PRATHAM

Pratham is not just an initiative to educate children. More importantly, it is to build bonds with children as friends and companions.  This experience has been truly one of a kind.  We have learned that this is not a one-sided relationship. In return for our “teaching” we receive immense simple and honest affection which is hard to come by in today’s day and age. At Pratham, we learn to cherish that affection, and integrate it into the very fabric of our interaction with them. This is what sets Pratham apart from other NGOs..

Pratham meaning ‘first’ in Hindi is a first step at a lot of different levels. It is a step at providing holistic education to children. When we say education, it isn’t just being caged in the four walls of a classroom; it is introducing them to a few shades of the world that they aren’t aware of due to the limited opportunities they have. Hence we not only help them with studies but also boost their confidence with various other activities that provide them with an opportunity to express themselves.

We, the students of DAIS, volunteer at Pratham once a week. We usually help the kids with their schoolwork and assist them with their English and Math, which they absorb very eagerly. However, we also engage in fun activities such as art, quizzes, dancing and games. Pratham has many teachers and volunteers like us who help the children with their studies in after-school sessions and conduct other stimulating activities to increase their interest in learning.

We adore the children at Pratham and sincerely hope that the feeling is mutual. We can assure you, there is never a dull moment at Pratham. Whether its Quiz week where the kids think Sachin Tendulkar is the President of our country or the DAIS students losing terribly at a game of Antakshari, we always seem to enjoy ourselves and be productive at the same time. Whoever said that fun and work were on separate poles was very wrong.

Gandhi once said “Be the change you want to see”. We never realized that in being the change, we were being changed ourselves. The children at Pratham have helped us discover a few shades in ourselves that we didn’t know existed.
Are you ready to change and be changed?