Atma Partners
Atma creates partnerships with dynamic organisations that work in educational development in Mumbai, India. Each Atma Partnership is a three year collaborative process, where Atma addresses capacity needs and helps NGOs to create and execute growth plans. Combining consultancy, training, advocacy and skilled volunteers, the Atma Model allows Atma Partners to look beyond their day to day resource constraints and maximise their impacts in the educational sector.
Current Atma Partners are:
CHILDReach
CHILDReach is a school for children with learning difficulties ranging from dyslexia to disgraphia and ADHD. With a low student/teacher ratio and educational programs designed to suit individual learning needs, CHILDReach creates a holistic learning environment in which children with learning difficulties can excel. CHILDReach became an Atma Partner in May 2009.
Atma’s Role: Atma is working with CHILDReach to move their programming beyond the school and raise awareness of the needs of children and adults with learning difficulties. Our current focus is growing the OUTReach program: a scalable arm of CHILDReach programs that offers remediation for children with learning difficulties in other schools
The Foundation for Mother and Child Health (FMCH)
http://motherandchildhealth.wordpress.com/
FMCH provides preventative health and nutrition education to families in Mumbai communities. Through regular clinical checkups by nutritionists and pediatricians and through educational programs to encourage proper nutrition and health practices, FMCH supports the holistic growth and development of children and communities. FMCH became an Atma Partner in June 2010.
Atma’s Role:Â Atma has supported FMCH Â in re-focusing their vision and mission and a formalization of programs and communications that will allow FMCH to replicate and grow at least two fold in the coming year. Our current focus is creating thorough strategy plans for the coming year.
Masoom
Masoom believes that night school students should not be at a disadvantage because of poor educational offerings, but should be praised for their commitment to learning. Masoom works in Mumbai night schools to improve all facets of the night school student’s educational experience, from infrastructure to curriculum. Masoom became an Atma Partner in April 2010.
Atma’s Role: Atma has supported Masoom in creating a new branding and marketing presence that can be leveraged for donor and in-kind support of Masoom initiatives. Our current focus is on developing Masoom’s HR structure and job roles to strengthen their growing organisation.
Reality Gives
Reality Gives provides educational opportunities for children and young adults in Dharavi. Muskan school is a progressive kindergarten based on the child-centered Muktangan methodology. The Reality Gives Youth Empowerment Program provides courses for young adults on computer basics, soft skills and spoken English. Reality Gives became an Atma Partner in June 2009.
Atma’s Role: Atma worked with Reality Gives to create their Youth Empowerment Program, which had 70 graduate students in its first year. We’re currently working with Reality Gives to formalize and improve this program so it can become a model for other training programs across India.
Site visits are run on a quarterly basis for donors. To book a site, write to Lisa at resources@atma.org.in
