Archives
Contribute
| Pratham Boston Presents A Fun Filled, Entertaining, Musical Evening |
Press Release
05/05/2011
[1] U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), selected years, 1992–2009 Reading Assessments, NAEP Data Explorer.
May 22, 2011 4:30 pm
Ashland High School, Ashland, MA
"For you and I reading is a given. The U.S. Department of Education indicates that almost 70% of 4th graders and 75% of 8th graders read at or above the basic reading level for their age group [1]. But the picture isn’t quite as rosy on the other side of the world. Literacy rates in India are a shocking reminder of the need for educational intervention in the country. Nearly 50 percent of rural children in the 5th grade cannot read at a basic 2nd grade level according to one statistical report [2]. In the wake of such upsetting figures, Pratham has taken on the challenge of ensuring quality education for children across India with the hopes of supporting those for whom education is still very much a privilege. This past March, I was fortunate enough to have a first hand look at Pratham’s efforts in Mumbai where the organization first took root in 1994," says Isha Parulkar, a resident in the Boston area, who recently got the opportunity to see first-hand the impact Pratham is making.
Pratham Boston, the Boston Chapter of Pratham USA, is dedicated to raising awareness about the problem of illiteracy in India and raising funds for Pratham. In this article, we will look at what Pratham Boston team is doing to achieve its goal and take a tour to the various Pratham classrooms with Isha.
Pratham Boston is organizing a fund-raiser by offering a fun-filled, entertaining, musical evening on May 22, 2011, in Ashland High School. Pratham Boston has teamed up with Aaroh music group and Bollywood Bhangra to bring this event to you. If you are passionate about Bollywood songs and dances, you should definitely not miss this event. Come and listen to melodious Bollywood songs from outstanding Aaroh performers and enjoy the highly energetic and lively Bhangra dances by Boston Bhangra. Tickets are available at http://prathamusa.tix.com. Come and support us. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of India's underprivileged.
Another recently held event was an enchanting evening of memorable Geets and Ghazals, held by a group of volunteers held on March 19th. The event was sold-out.
Now, let’s read about Isha’s experience and impressions at the classrooms.
“My introduction to the work of Pratham took place on the side of a bustling street in Mumbai’s Worli district. I was ushered into a room in which a group of children were seated in a circle reading stories. We were in a library, one of many others that Pratham has established to give children from low-income families access to reading materials outside of class time. The books vary depending on region and language and are supplied for various age groups. The librarian was a middle aged woman seated amongst the children, who was overseeing the drawing made by a little girl. She, like the other librarians, was hired from within the community that the children belong to, allowing for a stronger connection between the Pratham efforts and the local populace. Like many of the women who serve as teachers and community helpers for Pratham, she is part of a greater vision to achieve women’s liberation through education and employment.
For our next stop we drove through a narrow dirt pathway and into a clearing where three or four houses surrounded a mud play yard. We stepped into a tiny classroom in which a teacher was leading a small group of students in reciting the days of the week. This was the Balwadi program, a preschool initiative aimed at giving underprivileged children the same early education as children who have access to government-run preschools. The entire program is a community effort, from the tiny house we were standing in to the teachers that worked with the students. The curriculum is carefully constructed by a Pratham content team and includes cognitive, practical, and social skills. While touring the classroom, I came across cardboard cutouts of animals and a set of blocks which are used to help children develop fine motor skills. The program also introduces basic health, nutrition, and hygiene to the students who are expected to bathe and pin up their hair prior to entering the class. The teachers are provided a small salary that is generally supplied by parents who form a connection with their child’s educator. This program’s success is truly an indication that more parents are beginning to realize the importance of education in ensuring a successful future for the child.
I was next brought to a Scholarship program which helps children receive financial alleviation based on their performance in centralized exams. Standing in the door of the classroom, I noted the focus and rigor with which the students treated their mock examinations. The teacher stepped outside to speak with us and shared how she was fascinated by the confidence and brilliance of these young minds. In a classroom later that day, I had the opportunity to speak with the students themselves about their dreams and aspirations. Amongst the boys it was a three way tie between an engineer, cricketer, and scientist. The girls were more decided, the majority wanting to become teachers and only a handful who wanted to become professional dancers. I was grateful for their honesty and moved by the respect and emulation with which they regarded their own teachers. A little later, I pulled the teacher aside to learn a bit about what prompted her to join Pratham. In Hindi she conveyed that she had finished her B.A. and shortly thereafter got married and became a housewife. She had always yearned to do something for society and decided to join Pratham to become a teacher. When asked what her favorite part about teaching was she said the opportunity to learn something new every day.
From women’s empowerment to education for the underprivileged, Pratham is constantly challenging and redefining the boundaries of their mission to improve the educational infrastructure in India. Academic support doesn’t stop at a junior class level and Pratham has taken measures to set up vocational programs for older children to facilitate their entry into the professional world. Volunteers train students in the areas of hospitality (in partner with Taj hotels), business (in partner with Deutsch Bank) and construction, to name a few key programs. Their unbridled enthusiasm for education coupled with a first hand view of their programs compelled me to ask what we, seven thousand miles away, can do to help. The number one thing is of course to raise awareness about the need for educational programs and support in India. Our distance and often our different experiences make it challenging to enter the communities and interact with a group of students as teachers, but we can certainly share the fervor for education and the understanding for where it is needed. It boils down to what we consider literacy and education to represent. If indeed they are the key to socio-economic and cultural progress than we can all agree that with organizations like Pratham in place, we are on the right path.
I would like to thank Natasha Trivedi, Associate Project Review and Management, Pratham-Mumbai for setting up this opportunity and facilitating my visit with Pratham."
You can be a part of this movement too. Check out http://www.prathamusa.org/dnn/Chapters/Boston/tabid/62/Default.aspx
Together, let’s build a more literate India and empower the dreams of the children who are the future of India.
|
You may also access this article through our web-site http://www.lokvani.com/
