Make A Difference
Encyclopedia
MAD, aka Make A Difference, is a youth volunteer network, working with orphans and unprivileged kids in India. Made up of mostly youth volunteers, MAD imparts English communication skills to children in orphanages, street shelters and poor homes.
From 2010, Make A Difference is using Cambridge University Press
material in their classrooms. The English project takes learners from starter to intermediate level using the Cambridge English for Schools series of textbooks.
Currently, around 910 Make A Difference volunteers teach close to 3000 kids in the Indian cities of Cochin, Pune
, Delhi
, Mumbai
, Chandigarh
, Vellore
, Kolkata
, Mangalore
, Bangalore
, Trivandrum, Hyderabad, Nagpur
, Chennai
and Vijayawada
. In Chennai, MAD partners with a local NGO, BHUMI (organization)
.
.
The founding members were, Kavin KK, Jithin C Nedumala, Sujith Abraham Varkey, Santosh Babu, Gloria Benny and Jithin John Varghese.
In the beginning there was no focus to the activities done in class. Overtime, a syllabus was developed in association with the TTF (Teacher Training Foundation) and then later on with the help of EZ Vidya.
The organisation is involved in placements as well.
Classes happen while the school academic session is in progress, and usually lasts seven months across the year.
MAD volunteers undergo training from professionally qualified teacher trainers before going to their respective orphanages and providing English communication skills to the kids.
A wide range of instructive and informative sessions including visits to hotels, factories, professional colleges as well as enriching experiences such as camps, arts and crafts workshops etc. are conducted.
MAD's English course is a five level program of 100 hours each. Every year the children go through 56 interactive classes of two hour duration. By the end of the 5th level the child’s communication skills will be at par with a private school student. Mad also have an active placements program that runs side by side to keep the children aware of their career options and keep them motivated to study harder. They have initiated a computer program in Cochin where there are computers in the ratio 6:1 installed in every centre which means every child will get half an hour of computer class every day.
From 2010, Make A Difference is using Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII in 1534, it is the world's oldest publishing house, and the second largest university press in the world...
material in their classrooms. The English project takes learners from starter to intermediate level using the Cambridge English for Schools series of textbooks.
Currently, around 910 Make A Difference volunteers teach close to 3000 kids in the Indian cities of Cochin, Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
, Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, Chandigarh
Chandigarh
Chandigarh is a union territory of India that serves as the capital of two states, Haryana and Punjab. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name is from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to the Hindu goddess Chandi, in the city...
, Vellore
Vellore
Vellore It is considered one of the oldest cities in South India and lies on the banks of the Palar river on the site of Vellore Fort. The city lies between Chennai and Bangalore and the Temple towns of Thiruvannamalai and Tirupati...
, Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, Mangalore
Mangalore
Mangalore is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located about west of the state capital, Bangalore. Mangalore lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, and is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada district in south western...
, Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, Trivandrum, Hyderabad, Nagpur
Nagpur
Nāgpur is a city and winter capital of the state of Maharashtra, the largest city in central India and third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune...
, Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
and Vijayawada
Vijayawada
Vijayawada is the third largest city in Andhra Pradesh, India, located on the banks of the Krishna River and bounded by the Indrakiladri Hills on the West and the Budameru River on the North. The city is located in the Krishna District, about from the state capital Hyderabad.Vijayawada literally...
. In Chennai, MAD partners with a local NGO, BHUMI (organization)
BHUMI (organization)
Bhumi, is a non-profit youth volunteer organisation of students and young professionals providing supplementary education for underprivileged children at orphanages and community centres in India. Members of this vibrant group, all of whom are under 30, teach computers, English, maths and science...
.
History
MAD was founded in 2006 in the Indian city of Cochin. The first center to be taken up by the project was the YMCA Poor Boys Home, ThrikkakaraThrikkakara
Thrikkakkara is a suburb of the city of Kochi, as well as a municipality in Ernakulam District in the Indian state of state of Kerala. It is especially notable for its significance in the festival of Onam, and in the tale associated with it. Thrikkakkara is home for the esteemed centre of...
