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MULTILIT at Parikrma
 The MULTILIT program was developed by leading researchers in the area of literacy at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. The program has been designed for children with significant reading difficulties or learning difficulties. The program targets sight words, phonics, supported reading, comprehension and spelling to give children who are falling behind their peers with a head start.
The research in Australia strongly supports the MULTILIT program as it has shown great results amongst children with a variety of backgrounds. The results have show that with just 30 minutes of one to one instruction daily by a MULTILIT tutor children can make at least 7 months gain in reading in just 9 weeks. More can be found out about MULTILIT on their website www.multilit.com.
 Parikrma is the first school beyond Australian borders that has been accredited to use the program. The program was introduced in all 4 schools in the month of June 2008 and is implemented by trained local and international volunteers. We currently have a team of 25 volunteers in place and 100 children benefitting from the program. The feedback from the volunteers and students has been fantastic:
“I love my MULTILIT tutor, she always says nice things and I love reading my books” Anitha (6th Grade)
“I like doing the sight words, I have passed many levels, I am a good reader” Satish (3rd Grade)
“ I love doing the MULTILIT program as it gives me something that I focus on during my volunteering time, it’s well structured and easy to implement. Most of all it’s fun as I enjoy the one on one time with the children and seeing their progress. I now can see I have taken on a big role in my children’s progress. The children just love the praise and constant encouragement and run down to their lessons as soon as the bell goes” Morag (Glasgow University)
As well as the volunteers our teachers are also being trained in the program so that they too can become tutors to the children in their class. In order to keep the flow of the MULTILIT program we need to ensure that we have a constant intake of volunteers.
We hope the partnership between the MULTILIT and Parikrma team can strengthen for many years to come. We are truly grateful for the time, energy and support we have received from the MULTILIT staff in Australia.
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Making and Keeping Promises – The Abdul Kalam Way
 It was a wish come true for the children and teachers at the Adobe Parikrma Centre when Dr Abdul Kalam made a visit to the School on 30th October 2007. It was a time to learn a few lessons about life and about dreaming big in life. He shared with the children his mantra of success: have an aim in life, acquire the required knowledge, work hard and be perseverant. That will bring success in your life.
The children asked Dr Kalam many questions they had regarding his childhood dreams, on becoming a scientist, his love for children and his dream for India. He shared with the children his dream for India – which was to see smiles on billion of faces, that and only that way problems would vanish and enemies would become friends. Replying to a question he answered “I Love teaching because when you teach you can learn more and by learning more you can teach better”
Dr Kalam left the children with a very powerful thought “When there is righteousness in the heart there is beauty in the character .When there is beauty in the character there is harmony in the home .When there is harmony at home there is order in the nation. When there is order in the nation there is peace in the World”.
He concluded with making the teachers take an oath - to be good role models to the children and impart values and knowledge that would help them become good individuals in life.
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Motorola's "virtual" project helps close the economic divide
Brings the world into the classroom for the children at Parikrma
 Motorola jointly with Parikrma Humanity Foundation have launched Motorola Virtual – “World in a Classroom” project. This will initiate a unique state-of-the-art learning program that will change the very way the poor are educated.
Leveraging the power of technology to bridge economic barriers, the project ensures that not only is learning fun and highly interactive but it brings the wonders of the world right into the classrooms of the poorest children. Motorola’s state-of-the-art CanopyTM technology connects four ‘Parikrma Centres for Learning’ situated in different parts of Bangalore. These are linked through a high speed wireless network. The platform can be configured as a single-site point-to-multipoint system that supports subscribers for distances up to 25 kilometers. This is a complete wireless ecosystem, from infrastructure and applications, to end-user devices. It enables streaming audio-video feeds, touch-screen smart boards, turning the idea of a dream classroom into reality. Each Parikrma centre will have high technology remote controlled cameras, smart board, LCD projector, audio equipment and a computer. Teaching will acquire a seamless touch, making it possible for a teacher in one centre to teach students of other centres through live video presentations.
The worldwide web is accessible in the classroom at any time through a high-speed internet experience. The smart board becomes a giant touch screen. Any subject and area of interest can be delved into within the classroom. The knowledge the world has to offer is at the fingertips of the child, right in the classroom.
Parikrma plans to use this Canopy backbone to build a network that connects all its computer labs in the Centres and build a digital library of resources that could be accessed by the children at the same time from any location. Teachers will undergo training to think differently and make use of this enhanced way of learning. Parikrma also plans to build an intranet by creating a virtual private network that will allow them to administer their various programs in an efficient and effective manner. |
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 Parikrma Humanity Foundation UK Trust
In 2006 the Parikrma Humanity Foundation UK Trust was established to act as a fundraising vehicle for Parikrma Humanity Foundation. In its first year the Trust has received generous donations from a number of individuals, as well as contributions from two Rotary International groups.
In addition we are very grateful to Scottish Widows for their generous contribution of £12,000. This funding enabled us to cover the cost of the Ginn Reading 360 Programme, including reading books, workbooks and teaching materials, for all levels for all four Parikrma Centres for Learning. The surplus from this donation, together with our other contributions, was used to begin an initiative to provide the daily protein drink to the children at Parikrma with milk, instead of water, thus enhancing their nutritional input.
