Pre-School classes take place daily in each centre. In these classes, children aged 4-6 are taught the basics of Bengali, English and Maths to prepare them for entry to Government Schools in the locality. Each child is supplied with books and a uniform to encourage the habit of learning and regular school attendance from an early age.

After completion of pre-school, students are mainstreamed into local government-run schools. However, their involvement with the PRDS centres continues beyond this point. Instead, they enter PRDS’s biggest programme through follow-up coaching for Classes I-XII. With many students being first-generation learners, providing them with additional support is essential in enabling them to keep up to speed in school.

In each community, mother’s groups have been formed by PRDS to discuss issues faced by women and their children and to create awareness on overcoming these issues. Meetings are held monthly and have proved highly beneficial, with many mothers in attendance.

In each centre, a computer training programme occurs throughout the week for the students in the higher classes. Many of the students would otherwise have little or no access to computers. This training provides students with computer software and hardware knowledge that will benefit them in their future studies and careers.

Every day after pre-school classes, children receive a nutritious meal freshly prepared by PRDS’s school cooks in our kitchens. The meal provides students with much-needed nutrients they usually might not get in their diets in their homes. It also acts as an incentive for children to attend school regularly from an early age.

For many low-income families, the cost of education in the final years of school is beyond what their limited means can afford. Once a student reaches Class IX, and costs begin to rise, we support them. Our support is essential in ensuring these older students can complete their secondary education and progress to college or further training, with the ultimate hope of a brighter future for them and their families.

The tailoring training programme is designed to provide local women with training in tailoring, clothes making and production. On completion of the course, the trainees will have acquired a skill that will enable them to start their own small business, take orders locally and generate an income for themselves and their families.

Due to the remote locations of the communities where we work with PRDS, accessing medical facilities can often take time and effort. Medical Camps focussing on different specialities are held throughout the year in each community. Doctors and medical personnel conduct these camps to provide diagnosis to local people.