.
The founding members were, Kavin KK, Jithin C Nedumala, Sujith Abraham Varkey, Santosh Babu, Gloria Benny and Jithin John Varghese.
In the beginning there was no focus to the activities done in class. Overtime, a syllabus was developed in association with the TTF (Teacher Training Foundation) and then later on with the help of EZ Vidya.
The organisation is involved in placements as well.
Approach
Make A Difference principally works in three areas.- English project: Volunteers who work with MAD's English project take class at an assigned center for two hours a week. Each center usually has two MAD classes a week. Hence, in total, one child from a center goes through four hours of classes per week.
Classes happen while the school academic session is in progress, and usually lasts seven months across the year.
MAD volunteers undergo training from professionally qualified teacher trainers before going to their respective orphanages and providing English communication skills to the kids.
- Computer volunteer:Computers are as important as anything else in today's world. MAD's Computer volunteers spend two hours a week teaching children the basics of computer usage, and helping them use Language Learning Software such as Tell Me More or GCompris
- Placements: The Placements wing of Make A Difference focuses on both career specific and general exposure. The basic aim being to place the target group in the same footing as children from regular homes with regards to experiences and interaction with various walks of life.
A wide range of instructive and informative sessions including visits to hotels, factories, professional colleges as well as enriching experiences such as camps, arts and crafts workshops etc. are conducted.
MAD's English course is a five level program of 100 hours each. Every year the children go through 56 interactive classes of two hour duration. By the end of the 5th level the child’s communication skills will be at par with a private school student. Mad also have an active placements program that runs side by side to keep the children aware of their career options and keep them motivated to study harder. They have initiated a computer program in Cochin where there are computers in the ratio 6:1 installed in every centre which means every child will get half an hour of computer class every day.
Operations
MAD works in- Cochin: Don Bosco Sneha Bavan, PalluruthyPalluruthyPalluruthy is a region in the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. Palluruthy is part of the water bound West Kochi, lying westward to the Kochi mainland. Palluruthy comprises the regions Thoppumpady, Perumpadappu, Edakochi, Kumbalanghi and Mundamveli...
; Don Bosco Big Boys; Crescent Girls Orphanage, MattancherryMattancherryMattancherry is the western part of city of Kochi, India. It is said that the name Mattancherry is drawn from "Ancherry Mattam", a Namboodiri illam which then the foreign traders pronounced it as Matt-Ancherry, gradually became Mattancherry. It is about 9 km from Ernakulam town. There are...
; St. Mary's Convent; YMCA Boys Home, ThrikkakaraThrikkakaraThrikkakkara is a suburb of the city of Kochi, as well as a municipality in Ernakulam District in the Indian state of state of Kerala. It is especially notable for its significance in the festival of Onam, and in the tale associated with it. Thrikkakkara is home for the esteemed centre of...
; Government Girls Home; Darul Uloom, Pullepady; Ummul Qura, Deshabhimani Road; Valsalya Bhavan, ThammanamThammanamThammanam is a region in the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. Thammanam is connected to two major intersections of the city of Kochi through the Thammanam Road, which lands at Vyttila in the south-east, at a distance of 2 km, and Palarivattom in the north at a distance of 1.5 km...
; Govt. Girls' Center, KakkanadKakkanadKakkanad is a region in the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. This is the part of Kochi where much of its IT industry is based in. It is also the administrative headquarters of the District of Ernakulam ....
; Mount Carmel, PachalamPachalamPachalam is a place located near the city of Cochin, Kerala in India.There is a story how the name "Pachalam" came. In 16 century there was Portuguese Viceroy D. Francisco de Almeida who camped in this area. " Thavalam" is the malayalam word for camp...
.
- MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
: St. Catherine's School Andheri; St. francis BorivaliBorivaliBorivali or Borivli a suburban area located in the north-west section of Mumbai island. Borivali is approximately from Mumbai Airport and from Churchgate Railway Station...
