Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Last day of the campaign... Can you spare an hour?

 
WAH Banner - Sunset-silhouette-building
Only 12 more Hours left... Help educate a child.

Iday
 
15 Projects
7000 Children

To learn more about WAH, check us out on YouTube

Video on YouTube
Greetings!

The clock is ticking down to 15th September, to the official end of Asha for Educations's 2009 Work An Hour campaign.

But even as WAH 2009 comes to an end, it marks the beginning of hope to more than 7000 children. Hope of education, of a better future. Give them a lending hand, spare an hour of your time and join us in enusuring that they have a bright and hopeful future.

Work An Hour. Prepare. Educate. Empower.

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$200,000 target.
$99,000 raised.

Mail your checks to
"Gators for Asha, 300-9 J Wayne Reitz Union, PO Box 118505, Gainesville, FL - 32611"

 
WAH Banner - Sunset-silhouette-bird
 

Monday, September 14, 2009

Time Flies... last 2 days to go!

 
 
WAH 2009 - Sand Clock
An hour is precious. Donate yours for something equally precious.
Greetings!

Work an Hour (WAH) 2009 is in its last two days of the campaign. Thanks to the support of generous donors, we have raised more than $72,000 so far. But we are still short of our target and need your help.

A worthy cause, a perfect time. Donate Now!

Support
15 Projects
300+ Teachers
7000+ Students

Donate Button

$200,000 Target. $73,000 Raised.
 
Work An Hour. Prepare. Educate. Empower.
Mail your checks to "Gators for Asha, 300-9 J Wayne Reitz Union, PO Box 1185051, Gainesville, FL - 32611"
Add color to the life of a child.

 
To learn more about WAH, check us out on YouTube

Link to Youtube video
 
 

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Dessert Wine

We were on the hunt for good dessert wines since the past three years. I have listed some of our personal favorites. Bear in mind, I don’t drink too much nor have any clue about smell & colors. I go by my taste…

  • Castello del Poggio Moscato

Castello del Poggio Moscato d'Asti (2007)

Winery: Castello del Poggio

Varietal: Muscat Blanc À Petits Grains
Region: Italy > Piemonte > Asti
Color: Straw-yellow with golden reflections and a delicate mousse.

Apple pear flavor. Sweet but not at all cloying; well-balanced and with an extremely refined fruitiness.

Available in Olive Garden @ ~$6/glass. Not easy to find outside but if you can do let me know!! It is around $12+ online add shipping. Alcohol : 5.5%

 

 

 

  • Taylor’s Port

image

Winery: Taylor Family Vineyards Varietal: Blend
Region: USA > New York
Type: Dessert/Fortified
Color: Red

Tastes like Port Wine you can get in India. Reminds me of younger times!! Very cheap option – you can buy a 750ml for just $5.95 with 18% alcohol

A rich, fruity taste and smooth finish make Taylor Port the perfect choice to pair with your favorite dessert. It is a moderately sweet, ruby red port and is delicious for evening sipping. Serve over ice or at room temperature, with a twist, or with soda. More info

 

  • Taylor’s Marsala
image

Winery: Taylor Family Vineyards
Varietal: Marsala
Region: Italy > Sicily > Marsala
Type: Table WineColor: Red

Deeply golden, warm and fruity, Taylor Marsala is a classic flavor in gourmet cooking and a smooth satisfying dessert wine. It is a creamy, medium sweet marsala with raisin-like flavoring. A delicious gourmet touch in recipes or for sipping. Serve at room temperature. More Info...

Very cheap option – you can buy a 1.5L for just $8.95 with 18% alcohol

 

 

  • Green Apple Blossom
Winery: Adirondack Winery

Varietal: Gewürztraminer
Region: USA > New York
Type: Fruit Wine
Color: White

This straw-colored white wine is intensely flavorful, reminiscent of a freshly cut green apple. The pleasant soft acidity and luscious, fruity aroma of this crisp wine make it a great refresher.

750ml, 8% Alcohol by Volume $13.50

If you ever visit Adirondack Park – Lake George region do not miss Adirondack Winery & Tasting Room. They have a good variety of wines.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Act now! only five days left for WAH 09!

 
 
WAH Banner - Brown Background
An hour of your time helps shape a better future.
Greetings!

Work an Hour (WAH) 2009 is in its last week of the campaign. Thanks to the support of generous donors, we have raised more than $66,000 so far. But we are still short of our target and need your help.

