Fashioning the Future through Education
By Kalyani Giri
Last updated: December 19, 2008
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HOUSTON: Pratham, the major non-profit and international organization benefiting the education of children in India, launched the Read India Campaign in May 2007 with the aim of teaching 60 million children across India to read, write, and learn basic math by 2009. While 93% of children are enrolled in schools, nearly half are illiterate even at the 5th grade level, a fundamental insight that propels the Pratham campaign to accelerate teaching techniques and ignite the imaginations of young minds through the world of books.
To help further the crucial cause, Pratham USA Houston Chapter held its first benefit luncheon Fashioning the Future at the Houston Junior League at Post Oak on Friday, December 6, 2008. The event, that followed closely on the heels of the recent terrorist siege in Mumbai, generated $75 000 in much-needed funds to help Pratham develop and publish 150, 000 new books for the children of India. Already Pratham has commissioned 13 new book titles.
“’Tis the season of giving, and I, on behalf of Pratham, thank you for the wonderful gift of reading that you are giving to our children,” said President of Pratham USA Houston Chapter Vijay Bhuchar to a capacity audience. “We all know that education has to be the answer for a generation that looks for hope and for opportunity and for stability.
During the month of October, while terrorists were training for this attack, Pratham Mumbai continued on with its work to meet its mission of Every Child in School and Learning well,” added Bhuchar. She cited statistics that tracked Pratham’s progress in its mission: 6,151 children enrolled in Pratham’s preschool programs; 48,759 children borrowed books from Pratham libraries; 5073 children enrolled in a tutoring program for entering the Mumbai government scholarship program; 23, 747 enrolled in English classes; 97, 769 enrolled in reading programs at municipal schools. Bhuchar exhorted attendees to sponsor or adopt a book for $5000.
Master of Ceremonies for the luncheon was Robert T. Sakowitz, CEO of Hazak Corporation. He called for gatherees to observe a minute of silence in remembrance of those impacted by violence in Mumbai. Event Chair Omana Abraham delivered the welcome address and introduced co-Chairs to the event, Manmeet and Paul Likhari, Chitra and Murthy Divakaruni, Simran and Pardeep Rihal, and Sam Abraham. Serving as Honorary Chair for the event was attorney/author Andrea White, wife of Houston Mayor Bill White.
Guests included Consul General of India Hon. Sanjiv Arora and wife Chhaya, Houston Grand Opera’s General Director and CEO Anthony Freud, and Saks Fifth Avenue General Manager Terry Zmyslo. Entertainment was a fashion show of accessories from the classic designer House of Chanel. Silent auction sponsors included Kiran’s Restaurant, Chanel Beaute, Abrahams Oriental Rugs, Sehgal Diamonds, and Silverture Inc., to name a few.
Read India has achieved wide coverage across India. The rollout has reached over 270,000 villages in 350 districts and 19 states. Over 360,000 primary school teachers and 330,000 volunteers have been trained.
Pratham has forged formal and informal partnerships with 15 state governments such as Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Himachal, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Nagaland, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal.
For more information visit www.prathamusa.org
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