FAQs

Frequently asked Q&A:

• Question:   I am not too sure if the books will be for primary or secondary schools & the language of these books – English or regional?

Answer:   The school provides their needs. We are agnostic to the school education levels and the language.  READ Team and Read India can also suggest books.

• Question:   Who is going to decide the schools to which the money will go – is there any selection process of the schools?

Answer:  Answered above. READ Team would decide. Someone from the team would nominate the school and provide the background, reasons etc for the books. A template form would be created for the same. Any volunteers?

• Question:   If for some reason, we don’t find any school/community?

Answer:  Read India would suggest a school or community. In case we don’t like the school, funds can be pooled in and can be used for future based on mutual decision.

• Question:   Will it be region specific?

Answer: Anywhere in India.

• Question:    Who will be responsible for the proper utilization of the funds?

Answer: READ Team would be collectively responsible.

We need a volunteer for Audit and funds record management.

• Question:    Who will be the contact person in India who will be actually doing the ground level job of selecting the books, selecting the school, buying the books & finally the books reaching its ultimate destination?

Answer: Selecting books by school/community with help by READ Team and Read India. For buying and delivering books:

·         Local champions. We have Mumbai Volunteer already. 

·         Where we don’t have a local champion, we would work to find a book seller with online ordering and free delivery

·         We would also use Read India infrastructure and team where possible.

• Question:   How will people come to know how their donations have been used?

Answer: Every second month a finance report will be send to the READ Team.

• Question:  Can I donate more money?

Answer: As an individual, a READ Team member contributes between Rs 500 – Rs 1000 only every month. This is so that the team contribution is at similar level financially. Members can get contribution from external sources. Proposal is that any extra donation would be marked separately and may be used for any school/community READ team decide.

• Question:  Will the group donate money for other school/children needs as well?

Answer: No. To be effective, this would solely focus on providing books for school/community libraries. We encourage people to visit the school/community and contribute in other ways directly.

• Question: What can this small contribution achieve? We have so many other challenges/issues in India? Just 6/10 schools for the whole year?

Answer:  It’s a pilot scheme and intend is to provide another way for people to contribute. People are free to contribute/help above and beyond. Other objective of this group is to bring these 10 Team members together. The Team members would ignite/inspire their own circle of people.

• Question:  Has the first school been selected?

Answer: The first school has already been selected in Dharavi, Mumbai. http://www.dharavischool.org/

Communication has been established with the School Principal. (Mrs Shubhangi Karvir)

• Question: Would we interact with the school later on on-going basis?

Answer:  We would endeavour to setup an informal communication channel with the schools involved. The India/Books coordinator would come up with proposal.

• Question: Can we donate books which are not asked by the school/not in curriculum but have been personally benefited by the same.

Answer:  Priority would be the books school/community has asked for. Additional books could be decided by the Team.

• Question: Is READ Initiate or READ India making any money?

Answer:  It’s a completely non profit endeavour. All the money donated will be used to purchase, bind and deliver books.

Any extra expense incurred by the Core Team and Local Champions is their personal expenses.