Dear friends,

With this newsletter, we mark the first ever graduation at Shanti Bhavan. This historic occasion is the culmination of over a decade of success at Shanti Bhavan, all thanks to your support. All 14 graduates are now studying at prestigious colleges in Bangalore and pursuing their dreams.

We continue featuring our successes with the recent publication of 12th grader Shilpa in Policy Innovations magazine. Her goal of becoming a journalist and writer is vividly told in this wonderful publication. Throughout this newsletter we discuss how you can easily help support Shanti Bhavan in a number of ways so that our children can continue to realize their dreams.

In this newsletter:

Shanti Bhavan Celebrates its First Graduation

It is with great joy and love that we present the official graduating class of 2010: Anith, Mani, Prakash, Vinay, Tomas, Prakash, Bina, Maha, Mala, Sindhu, Stella, Pushpa, Sheeba, Rajni, Vijay. To those close to the Shanti Bhavan family who have witnessed the beautiful evolution of the original vision, from the seed of a dream to its actual fruition, this was inevitably a proud and emotional moment.

This momentous occasion was commemorated with three days of music, vocal and dance performances by children, aunties, teachers, and guests that flew from all over the world to witness and celebrate this historic occasion. The celebration culminated with the Graduation Ceremony where children, teachers, staff, volunteers, and parents were present. Special guests and speeches included Mr. S.D. Shibulal, the COO and Co-Founder of Infosys Technologies , Mr. Rolf Saligmann, the Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Bangalore, and Mr. Hubert Reilard, Chairman on the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce, Bangalore. Special awards for the graduating class were:

• Top Student in Liberal Arts: Maha
• Top Student in Science: Rajni
• Top Student in Business: Vijay
• Valedictorian: Pushpa

We are extremely proud to announce that all our graduating class will be attending prestigious universities here in Bangalore, India.

Anith: St. Joseph’s College, Degree Program: B.Sc. in Mathematics, Electronics, and Computer Science.
Bina: Mount Carmel College, Degree Program: B.A. in Psychology, Sociology, and Economics.
Mani: St. Joseph’s College, Degree Program: B.Sc. in Mathematics, Electronics, and Computer Science.
Manimala: Mount Carmel College, Degree Program: BCA in Computer Science, Math, and Statistics.
Maha: Mount Carmel College, Degree Program: B.A. in Psychology.
Prakash: St. Joseph’s College, Degree Program: B.Sc. in Mathematics, Electronics, and Computer Science.
Pushpa: Mount Carmel College, Degree Program: Bachelor’s of Business Management.
Rajni: National Law School of India, Degree Program: LLB
Sheeba: Mount Carmel College, Degree Program: B.A. in Psychology, Sociology, and Economics.
Sindhu: Mount Carmel College, Degree Program: B.Sc. in Biotechnology, Chemistry, and Botany.
Thomas: St. Joseph’s College, Degree Program: B.Sc. in Mathematics, Electronics, and Computer Science.
Stella: Mount Carmel College, Degree Program: Bachelor’s of Business Management.
Vijay: Christ College, Degree Program: Bachelor’s in Accountancy (leading to CA Certification)
Vinay: St. Joseph’s College, Degree Program: B.Sc. in Mathematics, Electronics, and Computer Science.

As our graduates embark on their new journey in Bangalore, we want to take this moment to wish them all the best as they approach the threshold of new beginnings.

Any inquiries on how you can help financially? Support the 2010 Graduating Class of Shanti Bhavan by making an on-line donation through www.shantibhavanonline.org. You will be hearing and reading great stories about our first Graduating Class of Shanti Bhavan for years to come!

 

A Chance to Dream: The Shanti Bhavan Residential School Story

By Shilpa, 12th Grade Sheeba

In August 2010, 12th grader Shilpa Raj was featured in Policy Innovations magazine, a publication of the Carnegie Council, for her beautiful piece on Shanti Bhavan. With the goal of becoming a successful journalist and writer, Shilpa describes how Shanti Bhavan has exposed her to a world of learning and opportunity. Read her first, and certainly not last, published article: http://www.policyinnovations.org/ideas/innovations/data/000172.

 

 

Dollars For Scholars Winner Discusses Her Strategy

At the beginning of 2010, Lauren Coape-Arnold succesfully raised thousands of dollars for Shanti Bhavan to win our Dollars For Scholars competition. In an interview, she dicusses how she was able to accomplish this quickly and easily and win a round trip flight to India. Learn how you too can be a successful fundraiser, and possibly be the winner of our next Dollars For Scholars competition

1) Tell us how you first got involved in with Shanti Bhavan.
I wanted a purposeful summer trip before returning to school to pursue my MBA. In beginning the next stage of my life, I craved an adventure that would put my future professional goals (venture philanthropy) into context. I wanted to combine the excitement of a new country with the joint rewards of volunteering my time and expanding my knowledge about education. I searched extensively, but so many of the “voluntourism” programs I found did not align with my belief that education can break the cycle of poverty.
A friend with extensive international experience mentioned Shanti Bhavan, and I immediately wrote the name down to Google – bingo! This school is a perfect way to synthesize my goals of helping children in need, while also gaining exposure to a new part of the world.

