Profile of The Indian American Education Foundation, Seattle WA

Indian American Education Foundation PO. Box 4305, Seattle, WA 98104-4305 Phone: (425) 830-8158 Website:www.iaefseattle.org E-mail: [email removed]

August 2005: The Indian American Education Foundation was created in May 2000 as a a not-for-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organisation with a two-fold mission, namely (a) to mobilize Indian Americans to take the responsibility of educating mainstream Americans to promote positive understanding and appreciation of our community; and (b) to provide basic education to the disadvantaged (especially children with disabilities) in India to enable them to become self-sufficient and productive.

Despite India’s impressive economic gains since the 1990s, millions live in poverty, without adequate healthcare or education. An estimated 10% of India’s population suffers from some form of disability. Because disability has been traditionally viewed as a stigma, handicapped people are among the most marginalized members of society. Children with disabilities are typically viewed as inferior and thus denied the opportunity to mix with their peers. They are also denied access to the most basic human rights, including healthcare and education, condemning many to destitution and begging.

To help empower children with disabilities in India, IAEF pursues a comprehensive plan of:

• Raising awareness about the plight of children with disabilities.
• Providing education on the perils of discrimination and segregation of the disabled.
• Supporting integrated educational programs that minimize the gap between the disabled and the able-bodied children.
• Enabling disabled children to become productive through skill-based learning and vocational training.

For more information about the Foundation or for making a contribution to support our projects and activities, please consult the contact information given on this page.

Dr. Prem Kumar August 2005

India Together first published a profile of IAEF in February 2001; this profile has since been updated to reflect the current focus and activities of the organisation. Information for this profile was provided by IAEF.