DFW Board Members Visit Pratham

As Pratham USA supporters, we tend to focus our efforts on raising funds and awareness here at home. We attend galas, run 5Ks and participate in Readathons. In the midst of our busy lives, it’s easy to lose sight of why we do this. So when a number of DFW board members recently visited Pratham sites in India to see firsthand what our work is achieving, we asked them to report back.

Ron Parikh, his wife Pinky and their two children, Aryanna and Anayla, visited two Pratham sites in Vadodara. Witnessing the schools in action—one a primary school, the other a preschool—gave them a chance to see how their efforts at home are being put into action in India. “For me and Pinky, it was great to see that there was a clear line of communication and structure with a process that was being followed by Pratham teachers and coordinators,” Parikh explained enthusiastically. “The kids were engaged and focused on their work.

For Lav Kapadia and his family, it was the children’s excitement that made the greatest impression: “Earlier this year, I was privileged to visit Pratham schools in Mumbai with my wife Manisha, and my kids, Manav and Neerali. It was truly a life-changing experience that made us all grateful that we have the chance to really better children’s lives. I will never forget the excitement on the children’s faces as we passed out supplies to them. They were as excited about those pencils and notepads as kids in America would be for new iPhones!”

Val Bhakta gave a similar account: “Visiting a Pratham school in Mumbai was truly an incredible experience for me and my husband Akash. We could clearly see the passion all the teachers had for the kids, and for Pratham. Meeting the kids was simply priceless. I would recommend that everyone take a little time out from their trip and visit a school—it will change you forever.”

We invite you to experience our programs. Learn more about how you can visit a Pratham site.