Club receives update on Dairy project in India.

Posted by John Halderson

on Aug 2, 2012

The Rotary Club of Doylestown welcomed Armene Modi at their weekly meeting on Aug 1. Armene discussed her organizations work to empower rural women in India by providing educational and vocational opportunities. She also gave an update on the dairy project in which Rotary helped fund.

Armene Modi is an educator and social activist who believes very strongly in the message of Mahatma Gandhi: Be the change you want to see in this world. After a 25 year teaching career in India, the US and Japan, she decided to change direction and in 1998 founded Ashta No Kai, an NGO working in rural India to address gender issues and empower women.

Anshta No Kai has branched out to provide literacy, health and economic development services in 10 villages of the Pune District of Maharashtra State, located on the western coast of India. These services include: providing bicycle banks that allow teenage girls to continue their education by loaning them bicycles, so that they can travel to and from schools that are located too far away for them to walk. Dispensing health education services such as preventative care information, nutrition information, and providing emergency basic health kits and medication. Helping women to become economically independent via entrepreneurial and vocational training, as well as providing access to micro-finance via self-help saving groups.
To learn more about Ashta No Kai's work visit www.sites.google.com/site/ashtanokai/home/news

Robert Eichfeld, Pat Fitzpatrick, Armene Modi, Rich Newman	Rich Newman presenting check to Armene Modi The Doylestown Rotary continues its support by presenting a check for $500. This will help buy one more cow for the dairy project.