Jain Spirit 2003 03 No 14

Author(s): Jain Spirit UK
Publisher: UK Young Jains

Page 14

OPENING UP NEW HORIZONS IN RURAL INDIA
In December 2002, Hermann Kuhn, founder and longtime President of the Jain Association International (Germany) initiated the New Horizon project in rural India. Project New Horizon will train students of a gurukul in a remote rural area in professional computer operation. The teaching focuses on actual computer skills needed in the current business environment. The project further involves training the teachers of this gurukul and other schools so they become able to continue this program on a selfsustaining basis and later they can also spread this program to other areas. In this way, Project New Horizon will enliven the economic prospects of a wider rural area. It will provide an expanding pool of skilled IT workers that constitute the backbone of any sustained growth.
The gurukul in question is situated in Mahrashtra state, about 250 km east of Aurangabad, in the rural village of Nawagad, and was established by the Jain muni Sri Aryanandiji in 1992. The school provides 4 years of free education and board to young students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Hermann has been supporting this school for the last 10 years and has watched it grow from 30 students in 1992 to about 200 in 2002. The school has been officially recognised by the State School Board and in addition to the boarding students - it also provides education to about 450 students from nearby villages. Those in charge of the school offer their services on an entirely voluntary basis and without salaries.
Hermann has just introduced professional computer operation to students of the 9th and 10th grade so that school-leavers may gain practical computing skills to make it easy for them to obtain jobs requiring higher qualification. The course will focus on the practical skills needed in the current business environment. The basic principles of modern business administration, as it links to computer operation, are also covered. After completing this four-month course, the students will be able to apply their skills in any common business environment without much further training. Selected students of the 9th grade will also be introduced to advanced programming, a course that will run for one year. Hermann is currently negotiating with heads of Indian companies to provide employment for the students after they complete their training. For further information on New Horizon, email Hermann Kuhn on:centura@bom4.vsnl
November 2002: Mrs. Kundan Madhusudan Shah and her family of artists hosted an exhibition of their entire art collection, built up over a number of years. Thousands of Jains from all over London attended this event at the new Jain temple complex in Southgate, North London.
JAIN SPIRIT GRANTED CHARITY STATUS As we go to print, the Jain Spirit team is celebrating its newly granted charity status. It is now a registered charity, supervised and regulated by the U.K. Charities Commission. This means that we can now accept donations and can claim back tax on financial contributions made to the magazine by British taxpayers and corporate sponsors. We would like to encourage our readers and business supporters to send us regular donations.
GLOBAL NEWS
FORTHCOMING EVENT - July 3-6 Cincinnati 'JAINISM: THE ART OF LIVING'
The Federation of Jain Associations in North America (JAINA) is holding its 12th biennial convention in Cincinnati, Ohio on 3-6 July 2003. This international convention, entitled 'Jainism: The Art of Living' is being organised in co-operation with the Jain Centre of Cincinnati and Dayton, and is expected to attract over 6000 people from all over the world.
The weekend convention will feature excellent speakers on Jainism, a Jain networking forum, worship rituals such as pooja, art exhibitions, and a daily programme of yoga and meditation. In addition, there will be a youth service project, workshops for senior citizens, a careers fair and personal development workshops. There
will also be plenty of opportunity to socialise, with theatre and dancing on offer in the evenings. For the first time, a JAINA quilt will be created during the course of the convention, allowing delegates to share the unique aspects of their particular Jain. centre with others. The quilt will identify all the North American Jain centres and will be made and displayed during the weekend. To find out how your Jain centre can participate, please contact Ranjan Punater
on:
punater@hotmail.com
Registration for 'Jainism: The Art of Living' has now begun. Don't miss out! Visit www.jainaconvention.com to either register online or to download a registration form.
March May 2003 Jain Spirit
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