• On 26th January students visited the American Embassy School in New Delhi to play a friendly game of Ball with them. The girls had a great time and enjoyed pizza and chocolate cake for first time in their lives.
• Past summer Project Pragati organized an educational and fun trip for its primary school students to the National Zoological Park in New Delhi. It was their first trip ever to a zoo and it made quite an impact on them.
• In January ’08, Project Pragati resumed the work of construction of toilets in village Karanpur- home to many PPES students. This project will not only help improve health, hygiene and sanitation of the entire village but will also help restore the dignity of women. As toilets will only be constructed in the homes of Project Pragati students, this project has been a good motivator for the parents to send their daughters to school. So far, 12 toilets have been built.
• Soccer, volleyball, and badminton were introduced as new sports at the school in March ’08. The girls are not just learning the rules of these sports but also mastering the skill.
• The Cultural program held on July 26th gave an opportunity to students to showcase talents. Many new talents were discovered in the process.
• The grand opening of a new store in Bhopal to showcase handicrafts made by the students was a great success. The first day’s response was very encouraging.
  

Realizing a dream: Suman’s trip to the US: 

This summer Bitiya played host to a very special visitor from Project Pragati. Suman, traveled to the United States and spent a few weeks with us!  She was awarded this trip for her academic excellence. Suman is a seventeen year old eleventh grader, who dreams of becoming a police officer.  Suman is a perfect example of how the potential within every impoverished child can be realized - given THE opportunity.

On Saturday, October 11th, Project Pragati held a benefit fair in New Delhi to exhibit the products meticulously handcrafted by the students at their vocational school.

From : Neetu Thomas