Your support is crucial in supporting 7000+ children shape a better future. Just an hour's worth of your salary guarantees them a year of education. Best of all, it takes a minute of your time to donate.

A worthy cause, a perfect time. Donate Now!

Donate Button

$200,000 Target. $66,000 Raised.
 
Work An Hour. Prepare. Educate. Empower.
 
http://www.workanhour.org/?r=Sep10_email
 
Support
15 Projects

300+ Teachers
7000+ Students

To learn more about WAH, check us out on YouTube

Link to Youtube video
 
 

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Steamed Scallion Ginger Fish Fillets with Bok Choy




In this video, Chinese cooking authority Chef Shirley Cheng of the renowned Culinary Institute of America shows us how to make Steamed Scallion-Ginger Fish Fillets with Bok Choy. A simple sauce of soy sauce, sugar, rice wine, five-spice powder, and fresh ginger is used to marinate and finish the fillets. In coastal Canton, whole fish is often steamed with this sort of sauce, but steaming fillets is much easier at home (and just as tasty). You can use just about any thin, white fish fillet, such as halibut, sole, flounder, catfish, or trout. In the video, Cheng devises a steamer out of a ramekin with a plate on top—and removes it with her bare hands. Unless you have the typically tough hands of a chef, use pot holders or lift the fish out with a spatula. Or simply use a bamboo steamer or a regular steamer, as described in the recipe. Before the dish is served, it is topped with sliced scallions and hot oil, in typical Cantonese style.\

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup light soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 cup Shaohsing rice wine
  • 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
  • 2 pounds sole fillet, cut into 8 pieces
  • 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, finely julienned
  • 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 8 scallions (white and green parts), cut crosswise into 2-inch lengths, then thinly julienned lengthwise
  • Stir-Fried Baby Bok Choy
Preparation:

In medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sugar, rice wine, and five-spice powder.

Transfer fish to 2 rimmed plates. Drizzle each piece with 1 tablespoon soy sauce mixture and scatter with julienned ginger. (Set remaining sauce aside for finishing dish.) Cover and refrigerate 15 minutes.

Fit large saucepan with flat steamer basket, fill with 1 inch water, and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and transfer 1 plate to steamer basket. Cover and steam 4 minutes. Without lifting lid, turn off flame and allow residual heat to finish cooking until fish is just cooked through, about 1 minute more. Carefully remove plate (keep warm in oven). Return water in steamer to boil, transfer second plate to steamer, and steam remaining fish in same manner.

While fish is steaming, in small saucepan over moderate heat, heat vegetable oil. Keep warm.

Divide fish among 4 plates and top with julienned scallions. Pour splash of hot oil over each dish. Serve immediately with bok choy.

Sunday, September 06, 2009

Happy Teachers Day



Ever looked at an old class photo taken with a favorite teacher and wondered where you would be without him/her? Ever wondered how desperately lost we would have been without their guidance? These men and women have dedicated their life to learning, paving the way and molding our existence. Our TEACHERS! They have transformed our lives through education and taught us the basics on which our success rests. Former president of India, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam had this to say in his 2003 Teachers Day speech - 'A student spends 25,000 hours in the campus. The school must have the best of teachers who have the ability to teach, love teaching and build moral qualities.' .

On September 5th, as we celebrate Teacher's Day - the birthday of India's second president Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, let us reflect on those who have influenced our lives. Create the same experience, that we cherished for long, for the less fortunate.

Asha for Education's Work an Hour campaign provides you with the opportunity to pay tribute to your teachers in a unique way. Support more than 300 teachers across 15 projects and change the lives of more than 7000 underprivileged school children.

Donate now, share a Teachers Day Gift, the gift of education!

15 Projects, 300+ Teachers and 7000+ Students.
Donate  Button

PS: To learn more about WAH, check us out on YouTube
WAH 09 video on You Tube


Friday, September 04, 2009

Kolambi Bhaat



1. Marinate the prawns for some time with ginger garlic paste, salt, chili powder and coriander powder.

2. Cook rice with oil, salt, shahi jeera(Black cumin seeds), cloves, cardamon, cinnamon, black pepper and a bay leaf till it is 90% done.

3. Heat oil. Add cardamon, cinnamon, cloves, mace and cumin seeds. When they start spluttering, add the prawns one by one and fry. If all prawns are added together they will leave a lot of moisture, and then instead of frying, the prawns will boil and we want the prawns fried, not boiled. Fry for around 3 mins or till 50% cooked.

