How we will utilise these books

Over the last 16 years, we have recorded 96% attendance at our schools, and a dropout rate of less than 1%, significantly better than most Government run schools for the disadvantaged. This year, 95% of our children passed the Grade 10 exam, while 80% passed the Grade 12 exam, many with First Class and several with distinctions. More than 50 of our recent graduates are now at University pursuing degrees in Commerce, Science, Engineering, Law and Hotel Management. In sports, our children have excelled in Athletics, Football and Taekwondo. We have been the Athletics Champions of Bangalore in the past, and our U-14 and U-16 football teams have won many tournaments, Parikrma places great emphasis on reading. We believe that it must go hand in hand with education, so that children can go beyond their textbooks and enhance their vocabulary and ciritical thinking abilities. In this Library in a Suitcase campaign, Parikrma’s Changemakers ( teams of Parikrma’s own highschool students)wish to conduct an after school program aimed both at Parikrma’s own students as well as their friends and peers within their slum communities, many of whom do not have access to books. Through the Pratham books and reading cards in English, Kannada and Hindi, Parikrma Changemaker students wish to give back to society the benefits that they themselves have received – enhanced vocabulary and reading skills, critical thinking and a sense of compassion and sharing. It is hoped that once children develop a love for books, they will also perform better at school