Our Programmes

We have been partnering with Panikhali Rural Development Society (PRDS) since 2017 and have developed an excellent working relationship with their staff and management. We work together in three communities and support the education of 825 students of all ages ranging from pre-school children right up to students in the final years of their secondary education. In our three centres, we run a number of programmes each day that are designed to support the education of young people from the local communities.

Three education centres supported

825 students of all ages supported

40 staff employed in three communities

Pre-School

Pre-School classes take place in Panikhali and Alor Disha centres each day. 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 two years in preschool children are ready for admission to formal government schools.

Nutrition

Every day on completion of pre-school classes, children are given a nutritious meal that is freshly prepared by our school cooks in our kitchens. The meal provides students with much needed nutrients which they normally 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.

Follow Up Coaching

After completion of our pre-school students are mainstreamed into local government run schools in the areas. However, their involvement with our centres does not end at this point. Instead, they enter what is our biggest programme in the form of follow up coaching for Classes I-XII. With many of our students being first generation learners, providing them with additional support in our centres is essential in enabling them to keep up to speed in school and pass exams.

Student Sponsorships

For many poor families, the cost of education in the final years of school is beyond what their limited means are capable of affording. The support we provide 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.

Mothers Groups

In each community mother’s groups have been formed by PRDS with the purpose of discussing issues faced by women, their children and to create awareness on overcoming these issues. Meetings are held monthly and have proved highly beneficial with large numbers of mothers in attendance covering many different topics of benefit to them, their families and the wider community.

Vocational Training

Vocational Training started last year for mothers from the local community in Panikhali to teach tailoring skills to enable early school leavers to learn a vital skill which can help generate an income stream. Already a number of the trainees have acquired good skill-set and started their own small businesses locally. With the construction of the new building in Panikhali, there will be a dedicated vocational training room which will greatly enhance the programme and the outcomes for the trainees.

Classes take place throughout the day in each of our centres with students taking part in a wide range of programmes. Check out the video below to see what a full day in our centres looks like.