Minutes of Asha Seattle meeting on 01/19/2005.

 

Venue: Redmond Regional Library.

 

Attendees: Rajit, Ken, Vibhavaree, Srijan, Swati, Arindam, Shayon, Mohan, Kavita, Linda, Jayati, Ravi [a new one], Deborah, Deneen, Raj, Bash, Ranajit, Vani.

 

 

  1. Tsunami volunteers (Mohan)
    1. Anyone interested should look at asha.indiastar.net
  2. ARC proposal (Srijan)
    1. Basically all chapters need to vote to ratify emergency decision for tsunami relief by Asha president
    2. Will post on asha-seattle and vote next meeting.
  3. Geetanjali (Arindam)
    1. Concert will benefit tsunami victims and Kumbhakarnam project in T.N. to provide money to replace thatched roofs
    2. Posters are done (some improvements still to be made).
    3. Parna is in charge of food.
    4. Ticketing online will be taken care of by tomorrow (1/20).
    5. Will need volunteers for distribution, will solidify as we get closer to the concert.
  4. Uthnau (Arindam)
    1. Site visit description and pictures -- more details forthcoming in site visit report.
    2. Project is to benefit Shantali children who have problems adjusting to Bengali/Hindi/Oriya medium schools; Asha supports schools, some awareness activities, and occasionally supplies like mosquito nets.
    3. Overall feedback: not enough groups doing this work, partly because of police hassle, and Uthnau does not have enough manpower to do all that is needed.
    4. Critical need is capable manpower, but this has proven extremely difficult to find.
  5. Tsunami relief (Vani)
    1. Total collected so far is $50K
    2. Biggest current program is Anugraha, whom we have given $30K from this fund
    3. Also working with Northwest Fisheries through the Sponsor-a-Boat program
  6. Urgent project proposal: ANET
    1. ANET is an environmental group that has done a lot of work in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, since 1977
    2. Their proposal is for money to buy goods and distribute them to the Kar [sp.?] Nicobar islands, where there are a lot of tribal peoples.
    3. A lot of relief supplies have come to Port Blair, but they have not been effectively distributed to other areas in A&N.
    4. ANET has been spending around Rs. 30K daily, and they have been working with the Army to distribute these supplies
    5. Specific proposal is to buy supplies like lactogen, baby food, milk powder etc. for children.
    6. ANET approached Asha MIT/Boston with request for Rs. 10K a day for ten days (total of Rs. 1,00,000 or around $2,500), and Asha Boston forwarded the request to us (they will administer the disbursement of funds and keep track of the project if we provide the funding).
    7. Voted to approve funding: 16 Yes votes, no abstentions or dissent.
    8. Will distribute online poll

 

 

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