In a groundbreaking effort to combat poverty through education in rural India, RYTHM Foundation and Parinaama Development Foundation have embarked on a foundational literacy project in North Bengal.
Over the next three years (until 2026), the transformative initiative primarily aims to empower underprivileged communities in the Jalpaiguri district. The efforts will concentrate on uplifting the educational foundation of both children and adults.
A significant step in implementing the “Enabling Foundational Literacy and Numeracy” project was a recent assessment visit by the Head of RYTHM Foundation, Santhi Periasamy.
During the visit, Santhi and the founder of Parinaama, Dr Madhavi Panda, engaged with beneficiaries and stakeholders, including district officials, educationists, and community leaders.
The team focused on understanding the region’s geography, topography, socioeconomic and cultural profiles, and community infrastructure. In addition, they interacted with children, their families, and teachers, gaining valuable insights into the community’s needs and expectations.
The meetings also provided a valuable opportunity for RYTHM and Parinaama to present an overview of the programme’s main objectives and methodology.
Santhi underscored the significance of education in present and future circumstances while also assessing the level of interest in imparting literacy to out-of-school individuals.
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“This visit was a crucial step in laying the groundwork for the project. We gained a profound understanding of the region’s diverse needs. This enabled us to effectively tailor our efforts to uplift the underprivileged communities,” Santhi said.
Implemented by Parinaama and The Society for Door Step Schools (DSS), an NGO providing literacy to marginalised sections of society, the three-year initiative is designed to improve the beneficiaries’ basic literacy and numeracy skills.
“The collaboration between RYTHM, Parinaama, and Door Step Schools underscores our commitment to combatting poverty through education.
“This transformative initiative aims to not only improve literacy but also empower the communities, fostering sustainable change over the next three years,” Santhi added.