4. Remove the prawn and retain the oil in the same vessel. To this oil, add curd, and mix it well.

5. Next add chopped green chillies, coriander leaves, mint leavers, salt, biryani masala and fried onions.

6. Then add the prawns and mix well once. Spread it in the dish. Add the rice on it and spread. Sprinkle coriander leaves, fried onion, garam masala powder(cloves, cinnamon, cardamon and black pepper) and saffron diluted in water.

7. Cover with an air tight lid and cook on low flame for around 7-10 mins.

When done, mix well and serve hot.

TAGS: Kolambi Bhaat, Shrimp Biryani, Prawn Pulao, Jinga Rice

NASA's coolest video on earth

Thursday in the Newsroom, our Josh Levs showed us NASA’s stunning new images of earth, highlighting climate changes and how the weather in one part of the planet impacts the rest of us. NASA calls it the “coolest, most illustrative video” of its kind ever.



Want to see more? Click here.

Tuesday, September 01, 2009

Random sayings...

Eat like Pigs, Work like Horses and Sleep like Devils

"You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life." - Churchilll


Four things a woman should know

  • How to look like a girl
  • How to act like a lady
  • How to think like a man AND
  • How to work like a dog

Friday, August 28, 2009

Education is the best hope!

WAH Banner - Gradient Background
Education is the best hope.
Greetings!

In the quest for higher literacy rates and overall development, remote areas of the country are often neglected.

While India overall, has made considerable improvements in education with average literacy rates now above 60%, there are still some parts of the country where the literacy rate is as low as 10% and less than 1 in 5 people have had any exposure to education. These are usually areas with poor access to formal education, where the nearest school is often just too far to reach.

More than anything else, spreading knowledge and opportunities empowers communities. Especially in areas such as these, where the fruits of education are largely unknown, the impact of educating one person goes far beyond helping just one family, it can benefit the entire community.

Work An Hour 2009 showcases three such projects and we need your contribution to continue supporting their commendable work and help them expand.

15 Projects, 7000 Children...

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Asha Darshan, Tamulpur, Assam
  • Located in Asha Darshanthe remote tribal areas near Indo-Bhutan border, a community that is beset by frequent insurgency activity and lack of adequate opportunities.
  • Supports 11 schools and 1300 students in various tribal villages.
  • Free education, study materials and mid-day meals for students.
  • Supports community through vocational training and support for self-help groups.

To learn more. Click Here.

Tribal Empowerment Project, Ukhrul, Manipur
  • Tribal Empowerment ProjectLocated in Leigangching, Ukhrul district of Manipur, a poverty-ridden area largely inhabited by tribal and dalit residents.
  • Started by Asha volunteers and a champion of tribal education T.H Joy.
  • The school caters to 500 students from grades K-7 serves tribes of all ethnicities of 13 villages providing quality education, mid-day meals and educational material.
  • Known for its high quality and the school's achievement in topping the number of students securing admission to the prestigious Navodaya school system in the district.
    To learn more, click here.
Vasista Mithila Vidyalayam, Mangamaripeta, Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
  • WAH 2009 - VMVLocated in a rural hamlet near Mangamaripeta in Vishakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh.
  • Community of fishermen and day traders with no fixed income.
  • No government schools in the area.
  • Classes til sixth standard supporting 150 students with plans to expand to higher classes.
  • School encourages parent involvement and community participation resulting in current high retention rates.
    To learn more, click here.
Work An Hour is in the seventh week of campaign and you can help us reach the target and continue supporting these deserving projects.
$50,000 raised... $150,000 still to go...

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This email was sent to ejvyas.vyassanzgiri@blogger.com by wah@ashanet.org.
Gators for Asha | 300-9 J Wayne Reitz Union | PO Box 118505 | Gainesville | FL | 32611

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Empowerment begins with Education




Learn about WAH. Check out the WAH 09 video.
Empowerment begins with Education.

Greetings!
Education is the key to reverse oppression of marginalized groups. Education is a great source of hope and strength. Especially in deprived communities and sections, it can help bring lasting change from within. However, many belong to the first generation of learners. Introducing them to school is just a small hurdle; keeping them there presents unique and daunting challenges.

Work An Hour 2009 showcases four projects that support first-generation learners among different communities and we need your support!