; YMCA Boys Home Andheri; Snehasadan Jogeshwari, AD Bawla Andheri
- Hyderabad: Thara, BowenpallyBowenpallyBowenpally or Bowinpally is a suburb in Secunderabad, India. It is predominantly a middle and upper middle class suburb. Bowenpally is part of the Secunderabad Cantonment area, where the British held sway for several years. The old village of Bowenpally with its people-friendly streets still exist...
; Sannihita Boys, N.V. Road; Rainbow Girls, MusheerabadMusheerabadMusheerabad is a commercial center in Hyderabad, India. Nawab Bahadur Yar Jung the founder of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen is buried in Musheerabad...
; Rainbow Girls, Meedibavi; FSC Boys Home, SecunderabadSecunderabadSecunderabad popularly known as the twin city of Hyderabad is located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh north of Hyderabad. Named after Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, Secunderabad was founded in 1806 AD as a British cantonment...
.
- ThiruvananthapuramThiruvananthapuramThiruvananthapuram , formerly known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland...
: Jayamatha Boys Home, NalanchiraNalanchiraNalanchira is a suburb of Thiruvananthapuram, formerly known as Trivandrum, the capital of Kerala State in India. It is the educational hub of Kerala and is rightly called the Oxford of the South. It is situated between Mannanthala and Paruthippara. Nalanchira is approximately 8 km from the...
; S.H., NalanchiraNalanchiraNalanchira is a suburb of Thiruvananthapuram, formerly known as Trivandrum, the capital of Kerala State in India. It is the educational hub of Kerala and is rightly called the Oxford of the South. It is situated between Mannanthala and Paruthippara. Nalanchira is approximately 8 km from the...
; LMS Girls Home, PMG; Mahila Mandir, Poojappura.
- ChennaiChennaiChennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
: Dr. PV Rao School, R.A. Puram; Bala Mandir, T. NagarT. NagarTheagaraya Nagar , popularly known by its abbreviated form T. Nagar, is a neighbourhood in the city of Chennai, India. Though originally conceived as a residential locality, it is presently one of the principal shopping districts of the city....
; Indian Council for Child Welfare, Shenoy Nagar; Seva Chakkara, Choolai ; Ramakrishna Home, MylaporeMylaporeMylapore is a cultural hub and neighborhood in the southern part of the city of Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, India. Earlier, Mylapore used to be called Vedapuri....
; Seva Samajam, Pallipattu; YMCA Boys Home, Taramani; SISTWA, SaidapetSaidapetSaidapet is an important neighbourhood in Chennai , India. The Saidapet Court, the only other court of judicature in Chennai city apart from the Madras High Court and the Saidapet bus depot are located here...
.
- MangaloreMangaloreMangalore is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located about west of the state capital, Bangalore. Mangalore lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, and is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada district in south western...
: Aloysian Boys Home, UllalUllalUllāḷ is a panchayat town in Dakshina Kannada district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is a small town about 8–10 km south of Mangalore close to the border between the two southern states of Karnataka and Kerala. It comprises two revenue villages, Ullal and Parmannur, in Mangalore Taluk...
; Balikashram, Kankanady; Pragyna Counseling Center, Marnamikatte.
- DelhiDelhiDelhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
: Arya Anathalaya, Darya Ganj; St. Anthony's Girls Orphanage, PaharganjPaharganjPaharganj is a neighbourhood of Central Delhi, located just west of the New Delhi Railway Station...
; Chhatravas, East of Kailash; Jain Balika Ashram, Darya Ganj; Bachcho Ka Ghar, Darya Ganj.
- PunePunePune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
: Remand Home for Boys, ShivajinagarShivajinagarShivajinagar in Bangalore is adjacent to bangalore cantonment area. It is covered by bangalore cantonment area, benson town, st. johns church road, the halsuru lake, rbanm educational institutions buildings, cubbon road, and the queens road. This is one of the oldest areas of bangalore and a...
; Karve Stree Shikshan Sanstha, Dhanukar Colony; St. Crispin's Home.
- NagpurNagpurNāgpur is a city and winter capital of the state of Maharashtra, the largest city in central India and third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune...
