Our First Global Grant - Doing Good in India

 

Global grants support large international activities with sustainable, measurable outcomes in one or more of the following activities. Six Areas of Focus, under Rotary International’s new grants model, was launched worldwide on July 1, 2013.  Global grants must:
    

 

Since 2008-2009, our club’s International Service Committee has developed a relationship with an Elementary School and Boarding Home in Yercaud, Tamil Nadu State in Southeast India.  Most of the students are from tribal communities in the Shevaroy and Kalrayan Hills. The school is one of 96 schools of the Arcot Lutheran Church School Project.  Dr. Jane Koons of Minneapolis serves as a consultant to the ALC School Project.  As a long-time friend of Dr. Dave Engle and his wife Jensy, she was the initiator of our relationship with the Yercaud School starting in 2007.  

 

Our first grant of $1500 to the Yercaud School was awarded in the 2008-2009 Rotary year. The grant was for library books and other educational resources. In 2009-2010 the Elmbrook Rotary International Service Committee, under Chair Tom Pyne, was charged with focusing on a few projects for the long term. The committee voted to make the Yercaud School one of just four international projects, where resources would be committed through 2017.  From 2010 to 2014, over $16,000 was contributed to the school in Yercaud to fund various projects such as new classrooms, a shower/toilet block, a new kitchen/dining hall, and a multi-purpose classrooms training center. The Yercaud Rotary Club, under the leadership of President Ajit Singh, was a strong partner of the school providing essentials such as uniforms, sleep wear, sandals, school supplies, sweaters and blankets (it’s cold in Yercaud) and food. Since most of the students come from tribal villages, the school is also a boarding home and nurtures and cares for students seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

 

 

Through President Ajit Singh, Dr. Koons was introduced to the leadership of Rotary D-2980. Her first connection was with Past District Governor (PDG) Asoka.  He became very interested in the school and the overall ALC School Project. He brought to the school his vision and perspectives from service as a board member for the nationwide Rotary India Literacy Mission. Conversations were subsequently conducted with Dr. Koons and District Governor Balasubramaniam (2014-2015), PDG Asoka (2011-2012) and Dr. R. Selvarangam, Chair of D-2980 Foundation Committee.  From those conversations emerged a proposal for Elmbrook Rotary to partner in a global grant application with D-2980. When PDG Asoka was visiting family in the USA, an invitation was extended to him to visit our club.   Barry James and his wife Thelma graciously agreed to host Mr. Asoka and his wife during their stay in Brookfield in the summer of 2014.

 

 

On August 1, 2014 PDG Asoka presented a proposal to Elmbrook Rotary membership and invited the Club to be the Primary International Sponsor of the proposed Global Grant application for E-Learning for underserved schools. Mr. Asoka told our club that D-2980 would commit $25,000 DDF to the project that would earn a 100% match from TRF. Elmbrook Rotarians were inspired by Rotary India’s commitment to promoting education and literacy targeting the most underprivileged schools in their district.  Our Club International Committee subsequently voted to be the Primary International Sponsor. 

 

On August 8, 2014 Tom Pyne, Barry James and Doug Jacobson, on behalf of the International Committee, submitted an application to our District 6270 Global Grants Subcommittee requesting $10,000 DDF, which would earn a 100% from TRF.  On August 20th we were notified that our request had been approved. Our Elmbrook Rotary Foundation board subsequently approved an additional commitment of $7,500 in cash that would be eligible for a 50% match by TRF.  By September 2014, we had available $81,345 based upon the financial commitments of all parties, including the Rotary matching funds. 

 

The Global Grant application to The Rotary Foundation and Rotary Foundation (India) was drafted by Dr. Selvarangam, Chair of D-2980 Foundation Committee, who committed an extraordinary amount of time to complete the documentation. 20 Memos of Understanding from the school districts, for example, were required for the application. Significant efforts towards background research for the grant were provided by Elmbrook Rotary.
Rotarians in consultation with local school officials selected 60 schools in D-2980 for the E-Learning Project. 17 are ALC School Project Schools, including Yercaud Elementary School.

 

Funds for the E-Learning Project are now in a special Global Grant 1527030 Bank Account in India.   After months of tireless effort in both Wisconsin and India, things are moving quickly for implementation.  The first introduction to the E-Learning Program will take place this week for the 17 ALC Schools.  Thousands of students in India over the life of the project will be lifted up because of the efforts of Elmbrook Rotary and D-2980 in South India.

 

This is a major achievement and milestone for Elmbrook Rotary. Thanks to everyone on the International Committee for all of their hard work and persistence in making this happen. Elmbrook Rotarians, we are truly members of a global community!