1. Whether Sindhanai Sirpigal is a registered organization in India? Yes. We are a registered public charitable trust in India ( Regd No: 1176/B144 dated Oct'20 2001). Every year we are bound to file the IT returns to Government of India. 2. Why you have particularly adopted 10 villages come under vavipalayam panchayat? This is the very frequent question that we get. SSL was founded in vavipalayam. Somewhere we have to begin. We got a fulltime social worker and the hold of panchayat president post in vavipalayam panchayat. To do the social work there needs two parts. One, field work. Two, strategy and funding. Most of the SSL members are in the second catgory. Mr. Sundaramoorthy the founder of SSL and the acting panchayat president is taking care of the first category. Hence we've adopted 10 villages come under vavipalayam panchayat. As soon as we get a good model for Rural development, we'll adopt more villages. 3. From where you get funds? Monthly contribution from members is the major source of the funds to us. As of February 2003 approximately 60 members are contributing to us monthly. Almost all the contributing members are software engineers working in India or abroad. Apart from this we may receive one time sponsorship on a project to project basis. 4. How do you spend the funds? Salary to 7 staffs ( 3 Night School teachers, 1 Night School coordinator, 1 self help group coordinator, 1 office assistant, 1 public works coordinator) Communication, transportation expenses to the panchayat president for the effective implementation of Government schemes. Monthly meetings Books, Sports materials to Night schools Photos development and printing 5. Why do you bear the expenses of the panchayat president of your adopted villages? The salary given to the panchayat president by the Government is Rs.350/month. All the funds allotted for the state / central Government schemes are to be used only for the direct expenses of the scheme. Indirect expenses like transportation and telephone charges that may occur during the implementation of the schemes are not compensated. Hence we backup the panchayat president by bearing the expenses of the effective implementation of any schemes. 6. I'm an NRI. How can I support your activities? You can Contribute Time Sponsor / Donate Materials Donate Money 7. How do you motivate the adults to come for the classes? We tell to them that those who attend Night Schools will be given high priority in self employment schemes of Sindhanai Sirpigal. Apart from this we teach more lessons which are applicable in their day-to-day life. One example is, sending money orders. 8. Are you able to give Income tax exemption for the donations? As of now(March 2003) we don't have this provision. But we are working on to get this. 9. Are you not able to get unpaid staffs as Night School teachers? The Night Schools are functioning like a regular school. Daily, the teacher should be able to spare 4 hours and have to maintain records, conduct exams and periodically update the Night School coordinator. An unpaid volunteer won't be able to spare these much time and maintain consistency. That's the reason for using a professionally trained teachers(unemployed youths) for the Night School teachers. By this way we are able to help few unemployed youths who have completed "Teacher Training Course".