: Matru Sewa Sangh, Rani Jhansi Square, Sitabuldi; Wilkinson School, Godhni; Sharansthan, Sadar; Sharansthan, ItwariItwariItwari is a railway station, junction & terminus about 5 km from Nagpur Railway Station in Maharashtra state of India.A few trains also terminate at this station. It is also a narrow gauge line railway junction. The station code is ITR and is managed by South East Central Railway...
; Yuvajyothi, Jaripatka.
- BangaloreBangaloreBengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
: St. Marys Home, Cox Town near ITC Bangalore; Good Shepherd Girls Home, Museum Road, Richmond Circle; St Patrick's Boys' Home, Brigade Road, BangaloreBrigade Road, BangaloreBrigade Road is one of the biggest commercial centers and busiest shopping areas of Bangalore, the state capital of Karnataka, India. It is also a connecting road between the M G Road and Residency Road in the city....
; Christ Community Center, Rajendranagar
- VelloreVelloreVellore It is considered one of the oldest cities in South India and lies on the banks of the Palar river on the site of Vellore Fort. The city lies between Chennai and Bangalore and the Temple towns of Thiruvannamalai and Tirupati...
: Don Bosco Boys Home, Pastor's Home.
- ChandigarhChandigarhChandigarh is a union territory of India that serves as the capital of two states, Haryana and Punjab. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name is from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to the Hindu goddess Chandi, in the city...
: Ssnehalaya, Malloya; Bal Niketan, Sector 15; Bal Niketan, PanchkulaPanchkulaPanchkula is a planned city in Panchkula district, Haryana, India. It is a satellite city of the Union Territory of Chandigarh. It also shares seamless border with Mohali district in Punjab. The prestigious Chandimandir Cantonment Headquarters of the Indian Army Western Command, is also located in...
; Ashiana, PanchkulaPanchkulaPanchkula is a planned city in Panchkula district, Haryana, India. It is a satellite city of the Union Territory of Chandigarh. It also shares seamless border with Mohali district in Punjab. The prestigious Chandimandir Cantonment Headquarters of the Indian Army Western Command, is also located in...
; Bal Sadan, PanchkulaPanchkulaPanchkula is a planned city in Panchkula district, Haryana, India. It is a satellite city of the Union Territory of Chandigarh. It also shares seamless border with Mohali district in Punjab. The prestigious Chandimandir Cantonment Headquarters of the Indian Army Western Command, is also located in...
.
- VijayawadaVijayawadaVijayawada is the third largest city in Andhra Pradesh, India, located on the banks of the Krishna River and bounded by the Indrakiladri Hills on the West and the Budameru River on the North. The city is located in the Krishna District, about from the state capital Hyderabad.Vijayawada literally...
: Child Aid Foundation, Patamata Lanka; Navajeevan Bala Bhavan, Pezzonipeta.
Recognitions
- Winner of the Ashoka: Innovators for the PublicAshoka: Innovators for the PublicAshoka: Innovators for the Public is a nonprofit organization based in Arlington, VA, supporting the field of social entrepreneurship. Ashoka was founded by Bill Drayton in 1981 to identify and support leading social entrepreneurs through a Social Venture Capital approach with the goal of...
Staples Inc. Youth Social Entrepreneur competition, 2008.
- Winner of Medium Category in the Indiya Shines Competition, organized by GreatNonProfits.com, 2009.
- Noble Laureate of the Karmaveer PuraskaarKarmaveer PuraskaarThe Karmaveer Puraskaar are National People's Awards for Citizen Social Justice and Action instituted by the citizens and people of India. These awards are instituted by iCONGO- Confederation of NGOs – a Public-Private-People partnership in association with other partners from industry, media,...
awarded by Icongo.
- YouthActionNet Global Fellow, 2010.
- Cordes Fellowship, 2010 Opportunity Collaboration
External links
- Website
- Blog
- Cambridge on MAD tie-up
- http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2007/10/22/stories/2007102250950100.htmArticle in The HinduThe HinduThe Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
] - Reviews for MAD on Great NonProfits