Vijay Krishna Ashram Relief Trust Society Project Name

Vijay Krishna Ashram Relief Trust Society Project Name: VK Vidyapith Champion: Gautam Banerjee gbanerje@hotmail. com 480 -231 -3082 Site Visit Summary August 3, 2006

Recap Last year, Anita Chawla made presenation to Asha Project group on June 5. I request all to refer to that presentation which is available at Asha. AZ projects site. I have provided below few slides from that presentation for a quick recap by all.

Brief History Established: 1967 Registration Number (Public Trust Act): _Registered under Societies Act, XXI of 1960, Nos/5078 of 1961 -62 FCRA# : 147070010. vide(11/21011/74/467)-85 III 29. 3. 85

Mission of the Organization To rehabilitate people in distress by giving them treatment, education, food, clothes, shelter and employment in the local activities.

The Birth History Ashram founded by Swami Asimananda Saraswati Eye hospital inspired by a visit of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose

What are the different focus areas of the organization? Community development 10% Education 10% Health 80%

The Main Project 250 -bed Netaji Eye Hospital, located in the remote rural area of West Bengal bordering Jharkhand/Bihar Serves the vision related needs and primary health care needs for rural people in the surrounding areas of West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand 24 OPD rooms 6 cabins 6 general wards (separate facility for women) 2 surgery rooms 24000 patients received eye-surgery in 2003 -04 75% patients receive absolutely ‘free’ care 100 out-reach camps per year to treat 20000 in the field

Are there any other organizations working in the area providing any one or all of the services provided by the visited organization? NO

Family Backgrounds Approximately 1000 families live in the surrounding areas. Parents work as daily wage labors, agricultural workers, eye-hospital employees, rickshaw puller, etc. No government school in the vicinity

Short Term Goal The short term goal is to construct a new building to accommodate all the students under one roof for classes which now take place in scattered manner within the main Ashram.

Long Term Goals To provide both formal secondary level education as well as to provide vocational education related to the need of the Ashram and the attached hospital to the students from surrounding villages along with mid-day meal for all students, full meal for residential students and study materials.

Details Project location: P. O. Ramchandrapur Dist. : Purulia, PIN 723 144 (rural). # day students : 430 # residential students: 82 # class rooms: 4 n some classes are held in the open. There is a student residence with bedroom/kitchen/dining facilities and a library for shared use of books and other reading materials by the students.

Training Methodologies Follow the standard government approved syllabus for classes upto Xth standard formal secondary level education Provide extra curricular training to satisfy the various non-clinical and para-clinical requirements of the eye-hospital.

Bottom Line – How Much? Proposed: 3 years @ $5000/year n n Estimated cost of the building construction: Rs. 5, 54, 400 or @Rs. 42 = $1, it will be US $13, 200 [to be completed in three phases] Estimated cost of basic educational materials such as books, etc. and meals for 3 years: Rs. 75, 600 or US $1, 800

And………How to Fund? Personal contribution by Dr. Gautam Banerjee and Dr. Arundhati Banerjee - $1000/year for 3 years Asha AZ - $2000/year for 3 years(sent the first installment last year) and AID-Columbus - $2000/year for 3 years (proposed). AID has sent their first installment in early 2006.

Sustainable The proposed fund in this project will be utilized to achieve the goal of the project beyond which the recurring cost can be taken care of by its regular sources of funding.

Site Visit Report – Aug 2006 Visited on August 3 morning, after visiting Matrichaya project at Ranchi the previous day. Although a bit hectic after traveling by train over night and changing three times, it was always refreshing to see the energy of Mr. Nandadulal Chakrabarty in managing the eye hospital and the schools even after going through a severe cancer surgery last year. Any ordinary mortal will perhaps rest in bed while he is still at command! It was also refreshing to see all the kids in classrooms, even if they were cramped.

Site Visit Report - contd After I freshened up myself in the guest room of the hospital, I visited the current classrooms and met with some teachers and students (photos attached). I also discussed the progress of the project Asha and AID have started to fund, with Mr. Chakrabarty and his staff.

Visit to the new building site After that, Mr. Chakrabarty accompanied me, helped by his staff, to the adjacent site where new building is being constructed from funds donated by various organizations, including Asha and AID. This being a major project, it is heartening to see the leveraging of $$/INR by all donors collectively. I have attached some photographs in this presentation. Video clips will be uploaded on Asha site soon.

New Construction – contd. Mr. Chakrabarty has conveyed his gratitude to all volunteers and donors of Asha and AID for the generosity. He is very enthusiastic to complete this project in time (given his own health and the responsibility to run the huge eye hospital).

My Assessment I am very confident that this project is worth funding, the commitment being only for 3 years which means 2 more years to go. Unlike some projects which never takes off, here, the construction is actually going on, with funds from all donors in place (each contingent on others to continue).

My Continued Pledge As in the previous years, I’ll give Mukund our contribution of $1000 this month. I request Asha AZ and AID Columbus teams to discuss this project in respective group meetings and continue to approve the requested fund for this year and next year (I do plan to visit again next year and provide a report).

Contact in India Nandadulal Chakrabarty (for Netaji Eye Hospital – Ramchandrapur) H 2/103, Sarsuna Satellite Township Sakuntala Park, Kolkata – 700 061 West Bengal Tel: 91 -33 -2455 -1174 Fax: 91 -33 -2452 -5037 Email: audio_cine@vsnl. net (c/o K. Saha)

Liason in USA Dr. Gautam Banerjee 1560 West Kent Drive Chandler, AZ 85224. 480 -231 -3082 gbanerje@hotmail. com

Mr. Nandadulal Chakrabarty (@ center on the new construction site)

The Roof is being Completed