Asha for Education is a secular organization dedicated to change in India by focusing on basic education in the belief that education is a critical requisite for socio-economic change.  In keeping with this focus, our volunteers are involved with and support projects that are secular and have an education-related component to them.

The objectives of this group are:

1. To provide education to underprivileged children in India.

2. To encourage the formation of various local groups across the world to reach out to larger sections of the population.

3. To support and cooperate with persons and groups already engaged in similar activities.

4. To raise the required human and other resources to achieve the group objectives.

5. To provide opportunities to individuals living outside India who wish to participate in Asha activities in India.

6. To address, whenever possible, other issues affecting human life such as health care, environment, socio-economic aspects and women's issues.

                                                              

Asha-Penn State

The Penn State chapter of Asha for Education was founded in the Spring 2004. Sharing Asha's belief that education if a critical requisite for the progression of any society, the Penn State chapter is committed to providing the necessary funds to promote education throughout India. View the Projects page for more details.

So why is Asha-Penn State focusing on child slavery in India?

400 million children below the age 18 currently reside in India.  A staggering 126 million of these children are child laborers, constituting the largest group of working children in the world. These children are subjected to exploitative and dangerous work conditions in the textile and agriculture industries, rock quarry and mining work, and many are even forced into sexual slavery. Parents and relatives who have accrued debt and are unable to repay it are often forced to turn over their children to the work force in order to settle the loan. It is estimated that the amount of money needed to free a child from debt bondage and/or slavery is approximately $30. This small amount can give the precious gift of life to a child.

How is Asha going to help in this cause?

We have teamed up with Sam Richards, a Professor of Sociology at Penn State University and Free the Slaves, an internationally recognized organization dedicated to ending modern-day slavery. With their help, Asha-Penn State has identified villages in India in need of schools for former and potential child slaves. The principal concern lies in the lack of guidance for children once they are freed from slavery. Upon being freed, these children will be educated by Asha schools, providing all the necessities such as tuition, books, food, healthcare etc.—and all of them want to go to school.

Every child needs to be given the chance to live up to his/her full potential. Asha Penn State recognizes this, but we need your help to make this possible.