Looking Back at Our First Year

By Patrick Ferguson

The Oregonian
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Edition: Sunrise, Section: Metro Southwest Neighbors: Lake Oswego, Oregon

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Couple are inspired to start school in India
Alice Monk’s night was winding down and the bed was calling her name when she said, “Why don’t we start a school?”
Moments later, she was sleeping peacefully. But for her husband, Ed Monk, eyes wide and mind racing, it was the beginning of a long night.The West Linn couple, who adopted a son, Prasad, 9 years ago from the city of Kakinada, in the state of Andhra Pradesh in southeastern India, got in touch with Paparao Yelchuri, the man who helped them with the adoption.

Yelchuri runs Mission to the Nations, an organization that sets up schools in rural areas of India. At his suggestion, the Monks chose Yatimoga, a town about five miles south of Kakinada, as the location for the school because of the area’s dire need for education.

The school the Monks set up — Yatimoga Elementary School, known as YES! –is now in its second year. It is the only school in Yatimoga, which has a population of 20,000, about half of whom are children.

With 300 students, the school costs about $7,500 a year to run –it takes about $25 per student to pay for teachers, supplies and rent for the building.

A hard floor serves as desk and chair for the students, who spend six hours a day learning social studies, math, science and reading and writing in three languages –English; Hindi, the national language of India; and Telugu, the language native to Andhra Pradesh, India.

“Education is the path out of poverty,” said Ed Monk, a former teacher. “The formula works everywhere.”

On Oct. 19, Monk and Julie Kettler, a Lake Oswego resident who has an adopted daughter, Karuna, 13, from Kakinada, coordinated a rummage sale at Unity World Healing Center in Lake Oswego to raise money for the school. The proceeds, $1,350, will fund a class of about 50 students for a year.

“Because of the generosity of the people that gave things, and with the donated space (for the sale), all the money can go straight to India,” said Kettler. She said she and Monk plan to make the sale an annual event.

“Coming from the First World, it’s not that hard to make a difference in the Third World,” said Monk. “And it feels great.”

Patrick Ferguson
The Oregonian