Azad India Foundation
Azad India Foundation was started in 1998 in Kishanganj district of Bihar and was formally registered in 2001. It started its activities with a non-formal education and vocational training center for women. Over the years, AIF’s focus has been on the development of poor and marginalized women, adolescents and children. Its activities have diversified in the fields of women’s literacy, formal school education, non-formal education, rural employment, income generating skills, SHG formation, community health and awareness programmes on various social issues. The NGO is working in rural as well as urban areas of Kishanganj district.
AIF have received support from several donor organizations as well as from individuals. Its formal education program has been supported by sponsorships for children from a network of individual supporters. The National Foundation of India (NFI) has been AIF’s consistent partner, and has been involved with its organizational development. The other sources of grants are Packard Foundation (through NFI), Geneva Global, Royal Dutch Embassy, Irish Embassy, Christian Children’s Fund, and Innovations Fund-INP Plus. From January 2009, Azad India is listed on Give India’s site.
Our Mission
Our mission is to contribute to the empowerment of the grass root communities for their betterment with active participation of the rural women.
Our Aim and Objectives
The aims and objectives of Azad India Foundation are varied, yet pointed towards the common goal of making a positive difference to the quality of life.
To work for the eradication of illiteracy and provide quality education to all.
To help in improving health care services in the district.
To involve the community in sharing the responsibility of improving its health status.
To create awareness about the importance of environment and its preservation for good health.
To empower women through income generating skills.
To promote SHGs for economic independence of the women.
To encourage and create awareness among local people preserving their cultural and traditional heritage.
Our Programme Themes
Our Integrated community development initiatives address the following areas.
Literacy and Education
Vocational training for income generation
Community Health and Nutrition
Awareness Programmes on various issues
Promotion and formation of Self –Help groups
Promotion of local culture and tradition
Preservation of local environment
Our Activities
Azad India Foundation has been continuously implementing its various programmes for socio-economic development in its area of operation.
Education Initiatives
Non-formal Education centres
Azad India Foundation ran two nonformal centres at villages Tengarmari and Insanpur where the children who cleared National Open School examination previous year were given education in subsequent classes of III, V and VIII through nonformal means.
The result as follows :
No of children appeared for NIOS exams : 93
No of children cleared the exams : 45
No of boys cleared the exams : 19
No of girls cleared the exams : 26
Azad Public School
The Azad India Foundation believes that education is true means of socio-economic and intellectual advancement of the society. Every child at least deserves primary education irrespective of caste, religion or socio-economic background. APS aims at developing full mental and physical potential of each child. The school has introduced contemporary education and training methods.
For this purpose an innovative approach involving a mix of classroom teaching with audio-visual aids along with physical and extra-curricular activities has been introduced. Azad India Foundation also provides free ships and sponsorships to poor and needy students studying in the school. We have introduced fee concessions to deserving students by way of subsidized tuition fee for different income groups. There is a special concession for girls in all categories to promote education among them.
Sponsorship Programme at Azad Public School
Azad India Foundation was fortunate to find generous sponsors for poor and needy children who are being given free education at Azad Public School. At present 16 students are being sponsored out of which 10 are young girls.
Sponsorship Programme under Give India
Azad India Foundation signed MOU with Give India in December and subsequently listed on their website in January.
AIF received sponsorship for 4 children who were given admission in different classes at Azad Public School.
Project NIRMAAN (Supported by National Foundation for India and CCF –India)
To promote Maternal and Child health in Pothia block Project Nirman started in 2007 by NFI with the support of CCF.The main objectives of the project was to improve maternal health and improve the survival rate of children 0-2 years. The other main objectives were to equip adolescent girls and boys with reproductive health information and increase use of contraception among the young couples. The project functioned in 38 villages covering 5 panchayats .The total population covered was 29,619.
The main strategies were cluster approach, school intervention, and group formation, communication methods involving nukkad nataks and developing linkages with the line depts. The first year of partnership with CCF ended in Jul 2008.The main achievements of the project were:
221 pregnant women registered disaggregated based on enrolled/ non- enrolled, caste, economic status
116 Pregnant women received 3 ANC regular health check ups
287Pregnant women taking prescribed dosage of IFA and Multi Vitamins
21 risk cases detected and referral services accessed
18% of home based deliveries attended by Trained Birth Attendants (TBAs)
63% of women having institution based deliveries
98% reduction in infant death
413 Eligible couples adopting appropriate birth spacing methods.
154 children fully immunized disaggregated based on gender / enrolment / caste / religion
225 mothers practicing breast feeding norms
83 adolescents trained on reproductive rights
54 peer educators
500 couples aware of contraception by method in the intervention area
Project NIRMAN (Supported by National Foundation for India) II year intervention
AIF and NFI continued the initiative in improving the maternal and child health from August 2008 onwards. The objectives were same and intervention included five new villages and dropping some villages where community was empowered to take their own health decisions.
