The Indo-International School Building for the Future An International Education Effort of the Ninash Foundation in cooperation with the State University of New York College at Oneonta The Ninash Foundation: Promoting Literacy Among Children and Adults Throughout the world	People Making a Difference The story of the Indo-International School shows that individuals can and do still make a difference. The school for lowercaste children in the Indian desert village of Dundlod was founded in 1996 through the efforts of three individuals at the State University of New York College at Oneonta. As they prepared for the College's Semester in India program in 1996, Philosophy Professor Ashok Malhotra informed the group of the plight of the children in the poverty-stricken village. Josie Basile, a student in the program, knew that she had to do something to make a difference in the lives of the children, so she raised nearly $5000 through her Children's India Fund to establish the school. Education Professor Suzanne Miller contributed her expertise in the education field and her experience as a former Peace Corps volunteer. The group establish- ed the school in a one-room budding donated by a woman in the village.	The Effort Continues Last year, the Indo-International School moved to the former stable of the Kila of Dundlod, a seventeenth-century fort that now serves as a hotel. Today, de- spite the dirt floors, primitive slates and chalk, and wooden benches that serve as desks, nearly 80 Indian children have an opportunity for an education and are excited about learning to read and write. Volunteers from the College and the community have continued to support the school, raising funds to pay the teachers, collecting and sending books, and heightening awareness of the plight of the children and the opportunity we have to make a difference in their lives. The Ninash Foundation, a charitable organization that Dr. Malhotra founded in memory of his wife "to promote liter- acy among children and adults through- out the world, " has established an en- dowment for the school to ensure that funds will always be available to pay teachers.
Building for the Future The success of the Indo-International School has helped the villagers of Dundlod to begin to help themselves. An Indian foundation has matched the funds from the Ninash Foundation in the endowment. The village has donat- ed land for a new school building and begun planning a roof for a community center that will become a library for the school and village. In return, the Ninash Foundation has begun raising funds to construct the new school building. The SUNY Learn and Serve in India 2000 intersession program will leave Oneonta during the last week of De- cember, celebrate the new year at the Taj Mahal, and start work on the new school building shortly thereafter. Local professionals, particularly those in the health-care field, are being re- cruited to accompany the group, help with the school building, and share their expertise with their colleagues in India.	How You Can Help You can help the children Of Dundlod by supporting the drive to raise $20,000 by the end of 1999 for the new school building. Already, the Rotary Club of Oneonta has pledged to raise $5000, which will build two classrooms in the school. Your tax-deductible con- tribution to the Ninash Foundation, a 501(C)(3) charitable organization, will be used directly to support the project. A donation of $2500 will build a class- room in the school; $200 will support a child through an entire year of educa- tion; any amount will help to provide supplies for the new facility. As the in- dividuals in the Semester in India pro- gram have shown, you can make a difference. For more information about the Ninash Foundation and the Indo-International School project, contact Dr. Ashok Malhotra Phone: (607) 432-0496 or 436-3220 Fax: (607) 436-2653 17 Center St., Oneonta, NY 13820 E-mail: malhotak@oneonta.edu	To Contribute Send the following to the address below. Yes, I want to help the Indo-Internation- al School project. I have enclosed my tax-deductible contribution. Please complete this form and mail it with a check payable to the Ninash Foundation: Indo-International School Project Ninash Foundation 17 Center Street Oneonta, NY 13820 Name:___________________________ Address:_________________________ City/State/Zip:_____________________ Phone:___________________________ Fax:_____________________________ E-mail:___________________________ Amount Enclosed:__________________ __Please check here if you would like a receipt for your records. __Please check here if you would like information on participating in the SUNY Learn and Serve in India 2000 program (12/28/99-1/16/00).