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| NGOs >> AVSAR |
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PROGRAM BACKGROUND: AVSAR is a US-based nonprofit organization Founded by Dr. Ashish Goyal, a 27-year old doctor from Atlanta, Georgia. The idea came about after he practiced clinical medicine in the worlds largest slum, called Dharavi, as a fourth-year medical student on an international rotation. He worked with the Niramaya Health Foundation (NHF) and structured the experience to include clinical duties so that it would qualify for one month of medical school credit. This was done in order to preserve his one month of vacation. He was deeply affected by the poverty, the lack of healthcare access, and the preventable diseases he encountered. He saw an opportunity to make a difference by helping to establish an Adolescent Health and Sex Education program. After successfully doing so, he knew that he would have to return to spend the greater part of a one-year vacation in an effort to find another opportunity (another AVSAR) to help make even the smallest difference again.
PURPOSE: AVSARs main purpose is to create partnerships between inspirational NGOs working in India and volunteers from all over the world with the skills and desire to learn and contribute. AVSAR serves as a liaison between volunteers and NGOs. For volunteers, we provide infrastructural support (city and language orientation, a place to live, basic amenities etc.) and for NGOs we provide them with a continuous stream of long-term and short-term volunteers to help where the help is needed .
We provide US/Canadian/EU medical students (equivalent of MBBS students) and US Public Health graduates (equivalent of Social Productive Medicine) as skilled professionals working in a voluntary capacity. Soon we will begin to recruit volunteers from within India, and in the summer of 2004 we hope to also start a program specifically aimed at recruiting skilled professionals that may be able to support educational programs as well. The hope is to connect passionate individuals searching for public service opportunities with passionate grassroots organizations that can serve as inspirational mentors. As a result, the volunteers and NGOs may form supportive bonds that last a lifetime.
CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF VOLUNTEERS: AVSAR will provide the skilled professionals needed, with systems in place to recruit individuals who are looking for more than just a story to tell because they are passionate about seeing a greater India. All candidates go through an extensive application process which includes letters of recommendations, essays on their purpose for seeking the opportunity, their expectations while in India, their past involvement with underprivileged populations, their past experiences in India, etc. All candidates are also subject to an in depth phone interview conducted by AVSARs Program Director in order to gather more information about the candidate, and to also reinforce the purpose of this opportunity service.
CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF PARTNER NGOs: Reform efforts are already underway throughout India (in healthcare, education, law, policy, environment, etc.), but like most not-for-profit efforts, the organizations leading these efforts struggle to find the resources needed to do accomplish that which they want to, and can, accomplish. AVSAR chooses its partner NGOs after site visits have been conducted and the expectations of the NGO have been clearly discussed. While our program is structured to provide you with supportive and skilled professionals, it is important to discuss the expectations we have regarding the environment in which we place such dedicated individual who invest so much time, money, and energy into this experience. Once there is a mutual understanding of how the experience may positive and productive for both the volunteer and the NGO, the partnership begins. Contact
Details: Dipika Banerjee, Program Director,
AVSAR
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