[Reader-list] Help Comet connect with academic institutions and libraries in Mumbai

[Chintan Girish Modi]

Dear friends

Do make some time to read this note written by Chandita Mukherjee, Director
of Comet Media Foundation.

Comet has done some fabulous work in the field of education, and I've had
the opportunity to see some of it closely.

If you can extend any help at this moment, please do.

Warmth and gratitude

Chintan


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Chandni Parekh <chandni.parekh at gmail.com>

Please see if you can help Comet. I really like some of the things they do.
- Chandni

From: Comet Media Foundation <cometmediafdn at gmail.com>
Date: 6 February 2011 16:29
Subject: Need your suggestions re school contacts

Dear Chandni

As you know, Comet Media Foundation or Comet is an NGO working since 1985 in
the field of communications media for education. Please visit our website
www.cometmedia.org for details of our activities, but here are some brief
pointers:

* The context of our work: the educational system in India, by and large,
emphasises learning by rote and discourages creativity.
* Our mission: to develop media for education, social change and
sustainability. We facilitate processes of lifelong learning, learning
through living, learning from nature and community learning.
* Our vision: a society where young people are empowered from childhood
through free access to the vision and method of science, through information
communication technologies (ICTs) and open source culture. Such knowledge
would help them to discover their full potential, to contribute to society
and to experience personal fulfilment.

We have been working from premises in the BMC School at Topiwala Lane off
Lamington Road, since 1989. As of Saturday February 5th we have been evicted
and we are searching for an alternative place and so are coming to you for
help in this emergency situation where we may have to consider closing the
organisation. You would be aware of the high property rates in the city and
as a non-profit body, we are not in a position to buy or take a place on
rent at the prevailing rates.

We are wondering if you could connect us with some institutions such as
schools, colleges and public libraries with unused rooms in the city area.
We would be happy to enter into a partnership with such a school to provide
services to its students during school hours and to the community living
around it, after school hours.

Our assets include a library of over 4000 books, some 1500 films, a
collection of traditional toys and a professional video studio with shooting
and editing equipment. We would provide valuable training and resources
based on information communication technologies (ICTs) in a manner relevant
to the learners. Such a partnership would be an asset to the host school and
will be reflected immediately in the creative outputs and academic results
of the children. In return, we would expect about 2000 sq ft of space to
work from, for which we would pay a reasonable rent, but not at market
rates.

Please let us have your suggestions and introduce us to people who would
appreciate such an arrangement, for the mutual benefit of all concerned.

Chandita Mukherjee