A Change Catalyst since 1993
Sustainable Economic & Educational Development Society (SEEDS)
Who We Are
Supporters
SEEDS is a registered 501(c)(3) public charity organization in the USA, EIN 74-2723080. SEEDS-India is also a registered charity in India. Our supporters can therefore make tax-deductible donations in the USA in dollars and in India in INR as permitted by law.
Volunteers
SEEDS is an all-volunteer organization. While financial contribution is important, SEEDS is also heavily dependent on the time and skills contributed by our dedicated volunteers towards SEEDS activities and projects. volunteers believe in the objectives and values of SEEDS, participate actively in deliberations, and provide long term financial or volunteer support to projects sponsored by SEEDS.
Partners
SEEDS works in partnership with nonprofit organizations and communities that know the local conditions, needs, resources, and possible solutions. Often the beneficiaries of the project provide in-kind help such as labor and sustainability plan. Ideal solutions emerge from working together in this way taking joint ownership.
Our Objectives
1
Promote educational and economic progress and development of the very needy in the state of Odisha, India and other parts of the world in general.
2
Financially and technically support development that is sustainable (long-term, self-supporting, and environmentally non-predatory), non-violent (tolerant, without brute force), democratic, equitable (fair and just, more for the needy) and decentalized (not imposed from above, grassroots, and local/native solutions).
3
Support development and education that fosters awareness about rights and responsibilities among the people it seeks to help as well as among its own volunteers, thus emphasizing a participatory consciousness.
Current Activities: Empowerment Through Education
Responding to loss of learning through Village Learning Centers in Western Odisha
The pandemic lockdowns caused severe loss of learning in the remote tribal areas of western Odissa where education was poor to begin with. Agragamee, an NGO in Nuapada, is intervening to bridge this gap by training youth volunteers of ages 15-17, who have completed 10th grade, to become Edu-volunteers, to work with children of ages 6-14 years by establishing Village Learning Centers, each center supporting 50 children from nearby communities. This effort has created a love of learning, joy in reading, and reduced fear and stress of going back to school in addition to catching up with the curriculum study. SEEDS has committed to supporting one learning center for multiple years with help from our donors. Thank you!
Nursing Student Assistance
India has a shortage of nurses. Bhubaneswar has several nursing colleges offering 3-year General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) diploma programs that attract female students from low income families from rural areas in Odisha after completing high school (+2). After enrolling in the nursing programs, they struggle to meet the high cost of living in Bhubaneswar. To prevent dropout, we launched a financial assistance program in 2022. We aim to provide financial assistance of $500 each to up to 50 new needy nursing students each year, renewable for two more years for program completion. Please watch this short video and read answers to Frequently Asked Questions for more information about this program. Here is what has been done in the first 6-months.