Goal: $200,000. Raised so far: $45,000.Donate Button
Aasra Sewa Sansthan, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

Social worker AjAasraay Patel decided to start Aasra, for the marginalized communities like the Musahars, when once near Varanasi he saw a Musahar family eat the leftovers from the stret. Empowerment through education has been the Aasra Sewa Sansthan's priority, helping the communities avail their basic rights such as food, land and employment. Children from these communities are prepared to join the mainstream. Aasra supports two non formal education centers, a sewing school, and provides teachers to government schools in the locality. With all these activities it touches the lives of nearly 250 students.
Chennai Balwadi Improvement Project, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

To suWAH 2009 - Chennai Balwadipport the growth and development of pre-school children in underprivileged areas, the Central Government of India supports pre-primary education centers, popularly called "Balwadis". But the lack of proper infrastructure and effective teaching tools, plagued the efficacy of the Balwadis in the urban slums of Chennai. So Asha volunteers started this project in 2000, to improve the quality of Blwadis. Currently, Asha Chennai supports 6 Balwadis around the city, and provides for facilities like electricity, gas, educational aids and salaries and training for teachers.
WAH 2009 - Sarda Kalyan Bhandar Sarada Kalyan Bhandar, Medinipur, West Bengal

Twenty years ago, a group of women gave birth to a quiet revolution when they started an after-hours school program to motivate and educate meritorious children in Medinipur, about 150 kilometres from Kolkata. The program has grown to include about 550 children; Sarada Kalyan Bhandar has also expanded its scope of empowerment to reach other marginalized sections of society with women empowerment programs, focusing on awareness of rights and higher education.

Children Project Trust, Kodagu (Coorg) District, Karnataka
WAH 2009 - Childrens Project Trust
In 2003, an American couple living in Puttaparthy, Andhra Pradesh, were deeply affected by the plight of the street children. Keen to make a difference, Michael Galligan and Aleli Brown began placing these children in various private schools. However, upon realizing that a normal school environment couldn't provide the special care and patience required by these exploited children, the determined couple set up a fully residential educational institution. Thus began the Children's Project Trust; after moving to their new facility near Coorg in 2007, the CPT now houses 45 students. The specially designed holistic curriculum and teaching methods are designed to enable these children to become self-sufficient and independent.
These projects aim to make more individuals capable of exercising their choice over their own lives and livelihoods. Help us help them, making bringers of change possible where there were just victims before.

Projects: 15. Students: 7000.
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Sunday, August 16, 2009

Asha for Education : Work an Hour 2009

*************************************************

Asha for Education

presents

** Work an Hour 2009 **

An online event to

help educate underprivileged children in India

http://www.workanhour.org

*************************************************

Each year, people from around the world come together in a demonstration of great human spirit, to help educate underprivileged children in India. Work An Hour, or WAH, as it is popularly known, is a summer-long, global, online fundraising campaign based on a simple concept. Participants

are asked to symbolically Work an Hour towards the cause of children's education by donating an hour's worth or more of their salary.


In 2008, WAH raised over $150,000 with a donor base of over 1,250 participants. Work an Hour 2009 aims to raise $200,000 by September 15th, 2009 to help provide for and improve the quality

of education in Asha supported schools. The funds raised will be used to support 15 projects spread across India. Details about all the projects are available on the website: http://www.ashanet.org/workanhour/2009/projects-main.html


You can be a part of this event by donating one hour of your time to help educate the underprivileged in India. You can do this symbolically by donating one hour's equivalent of your

salary or any other amount that you may choose, to Asha for Education. You can make your donations online using a credit card (Visa/MC) or by sending a check. If your company matches donations, please include the matching donation form to double your donation.

https://www.ashanet.org/workanhour/2009/donate/us.php


Please join us in this effort to educate the children of India. Forward this note to your family, friends, and colleagues and others who may be interested in making a contribution

and thereby making a difference.


Asha for Education is a federally tax-exempt organization. All contributions to it are tax-deductible. The organization is dedicated to socio-economic change in India through basic

education in the belief that education is a critical requisite for socio-economic change. In keeping with this focus, volunteers get involved with and support projects that have an education-related

component to them. Asha for Education is lauded for being a completely volunteer-driven, very low-overhead organization. 100% of your donations made towards the projects go directly to those projects.


Sincerely,

Asha for Education and the WAH 2009 Team

http://www.workanhour.org


--
Prepare. Educate. Empower.
http://www.workanhour.org