Minutes of Asha Seattle meeting on 01/06/2005.

 

Venue: Steven’s Court, UW.

 

Attendees: Bash, Manasa, Vibhavaree, Srijan, Parna, Ravi, Srinivas, Shayon, Anjali, Rajit, Deneen, Sunil, Vani, Arindam, Rahul, Ranajit, Mohan, Joyeeta, Tapooja, Rajeev, Ravi, Shudhanshu, Sanjeev, Jinesh, Raj, Swati.

 

  1. Rahul: tsunami update raised about 25k after matching.
    1. Some pamphlets etc have been distributed (in a number of languages, including foreign ones like Bhasa).Sodis (water purification) pamphlets.
    2. Flyers underway, and some events underway.
    3. Wrt project proposals/partners; 1 substantial project (Anugruha).Volunteers reqd for looking up/following projects (Suyam/ which has a fair degree of updates).
    4. Joyeeta (publicity): contact some people wrt sri lankan efforts. They like our pamphlets, has taken some of ours with her. A larger number will be taken later.
    5. Also some publicity in the UW is being planned, where a candlelight vigil is being planned. Joyeeta is in touch with Kuvempu and co (doing medical relief) who might work with getting some medicines to a Srilankan group (which has the money raised).
    6. Publicity in the east side: Ravi, Shudhanshu
    7. Mohan (asha@msvi.org) will help with the publicity website.
    8. Cry volunteers: Jinesh, Sanjee, Shubhanshu- talked about a show "Raga to rock" a fairly big show for tsunami relief. This is being done with Amazon.
    9. Rahul also talked about the disease pamphlet, sodis water purification pamphlet etc
    10. Jinesh gave an overview about Amazon's efforts (jinesh@amazon.com).
    11. Asha can publicize the event, and help with volunteers if necessary. We can also give them some of the groups we are working with over there for tsunami relief, for them to evaluate.
  2. Vani (projects update).
    1. Asha volunteers on the field, some money has been sent.
    2. We are now looking at longer term relief work. Asha wide: Uk, Bharati trust, Anawim. We are looking at Anugriha.Also, Samarthana trust, and Kerala fisherman's forum proposal.
    3. The other group is Seed (in the Andamans), which has very good background reports.Another group called Suyam, which needs folluw up (they have sent us a proposal to us).
    4. Parna will follow up on that.RHEDT also needs a volunteer to follow up.
  3. Raj: UMBBS, wants to send the money he's collected from his marathon to this school. They had money for half a year, now raj is sending more to complete for the rest of the year. They are trying hard to get funding. This is also for helping with teacher training program (from the learning network). Raj also told us a little more about the project. Voted on this and agreed to send $2000.
  4. Swati: Ragamala contacted swati and they are trying to increase their popularity by collaborating with other orgs. They are bringing in a kathakali group (anamika). If they make a profit, they want to give it to Asha. But we need to help out with publicity, and volunteering. We are not going to put in money or organize it. Ravi said that we as a group seem to behaving too many events etc. This is getting to be a problem. Bash suggested that we  don't cosponsor this, but they say that all proceeds to this go to asha. Mohan suggested that we have a common policy for all such items.
  5. Bash: Geetanjali concert is on feb 26th. Proposal to split the funds from that to tsunami and to schools being reconstructed for the kumbakonam fire. We need a team of people to work Geetanjali (ARINDAM, PARNA, RAvi Raj, Rajit, Shubhanshu).Publicity: flyers etc, online ticketing. Backup contact Bash.
  6. Grahanam film screening by tasveer tomorrow. All profits go to asha.
  7. Aswath: Fisheries organization in kerala. They work for fishing community rights, as well as legal services for them, etc. They are trying to combine with another MJM to get more local resources. Their main need is long term, primarily reconstruction, education for the children etc. Also, smaller villages aren't being taken care of by the govt, and they are also trying to help with conservation of coastal soils, and psychological councilling. The amounts are large. Study material itself is about 5 lakh. Other expenses much larger are boats, nets etc. We need however a greater breakdown from the group, with people affected etc.
  8. Rahul: Udavum karangal has a HUGE proposal (looking at by Asha wide).
  9. We need volunteers to follow up on the schemes announced by the various governments for this, and get specifics on these. Rajit voluntees for this.
  10. Vani: a person from a middle school wants to work with some people in India, and donating money etc, not necessarily for tsunami alone.
  11. Sunil made a small presentation on the need for focusing on long term rehabilitation and not immediate aid. Also, about a list of villages affected being created. In relation Rahul spoke about Anugruha’s reconstruction efforts we are looking into.

 

 

 

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