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Parikrma’s
Deep Impact Study launched
Having completed 4
years of operations, Parikrma held their 2nd Change
Your World Leadership Series on September 9, 2007
in Bangalore. Here Parikrma revealed their Deep
Impact Research done by The Nielsen Company on the
Parikrma Model. This research has been sponsored
by ANZ. It is a research that has great implications
for those looking at providing education that would
help the poorest of the poor in urban India to break
their cycle of poverty.
The event started off with Dr. Shashi Tharoor, former
Under-Secretary General of the UN, talking passionately
about the need for drastic change in our education
system. He alluded to many startling statistics
about the condition of our mass schooling system
and what really was needed to create change. He
entralled the audience, which comprised of CEO and
top decision makers from some of the best companies
across Bangalore. Close to 350 people had come together
to hear Dr. Tharoor speak and he did not disappoint.
The event ended with a brilliant Bharatanatyam recital
by Padamshri Malavika Sarukkai.
 Earlier
Dr. Tharoor visited the Adobe Parikrma Centre for
Learning at Jayanagar where he interacted with the
children and talked to the press about his experience
with the children and the value of the Parikrma
Model. Dr. Tharoor was queried on various topics
including his tenure at the UN and why he left.
He was visibly impressed with the confidence that
the children had.
The Deep Impact Research clearly shows that the
Parikrma Model is a viable option for our mass schooling
system. It compared the progress of Parikrma children
with those coming from Government Schools as well
as Private English Schools. It also captured the
perceptions of Parents across these schools. With
its emphasis on providing top-class English education,
the Parikrma Model can easily be adopted across
schools in urban India. The Deep Impact Research
can be available on request.
 Governor’s
Recognition for Parikrma
Our new year began with a bang, as on the
26th of January, our Republic Day, we received the
Governor’s award for outstanding service towards
the poor in the state. We were even more delighted
when a boy from the Parikrma Centre for Learning
was given an award for being exceptional in both
studies and sports
For Zamzei Thouthang, it was not even a dream. To
be at the Raj Bhavan and receive an Award for Excellence
in studies and sport from the Governor of Karnataka,
Shri T.N. Chaturvedi, was something out of the blue.
But for us we had, long before, recognized this
Manipur orphan’s potential. When Sachin Tendulkar
had visited our Centre at Koramangala a few years
ago,  he
had pointed out to Zamzei’s cricketing potential.
However Zam, as he is popularly known, has taken
to football and is a natural playmaker with exceptional
talent. He has anchored the United Parikrma Football
Team to many victories. In his studies, Zam has
consistently performed across all the subjects and
his overall ability is what earned him this high
honour from the Governor. When interviewed by one
of the TV channels, he said that he wants to be
a software engineer and play football for the country.
Well Zam, we are with you all the way.
 Parikrma
students launch Sudha Murthy’s book at Crossword:
Sudha Murthy, Chairperson of the Infosys Foundation,
is also a well writer of stories for children. Her
latest book – “The Magic Drum &
other stories” was released recently at the
Crossword bookstore in Bangalore. And it was launched
with great enthusiasm and creativity by the children
of Parikrma. The children read the stories with
perfect voice modulation. In fact they even enacted
one of the stories. The audience, comprising of
children from mainstream schools as well their parents,
was enthralled by our children’s performance.
Such events allow our children to integrate with
the mainstream of Society. No one attending the
launch would have ever guessed that these children
lived in the slums. And it is top-class English
education with high exposure that has made this
possible.
Parikrma children get exposed to the World’s
Local Bank - HSBC:
For many of our children, a bank is the last place
they will ever visit. And then to be exposed to
one of the world best bank’s was an experience
that was awe inspiring. A guided tour by the staff
of HSBC Bank on M.G. Road in Bangalore, gave the
children a peep into the workings of a global bank.
There were questions galore – many around
fraud and counterfeit notes! The children were impressed
with the internal surveillance system that reduced
the risk of illegal activities. For many it was
the note counting machine that was fascinating as
well as the machine that detected fraudulent notes
through ultra-violet rays. Then there was the vault,
the locker room and the ATM.
The field trip ended with an art competition where
the children were asked to draw their dream bank,
20 years from now. Raja drew the Dragon Bank in
partnership with HSBC. He called it Dragon since,
Dragons are fast and he wanted his bank to grow
really fast! All in all it was a wonderful field
trip, exposure that would hold them in good stead
in the future.
 State-of-the-art
computer lab opened at Adobe Parikrma Centre for
Learning
The children of Adobe Parikrma Centre for Learning
have a spanking new state-of-the-art Computer Lab,
sponsored by Adobe. The Lab was opened by Shylendra
P.D, Managing Trustee of Saraswati Memorial Trust
along with family member and sister Mrs. Shubha
Subraj. Shyle, as he is fondly called by his friends
and Mrs. Subraj were both impressed by the quality
of the computeres and thanked Adobe for the fantastic
Lab. Saraswati Memorial Trust (SMT), founded by
late Shri P.S. Devedas, Advocate, has been instrumental
in making Parikrma’s third Centre possible,
two years ago. Parikrma is thankful to the other
trustees, comprising of family members, for their
generosity in agreeing to start the Centre and in
providing education that would help hundreds of
poor children to get top-class education.
The Lab is equipped with 15 high end computers thus
ensuring that 2 children have access to one computer.
Through these computers, the children will have
the best of technology for increased interactivity
for both video and audio. There is no computer curriculum
at Parikrma. Rather, computers are used as a tool
to impart lessons and other interesting concepts
that go well beyond the classroom. The Lab has internet
connectivity, making it easy for the children to
source information for class work as well as other
projects. |
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