Mathru

Asha CNJ Know Your Projects Session

October 2006

Mathru Background

• Residential school for visually impaired children, from poor economic background

• Located in Yelahanka, suburb of Bangalore. Started by an individual Ms. Gubbi Muktha, in 2001

• Serving the section of society– Challenged, distressed economic background– Partially or fully visually challenged children– Are generally dependent, ill-treated and ignored.– Rarely accepted, employed or get equal opportunity

MissionMathru’s purpose is to give quality education to visually impaired

children from grades 1 through 10 and prepare them to live a fulfilled life. The school is recognized by the Department of Welfare of the

Disabled, Government of Karnataka..

• Mathru provides the following to its children:– Since the students are from poor families in the surrounding rural/semi-urban

areas, the school is residential. Food and health care are provided– Well rounded education based on their skill level and abilities Most importantly,

love, affection and a sense of belonging that is absent in their own domestic background

• Statistics– 40 children (29 Girls) – Age group 5-17– Adult blind 6 – Age group 18-27– 5 Full time teachers, 3 part time, 5 non-teaching staff– Teachers Training (TT), Diploma for Teaching the Blind (DTB)

NIIT certificate for computer education – Parent involvement

Mathru’s Activities• Primary Aims

– Providing quality education– Providing vocational training and skills development– Seeking and providing job opportunities

• Secondary Aims– Teaching daily living skills– Teaching mobility and orientation skills– Teaching public awareness about the cause, remedies and prevention of

blindness– Offering community health services– Assisting the visually impaired adults in joining the mainstream of the society

• Community Development– Vocational training and skills development for the adult blind– Education in the field of arts, music and drama– Conducting free eye, dental and health care camps for the community– Participating socio-cultural activities of the community

Activities in Pictures

Activities in Pictures

Activities in Pictures

Activities in Pictures

Activities in Pictures

Activities in Pictures

Asha CNJ and Mathru

Year Reason Amount (USD)

2004-Dec

Infrastructure (dining/hall/toilets)

17,000

2005-Nov

Infrastructure and computers

18,000

2006-Aug

Infrastructure (dining/hall/toilets)

10,000

Asha CNJ and Mathru

Asha CNJ and MathruFinancial Details

Current and Future Plans

• Beyond Monetary Aid - Innovations– Braille Tutor program through Carnegie mellon Univ. spear headed by

Nidhi Kalra. – Nutritional Program through UIUC is starting to provide soy milk and

supplement to increase protein diet.

• Ways to help– Cheaper technology and ways to replicate this to other schools– Community awareness and enable policies to employ the visually

impaired– Similar schools near you could share the knowledge– Create or provide business ventures to produce cheaper accessories

make them independent.– And much more…