A splash of color and a whole lot of inspiration!

The Chicago community gathered at Barrington Road Pond – Picnic Groves on June 5th for their Carnival of Colors event. Each year, the chapter hosts a 5K walk but this year, it was a far more exciting and colorful event! Participants got to play with colored powder before and after the walk reminiscent of the Indian festival of Holi.

Nag Vaidyanathan, Pratham Chicago Chapter President, said, “The Chicago walk has been a popular event for the community and it’s heartwarming to see everyone come together for a common mission – to support the incredible work of Pratham in education. Having taken on the role of chapter president this year, it was personally so inspiring for me to meet so many Pratham supporters and hear about what motivates them to give to Pratham. We hope to continue to grow our chapter and consequently the impact we make in the lives of children and youth in India.”

190 attendees came together to celebrate the start of summer with a walk on the beautiful Barrington Pond trail. In addition to splashing color on each other, families also enjoyed taking photos by the Pratham backdrop, great food (including ice-cream!) and great music from the very talented kids of School of Rock, all in a beautiful outdoor setting. There was laughter, camaraderie and a strong sense of community at this event which made the weekends of many much brighter! Susan Patel, one of the attendees, said “It was great to see the community come together and enjoy the good music, ice cream and colors while learning all about the good work Pratham does.”

There are significant concerns around increased learning loss in India due to lengthy school closures during the pandemic. As schools reopen in a staggered manner across India, many children will return to the classroom without the necessary fundamental skills. Pratham’s proven programs play a role in addressing inequity in education. Events such as Pratham Chicago’s Carnival of Colors raise much needed funds to support Pratham’s work in India.

“Events like this help rally our local community and raise awareness. Three generations of our family attended this year – a testament to the power of these events to engage community members of all ages.” said Goma Srinivasan, a long time board member and Pratham supporter.

The chapter plans to host the event again in 2023.

They say pictures are worth a thousand words and our photos from the event certainly captured the merriment and connection among the community. Take a look here.