no filing of income tax or auditing is required if the annual income is $25,000 (twenty five thousand dollars) or less by a 501(c) public charitable organization such as IAFF. It is to be noted that every year, the annual report is submitted to the board of directors and advisors for approval before publication in The Forum.

HOW THE DONORS CAN HELP:

1.Please read the attached master plan critically and provide inputs for its improvement and implementation.

2.Please donate to IAFF $1000 (one thousand dollars or whatever your resources permit) each year for as long as you can afford starting with 2007. Whatever amount you decide to share with IAFF, please do so during the month of January or earlier without depending on a reminder from me. If your donation arrives IAFF after January, it will be credited towards the following year. I have taken this strategy because it will give IAFF a financial picture before it undertakes budgeting and appropriations for the entire year. Further, this will reduce costs associated with bookkeeping, issuance of receipts and report writing etc. If you read the attached Master Plan, you will find that provision has been made so your money will not be used for items you do not approve. The donation should be sent to the US address given above in the letterhead. If you give your e-mail address, IAFF will issue you electronic receipt. To reduce postage and labor costs, IAFF will not send receipts through postal or courier mail.

3.Please contact as many of your colleagues, friends, family members, relatives and acquaintances as possible to participate in this program to the extent their personal situations will permit.

4.Please contact as many orphanages as you know or you can find in the state of Orissa to contact IAFF for assistance

5.Please offer any physical assistance your situation permits. This will include visits to different orphanages to monitor and execute programs, offering tutoring and teaching assistance, and offering other assistance that might optimize the use of your donations at the orphanages.

DONOR BENEFITS: I am pleased to announce that IAFF  has now a fully furnished guest room for its foreign donors. In addition to comfortable beds, attached bath and a recreation/meeting area, it has AC, fans, heated water, and freeze. For a fee of US$ 35.00, guests will be received at the airport or train station, provided breakfast and lodging for 72 hours. Also at the time of checkout, the guests will be dropped off at any destination within the city limit of Bhubaneswar. In addition to this benefit, the donors will also be extended the following benefits offered to rupee donors in India.

         Individuals donating Rs.5000 or more (annually or cumulative) will have the right to visit any recipient orphanage (to be listed in The Forum) at any time without notice and request records for verification. Such verification must be limited only to funds received from/through IAFF. Upon arrival, the donor must provide name, address and photo ID for verification by the respective Orphanage. For this purpose, IAFF will furnish to all recipient Orphanages a list of donors eligible for such visits. If, upon verification, the Orphanage does not find the visitor’s name in the list of eligible donors, the donor will have the right to produce the receipt(s) of donation to prove eligibility, which will be denied in absence of such documents. If any Orphanage denies access to records to an eligible visiting donor, it will be dropped from IAFF support. However, to avoid interruption of service/work at the Orphanage, it will have the right to take appropriate time (not to exceed two hours) before submitting records or furnish justifiable explanations for inability to produce requested records. While offering these rights to the donors, IAFF expects the donor(s) to be courteous and respectful to the Orphanage staff and the orphans themselves. Any violation of such expectation will result in refusal of future donation from the responsible person(s). The visitors will be expected to reimburse the Orphanage all expenses incurred by the Orphanage in offering hospitality to them unless the orphanage explicitly declines to accept such reimbursement.

         Individuals donating Rs.5,000 (Rs. Five thousand) or more (annually or cumulative) will be granted the following privileges in addition to the above rights. The donor will be offered an all-expense-paid “eco tour” or “site tour” for two adults and two minors (below 18 years) in and around the location of the orphanage being visited, provided that the donor’s party reaches the orphanage at his/her own expense. One such tour will be given per year or until after the cumulative donation reaches Rs.5,000 when the annual donation is less than Rs.5,000. This being a special privilege offered to special donors, prior arrangement must be made with IAFF’s Orissa office or US office, for which the addresses are given above in the letterhead. Donors visiting an orphanage unannounced or contacting the Orphanage directly without involving IAFF will not be offered this privilege. The definition of “eco-tour” and “site-tour” will be left to the discretion of the orphanage being visited. Generally, eco-tour will constitute a wider area while site-tour will constitute the immediate vicinity.

         Individuals donating Rs.10,000 or more in a given year will be provided the above privileges plus transportation from the nearest urban site. The Orphanage will have the right to select the mode of travel. Alternatively, the donor will have the option to request two Rs.5000-previlegs described above per year. Like wise, a Rs.5000-donor can choose to postpone the request until the donation accumulates to be Rs.10000 and opt one such privilege for each Rs.10000 donation.

         The above privileges will be offered to promote visits by donors so the orphans will get to know who their major benefactors are. On the other hand, the donors will have an opportunity to evaluate workings and conditions at the orphanage and will be thus able to give feedbacks to IAFF for improvement. IAFF reserves the right to revise the above offerings as dictated by circumstances.