2) What was your first impression?
One look at the Shanti Bhavan website and I knew it was the right fit. I agree wholeheartedly with their mission of using educating to fight poverty, and it seemed like the school had all the right support in place – both in India and in the USA – to make a difference. Seeing the school’s coverage in major international media helped assuage any “fear of the unknown,” but it was those adorable faces that roped me in immediately!
I attended a lecture by the founder, Abraham George, at NYU to learn more about the program. Meeting Dr. George and listening to his story further inspired me that this was how I wanted to spend my summer, and convinced me that my initial reaction was correct. The pieces came together and I was counting down the days until my departure.

3) How are you helping SB?
Before volunteering as a teacher, I worked to fundraise for the school by participating in the “Dollars for Scholars” drive. This enabled me to make a contribution to Shanti Bhavan before even stepping foot on the campus. In addition to raising money, I also worked to increase awareness of the school, its mission, and its needs. I enjoyed making the connection between my personal goals and the reason for my volunteer trip. Once I linked my future with the future of the children at Shanti Bhavan, it felt like we were working together.

4) What communications or marketing tactics have you personally used to fundraise for SB?
Because of what it offers and how special its children are, Shanti Bhavan is a logical beneficiary for many people – once I increased awareness, the quality and importance of the program did the rest!

5) What do you find most challenging aspect about fundraising for Shanti Bhavan?
Location. It is challenging to fundraise for an organization on the other side of the world. Without direct exposure to the school or the culture, it can be difficult to convince people that Shanti Bhavan’s needs are real and urgent.

6) What would you tell someone who is thinking about getting involved in fundraising for SB?
DO IT! Every dollar counts; do not think that you cannot raise enough for it to be worth it. Any effort you make will go a long way towards making a difference – and that is worth it!

7) What do you wish other people knew about Shanti Bhavan?
That anyone – any age, profession, or interest – can volunteer; you don’t have to be a certified professional to teach. We all have unique backgrounds and various professional or educational experiences, and collectively we can provide Shanti Bhavan’s children with the education they need. If you have a month or more to give, you will undoubtedly make an impact in the lives of many deserving (and precious!) children.

8) Why are you supporting Shanti Bhavan as opposed to other groups working on poverty and education in India?
I believe in Shanti Bhavan’s vision and values and feel they align with my own. Shanti Bhavan has worked very hard to make the volunteer experience truly safe and rewarding. While I had concerns about volunteering elsewhere in India because of potential dangers facing travelers, Shanti Bhavan has worked to provide a safe and secure community in which volunteers feel committed and included immediately.

9) What do you do when you aren’t volunteering with Shanti Bhavan?
I am a full-time professional in New York City, serving as director of a hedge fund’s foundation. I love to play squash, visit museums, and explore Manhattan’s culinary scene (though I am excited for the spicy curry at Shanti Bhavan!). I also spend a large amount of time volunteering for CitySquash, an after-school squash program based in the Bronx. I anticipate strong parallels between my work with CitySquash and Shanti Bhavan, as I hope to bring my experiences working with underprivileged children in New York with me to India.

Dollars For Scholars Contest

Our Dollars For Scholars campaign is still going strong and we need you! All it takes to be a member of our Dollars For Scholars team is a single dollar a day. Your dollar goes a long way at Shanti Bhavan: it gives our children a solid education, a home, health-care, clothing, food and a bright, bright future!

To make sure we can provide these wonderful opportunities, we need your support. If all of our supporters were to sign up and give just one dollar a day, we would meet our entire yearly expenses and could open our doors again to a new batch of eager, young children in need. Help us make this reality and donate today.

Join the Dollars For Scholars team, and you’ll be linked to the Shanti Bhavan community year-round. All DFS participants will receive an emailed photo from a different class each month as part of our campaign.

Donate here and sign up for a monthly reoccurring donation of $30. Tell your friends and family, too!

Double Your Dollars With A Matching Donation

Even a small donation can make a large impact through matching funds. Many companies offer matching corporate donations at a 1-to-1, 2-to-1 or even a 3-to-1 rate. Now is the best time to contribute to Shanti Bhavan and our children and it is easy to do!

All you need is the following information:

Name of Charity: Shanti Bhavan Children’s Fund, Inc.
EIN #: 26-4188445
Address: Shanti Bhavan Children’s Fund, 121 Hawkins Place, PMB 192, Boonton, NJ 07005
Contact: Ajit George

This is that time of year when many companies ask their employees to sign up for matching donation plans ahead of the next calendar year. Ask your human resources or benefits department about your company’s matching donation program so you don’t miss out on maximizing the impact your donation can have to Shanti Bhavan. Make a contribution today and see your dollars go twice as far!

Save the Date: She’s The First Fundraiser for SB

Our partners at She’s The First, the global nonprofit supporting girls’ education worldwide, are celebrating their one year anniversary with a birthday bash in New York City! They’ve chosen Shanti Bhavan as their featured charity at this She’s the First Soiree. It’ll be a fun-filled night where you can meet many of the wonderful people from She’s The First and the energetic and talented volunteers and supporters of Shanti Bhavan. There will be a raffle for dozens of items, and 100% of the proceeds from the raffle will go directly to Shanti Bhavan for girls’ sponsorships, so make sure to join us! Save the date, and look out for the invite and ticket link in October!

Where: Pop Burger in NYC. 14 East 58th St.
When: November 1st, 2010, 7pm-10pm

Your support is very important to the continued success of the Shanti Bhavan program. Please assist our work for the children by making a contribution now. donate to Shanti Bhavan

Best regards,

The Shanti Bhavan Team