Since its inception in 1994, 2010 Kravis Prize winner Pratham, the largest non-governmental organization working to arm India with quality education, has opened doors for millions of underprivileged children. Their immeasurable impact has been met with overwhelming support across the country, with $1.5 million in donations last year. The San Francisco Bay Area Gala kicked off Pratham’s event trail last month raising over $400,000.
Pratham first orchestrated a system that provided pre-school education to children in the slums of Mumbai, but the organization’s scope has evolved remarkably as Madhav Chavan, president and CEO of Pratham shares:
“Now, we not only focus on primary school education in the slums, but also provide vocational and aid-based training, so that students can apply their education in the real world.”
The evening included a teleconference that allowed children from Pratham Pune to showcase their accomplishments and share their aspirations with the audience.
Swarna Khedekar, a teacher at Pratham, expressed her pride in the program and her profound gratitude for their supporters:
“Our library and English education programs have grown in popularity. We have reached over 127,000 children this year through our library program…until now, we had only heard of our donors in the USA. It’s a great opportunity to be able to meet them and thank them in person.”
To learn more about the inspiring work of Pratham, visit our page.
“PRATHAM SF Bay Area Gala Raises 400K for Nonprofit” [India West, September 27, 2012]
