Asia Initiatives

Up to date news at Asia Initiatives.

Updated August 9, 2010

- Asia Initiatives featured on the Dilshad FM radio show on August 9, 2010. A recording of the 55 minute show of AI is at www.dilshadshow.com

- Thank you to all those who attended the Poetry Dinner fundraiser with Ambassador Aftab Seth in New York on July 13. Ambassador Seth dazzled every one with his poetry. A friend of Asia initiatives kindly matched the $4020 raised, so $8040 is being sent to MSSRF for Community Learning Centers. Students and interns who have been associated with Asia Initiatives for the past years came from around New York and Philadelphia to help a the event. Photos of the event are at http://picasaweb.google.com/harish.asia.initiatives/PoetryWithProfessorS...

- AI Tokyo thanked its supporters on April 17th at an event organized on the occasion of the Holi festival. Combining proceeds from this event with funds raised at the Festival of Lights 2009, the board voted to fund the following important projects that support and strengthen MSSRF bio-villages:

- Down payment on an eco-friendly Kannivadi Farmers' Federation Building
- Three Village Knowledge Centers which provide critical weather, crop and marketing information to rural areas
- Uniforms for the conservation movement staff in Kolli Hills
- Driers for processing millet grains and storage drums for seed banks in Kolli Hills.

Thank you to all of our supporters for helping us to fund these capacity building projects!

- Dr. Swaminathan in the news
Professor Swaminathan visited Friends of Swaminathan in Australia (www.fosa.org.au), our sister organization, earlier this month (top centre photo). A video of his speech at the Asia Society is at http://asiasociety.org/policy-politics/news-asia/looking-another-green-r...

- M.S. Swaminathan is also the Co-chair of an Asia Society/International Rice Research Institute high-level Task Force on Food Security and Sustainability. The Task Force will release its report in New York in September to coincide with the opening of the 65th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

- Community Learning Centers (CLCs) with MSSRF in South India
Asia Initiatives is excited about this initiative with MSSRF. Three Board members of Asia Initiatives Japan visited the pilot CLC in Dindigul two years ago, and inaugurated another one. These centers provide 'functional literacy' in a locale specific manner, so the teaching materials are prepared by MSSRF staff to suit each village, with a goal of brining literacy, and livelihood related information to adults and computer skills to children and young adults (photo top left). Literacy and confidence about using the local post office, bus stop, banks and government field offices empowers people. Based upon the success of these two centers, MSSRF is looking to scale up the program to 15 centers. US$ 100 can educate two students for a period of six months, the length of time needed to make the training meaningful. Our goal is to supoprt 5000 students. We invite our members to provide scholarships for these centers, as well as visit them on your next trip to India.

- Asia Initiatives' launch in USA was held at the Consulate of India in New York on Saturday April 18, 2009. An exhibition of paintings by Jaya Thyagaraja and a performance of classical Indian dance by Rimli Roy will be followed by a cocktail reception kindly hosted by the Consul General of India to the USA. Please RSVP to Asia Initiatives here. Please click here for the invite.

- We are thankful to the Tokyo Amercian Club Women's Group for choosing Asia Initiatives as one of the five charities it supported via its Gala in 2009.

- A BIG thank you to all who made the Festival of Lights held on October 8 at the home of the Indian Ambassador such a success. Photos may be seen at Keyshots.org.