The total villages where intervention was being carried were 43.
119 pregnant women registered disaggregated based on enrolled/ non- enrolled, caste, economic status in first trimester.
380pregnant women having 3 ANC regular health check ups.
246 pregnant women taking prescribed dosage of IFA and Multi Vitamins.
62 risk cases detected and referral services accessed
31% of home based deliveries attended by Trained Birth Attendants (TBAs)
68%women having institution based deliveries
No death of infant reported from Intervention area
643 eligible couples adopting appropriate birth spacing methods.
419 children fully immunized disaggregated based on gender / enrollment / caste / religion
1435 mothers practicing breast feeding norms
105 adolescents trained on reproductive rights
Project Disha (Supported by Geneva Global)
The Project Disha started in January 2008 with the support of Geneva Global. The main aim of the program is to improve maternal and child health in 4 panchayts of Pothia block. Under the project 54 villages are covered in Damalbari, Parlabari, and Raipur and Jahangir pur panchayats. AIF has set up two RCH centers at strategic locations which help in providing basic health services to the patients. Regular weekly visits from Doctors from Kishanganj including Gynaecologist provide ANC, PNC to the pregnant and lactating mothers. The availability of trained dais at the RCH centres as well as in the intervention area has increased safe deliveries in the remote villages. The strategies were home visits, community meetings and linkages with health depts.
There is a marked increase in the awareness among pregnant women regarding their health. An increasing number of pregnant women are going for complete ante-natal check-ups.Not a single maternal death was reported from the intervention area .There has been increase in the immunization rate of the infants. Fewer deaths (23) were reported in the infant age group 0-42 days in the intervention area. There is increase in awareness among community members regarding immunization. AIF reached with information on safe motherhood, immunization, anaemia and other health practices within the community members. From January AIF introduced cutting and tailoring and literacy classes for adolescent girls in 9 villages to give income generating skills and also to retain their interest in health initiatives.
Some of the achievements over last year :
Total number of pregnant women registered with ANM: 555
Total pregnant women taken 2 TT: 952
Total pregnant women taken 100 IFA tablets: 1273
Total women undergone full ANC: 1366
83% safe deliveries through hospital and trained dais
Total number of children undergoing immunization: 648
Total number of maternal death reported in last year: nil
Flood Relief work at Araria
Last year large parts of north Bihar were inundated with flood water displacing more than 2.5 million people from their homes. This was perhaps the worst ever misery suffered by such a huge population of the state. Azad India Foundation with the help of volunteers provided aid to flood victims through series of health camps, distribution of clothes and blankets and other utilities.
Trainings and Meetings attended by AIF Team
Consultative Workshop on ASHA training for Bihar organized by Pranjal -9th April 08
State Committee Meeting organized by Credibility Alliance – 27th November 08
Capacity Building for Project NIRMAN Team at Patna -29-30th November 08
Capacity Building for Project Disha Team at Patna organized by BVHA-17-21st Feb 09
Training of Dais and Cluster Coordinator organized by Population Foundation of India-16th March 09
Workshop on Project Management organized by Geneva Global and ASK- 16-18th March
Beti Bacho Andolan ,State Level Workshop organized by Bhoomika Vihar-23rd March
Visitors to Azad India Foundation
Mrs Ratna Mathur,Senior Programme Officer,Sir Dorabji Tata Trust ,New Delhi
Mrs Debjani Ghosh,Senior Programme Officer,NFI,New Delhi
Mr Junnad Khan,Programme Officer,IIMPACT,Gurgaon
Mr Gene White and Ms Neeta Minz ,Geneva Global
Mr Swapan Majumdar,Executive Director,Bihar Voluntary Health Association,Patna
Ms Barbara Monachesi, Aperion,Nepal
Membership
Azad India Foundation is member of AIDS Care Watch Campaign.
Azad India Foundation joined Mamta Network representing Kishanganj
Azad India Foundation is accredited member of Credibility Alliance
Azad India Foundation is listed on Giveindia.org
Name of the Sponsors
Mr Subha Chakarvorty – UK
Mr Sanjay Popli-USA
Mr Alak Raju – New Delhi
Mr and Mrs Iskandar Lal Jee- New Delhi
Dr Mrs Zeba Alam- SriLanka
Mrs Usha Saran- Kishanganj
Mrs Vandana Advani-Mumbai
Mr.Sanjay Beri-UK
Mrs Sayeeda Banu- Kishanganj
Mr and Mrs Arun Mehra
Mr Anupam Srivastava
Mr Abhishek Lal
Mr Manish Kumar
Mr and Mrs B.Bipin
Mrs Ritu Singh
Mr Mantosh Bhattacharya
Mr Sanjay Aggrawal
Our Partners
National Foundation for India New Delhi
Geneva Global
Christian Children Fund, Bangalore
Identity
AIF is registered as not for profit under Society’s Act 21, 1860 (Reg No 145 dtd June, 21 2001)
MOA is available on request
AIF is registered u/s 12 A of the Income Tax Act 1961 and with the IT exemption 80G valid till March 2008 ( Reg no 1324/2005-06)
AIF is registered under section 6(1) (a) of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 1976 (FCRA Reg no: 030910003)
AIF pan no is AAATA7787J
Name and Address of Main bankers
United bank of India, Dey Market, Kishanganj
UCO Bank, Dey Market, Kishanganj
Name and Address of Auditors
Jha & Associates, Chartered Accountants,
Flat no 406-407, Grand Plaza,
4th Floor, Frazer Road,
Patna 800001
Registered Address : Azad Manzil, line mohalla, Kishanganj, Bihar, 06456-222483
Website : http://azadindia.org
Email : aif_org@yahoo.co.in
Governance : Details of the Board Members (as on March 31, 2009)
| Name | Age | Sex | Position onboard | Occupation | Meetings attended |
| Mrs.Sayeeda Banu | 60 | F | Chairperson | Social Work, Agriculture | 4/4 |
| Mrs Yuman Hussain | 35 | F | Executive Director | NGO professional | 4/4 |
| Mr.Farahatullah | 70 | M | Treasurer | Social Work | 2/4 |
| Dr.GovardhanSingh Rathore | 45 | M | Director | Doctor | 2/4 |
| Mr.Iskander Laljee | 46 | M | Director | Industrialist SudChemie India Pvt.Ltd | 1/4 |
| Mr.Ramesh Choudhary | 46 | M | Director | Businessman Chandra Shipping Pvt.Ltd | 0/4 |
| Mr.Aamir Haque | 30 | M | Director | Producer ,AajTak | 2/4 |
| Mr Alak Raju | 45 | M | Director | Businessman | 1/4 |
The AIF Board met 4 times in the FY 2008-09 on 30.5.08, 25.6.08, 23.9.08 and 14.2.09.Minutes of Board meetings are documented and circulated.
A Board Rotation Policy exists and is practised.
The Board approves programmes, budgets, annual activity reports and audited financial statements.
The Board ensures the organization’s compliance with laws and regulations.
Accountability and Transparency
Salary is being paid to Executive Director and Honorarium to Treasurer. No other remuneration, sitting fees or any other form of compensation has been paid to any board member.
The following reimbursements have been made to Board members :
Travelling Expenses to attend Board Meetings- Nil
Travelling Expenses to Ms Yuman Hussain during the year- Rs 31,142
No other reimbursements have been made to any Board Member
Executive Director’s Remuneration is Rs 15,000 /p.m
Remuneration of three highest paid staff members
Rs 9000/- p.m, Rs 5000/- p.m, Rs 4000/- p.m
Remuneration of the lowest paid staff member: Rs 1000 /- pm
Total cost of International travel by all staff during the year is nil.
Total cost of national travel and conveyance by all staff during the year is Rs. 1, 55,639/-
| Gender | Paid Full time | Paid Part -time | Paid Consultant | Unpaid Volunteers |
| Male | 22 | 01 | 03 | 00 |
| Female | 22 | 02 | 00 | |
| Total | 44 | 01 | 05 | 00 |
| Slab of gross salary per month ( in Rs) plus benefits paid to the staff | Male | Female | Total |
| < 5000 | 20 | 21 | 41 |
| 5000-10,000 | 03 | 00 | 03 |
| 10,000-25,000 | 01 | 01 | |
| 50,000-1,00,000 | |||
| 100,000> | |||
| Total | 23 | 22 | 45 |
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